Kenyan Olympian breaks the ‘unbreakable’ two-hour marathon barrier

It’s been 65 years since a runner has made history by breaking a time barrier once thought physically unbreakable.

In 1954, Roger Bannister did the impossible by running a mile in under four minutes.

Yesterday, three-time Olympic medalist Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon in under two hours.

Kipchoge, who is from Kenya, ran the 26.2-mile distance in Vienna, Austria on Saturday, Oct. 12. His official time was 1:59:40.

“No human is limited,” Kipchoge said after the run.

The feat wasn’t considered possible until 1991, when Dr. Michael Joyner published a paper estimating the fastest a human being could run a marathon was 1:57:58.

Kipchoge has long been thought of the runner most likely to break the two-hour barrier. He became holder of the men’s world record last year in Berlin when he crossed the finish line at 2:01:39, and came within 25 seconds in 2017 in an experimental event called Breaking2.

Since 2013, when he began running marathons, Kipchoge has come in at first place in 11 of the 12 races he has run, always coming within striking distance of two hours.

Saturday’s time will go down in the history books, but it isn’t an official world record recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations, much like Kipchoge’s Breaking2 run in ‘17. The run was not an open racing event, and Kipchoge ran with a team of 41 pacesetters, rotating in teams of seven. He was also guided by an electric car, which set the pace.

Regardless, Kipchoge broke the barrier, a feat he compared to putting a man on the moon.

Today we went to the Moon and came back to earth! I am at a loss for words for all the support I have received from all over the world.

Thank you to all who gave me the opportunity. Asante. pic.twitter.com/0HTVBjB6YY

— Eliud Kipchoge (@EliudKipchoge) October 12, 2019