Eliud Kipchoge Has A Huge Problem (Thanks To LetsRun For The Article)

This video was based on the masterful article by LetsRun - full article here:
www.letsrun.co...
The author of the article is Jonathan Gault and his reviews and research on the marathon is highly valued by many. Make sure to read the full article for a deeper breakdown and stay tuned to LetsRun every day.

[@trpexclusive4288]

This video was made possible by the excellent writer Jonathan Gault from LetsRun - www.letsrun.com/news/2024/07/2024-mens-olympic-marathon-an-epic-race-on-an-epic-course-kipchoge-bekele-a-monstrous-hill/ I've had the pleasure to meet Jonathan Gault and his research is unmatched - especially when it comes to distance running and marathons. Make sure to head over the LetsRun to get the full article experience and stay tuned for more top teir research in the future.

[@OCJoker2009]

Kenenisa Bekele. He has the fire 🔥 and spirit/grit. He has been waiting for this moment for almost 15 years and beat Kipchoge at the Marathon at last

[@estelja]

I wish it was true, but he's just too old at this point. A top-10 would be a huge success, but a win is out of the question.

[@GNP999]

No favourite in a course like this. It’s up for grabs. Look at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

[@joshuasasfire2759]

@@OCJoker2009 he’s doping

[@siemerssteve]

@@joshuasasfire2759 unlike all the other clean athletes. xd

[@Kingston781]

@@esteljayour stupid Bekele will win gold top 10 what maybe kupchoge top 10

[@JohnDoe-xk1dv]

Boy oh boy, does this make things tough for the oldies. My heart wanted Bekele and Kipchoge, but I struggle to see either of them up in the top 3 here, especially now with these gradients. The winner I think will be a younger runner. The Kenyans should kick themselves now for not picking Evans Chebet - he would have been a course fave on this setup.

[@amblincork]

FFS - do you know what elevation he runs and lives in in the highlands of Kenya ?

[@JohnDoe-xk1dv]

@@amblincork he's nearly 40, and Bekele is over 40. Odds are: good young un tends to beat a good old un, most of the time in similar training - but on hills especially. What happened in Boston for Kipchoge may come into play here. I hope they can do it - but those gradients don't help them, overall. Young legs tend to take distance and gradients better, all things considered, given similar training.

[@joelmacinnes2391]

The fact that on a brutal hilly course, Kenya left out Chebet and Ethiopia left out Tola in favour of Kipchoge and Bekele...

[@Tsomy]

I'm pretty sure they were given enough notice about the course because I remember back in April someone complaining about the elevation gain in the marathon course. I'm just excited to see how the competitors fair against this course and if its something that will never be done again.

[@jackcooper3193]

All these comparisons to mountain running when it's just 430m over the marathon distance 😂😂

[@wadetewano]

The 430m gain is in a 16km zone but yeah , it’s still over 42 km

[@tomrichardson5433]

Of course it’s not just the total amount, 10 m per km for the whole course would still be hard. The steep bits are the key, go too hard and you cant keep up after the hills, too slow and you can’t catch up. I would compare with the heat in Beijing. A bunch of runners will attack on the uphills, and a few will survive. Whoever wins will become a legend.

[@M20-z4j]

@@tomrichardson5433 I think it will be suicidal to attack the hills considering the weather forecast and where these hills are. Olympics are usually slower than usual winning times and I attribute that to the pressure so I my prediction is even splits between first and second 13.1, and much slower times even on the flats than these men run regularly.

[@levbobrov1398]

@@wadetewano 430m in 16km is still kind of average for a hilly trail run.

[@fergusdenoon1255]

@@levbobrov1398 it's average for a flat road run in my area...

[@bev9708]

But this is not new information, we've known what the course will be for a long time now!! And those of us who have run the Paris-Versailles 16km know how tough that climb is even without it being part of a marathon... it's a bit mythical among Parisien runners!!!

[@ericbok]

The course profile is nothing new (it was officially announced on oct 2022) and we would expect every athletes who will take part in this marathon to have trained and prepared accordingly. About the profile, the first climb is not that hard but starts after 14.6km and goes on for 5.7km - the 2nd one at Pavé des Gardes is a different story though, way steepest (up to 15% 😱) but for "only" 800/900 meters... starting at 28.8km into the marathon (after a short 350m climb and 100m plateau) and before the long downhill that will put heavy pressure on quads and hamstrings.... That being said, as much as I would love to see Eliud threepeat, I think Lemma and Munyao have greater chance to make it first given recent performances... but Olympics are also made to crown legends and write sport history, so let's see on August 10th who will cross the finish line first 🏅

[@AK-op1oz]

It shall be equally challenging to him as to everyone else! The difficulty cuts across 😅

[@tombull2993]

Yes but people have strengths and weaknesses and Kipchoge’s weakness appears to be elevation change

[@ArturoTierra]

I ran Boston and New York 3 times each under 2:30. I didn't find the uphills in Boston to be that difficult, it was the final downhill that hurt the most. I also didn't find the hills to be much of a problem in NYC. It was the grating on the Queensboro and re-entering Central Park for the second and final time that really bothered me. Those downhills in Paris will be murder.

[@spcecadex2124]

This a whole different course and nothing in comparison

[@FinnyFinnFinn96]

Based on the same letsrun article that I imagine also inspired this video, I’m going for Victor Kiplangat. He’s got the pedigree of winning the two most recent championship marathons, and he’s a 2017 mountain running world champion. This course is unlike anything we’ve seen except for perhaps the 2020 Olympic trials in Atlanta, and even that was held in cool weather. I think the Paris course will demand somebody with a proven recent track record in hot championship marathons and an appetite for running hills. I think it’ll be between him, Benson Kipruto, and Tola, who’s in for the injured Sissay Lemma. Dark horse is Pacheco of Peru. PR is way off the East Africans but he trains in the high Andes and knows how to run hills better than almost anybody. Who knows there could be a decent shot for a Mantz-type grinder as well, although top 10, as that letsrun article said, is a more realistic aspiration considering the incredible field assembled here.

[@cubebeast6479]

Kipchoge and others will be aiming for a 2:08. How will Victor Kiplangat win this race if his best time is 2:06 😅

[@FinnyFinnFinn96]

@@cubebeast6479 2:08 on this course would be very surprising imo. But it’s an incredible field. I personally think that PRs will count for very little on the day, those hills will punish anybody who thinks they can hang at 2:08 pace or faster. You’re right, Kiplangat’s PR is much slower than some of the other East Africans but look at what he did in Budapest last year in horrendous heat and humidity. I’m not saying he will win, but he’s flying under the radar and has a shot.

[@robertocarlos2406]

Yeah could be the guy from Peru, also there is a guy from bolivia that surprised the Africans by winning Mexico's marathon which is hilly and at 2000 meters of altirude, but this dude lives and trains at 3000 or 4000 meters elevation. However, for the purpose of this video, my heart is with bekele, he surprised us years ago in Berlin.

[@nperium9886]

It has been known that the Paris course was going to be very hilly. Clayton Young has been talking about it on his channel the past few months and has put a large emphasis on hills in his training.

[@piaruns7928]

"very hilly" 😂

[@HDSigningOut]

I think Kipchoge got this. He struggles in cold/rainy/windy conditions. Elevation and heat might affect other runners more.

[@mikeduer6030]

Doesn't it get old posting content every day with stupidly hyperbolic headings like "...has a huge problem." or "You won't believe what (blank) just did," or "we've never seen anything like this before!" Only for it to just be standard speculation about some runner or race? I SKIP every post that's affiliated with TRP because it's always the same old crap.

[@gordonkirkpatrick8090]

3:09 - it seems that the incredibly steep climb from 27.5 km ends at 29 km (~1.5 km), not 30 km (~2.5 km), according to the map. An extra km with that kind of gradient will make an enormous difference. Imagine sprinting down that 3km steep decline after reaching the top of that massive climb! I would bet whoever gets to the peak at 29 km first would win the race if no other unexpected factors come in play.

[@dylan_tanner]

I hope this means nobody just coasts to an easy win. I want to see this come down to the final stretch

[@Kansas_Murph]

The Olympic marathon should be a challenge and not flat.

[@marcusszavaleta]

Hot take but def acceptable

[@lacasadelvideojuego3880]

This. Most of these runner can do 2:04-2:08 in any flat marathon hills add a level of challenger

[@Eljefe5948]

Maybe but even or flat surface give marathon runners less excuses to perform their best. But I wouldn’t mind if they add more challenges because now everyone would come with an strategy making it more interesting

[@Tritiuminducedfusion]

Coming from someone who can't finish a flat marathon. 🤡

[@amblincork]

LOL !!! 300 metre elevation gain over 26 miles is FLAT !!!!! Plus Kipchogee lives and runs in the highlands of Kenya

[@alexarihani2902]

0:17 had him winning Tokyo in 20:08 Even the race walkers could beat that time;)

[@turnoverbros]

Not a TRP video without a typo lol

[@thijsbeentjes4008]

Even regular people just going for a 42.2k stroll with many breaks could beat that time

[@themobleys]

This course has a Tour de France feel to it and I like it!

[@aidanoc19]

Do you know what the elevation for Athens 2004 was? There was a huge hill about 30km, with a downhill last portion. I don't think it was overall that much elevation but the hill was where both race were won, both up and down! It was pretty much where Paula Radcliffe dropped out.

[@SaxonCranefield]

i think kipchoge still has it in him

[@joshuasasfire2759]

Does he dope?

[@Someone-hi1nt]

@@joshuasasfire2759 pretty much all at the top level do in some amount, so yeah

[@Tritiuminducedfusion]

​@@joshuasasfire2759 Yes, you are a dope.

[@ErrorMoose]

still got that dope in him you mean

[@joshuasasfire2759]

@@Someone-hi1nt wait what?!

[@David35687]

The most difficult marathon ever run was the very first one in Greece. I mean, a guy died.😢

[@alexanderalekhine2609]

It's well-established that the old story about the first marathon is just that, an old story with no basis in fact.

[@David35687]

@@alexanderalekhine2609 I still insist that the first marathon run was the most difficult one.

[@davidleonard37]

These guys run in the hills of Eldoret and Addis Ababa.. They mark out areas that mimmick the course so it will be well planned. In Boston theres a lot of downhill before you get to the hills that trash your legs and thats what I struggled with. London and Berlin are great courses and but I would not consider London flat either. It has its drags and these guys fly that course.

[@pawezawisza7436]

For everyone that has ever run Paris marathon - this is normal. That course goes up and down the tunnels next to the Seine, with a final climb around 35km mark, absolutely brutal.

[@teshlawaldemariam917]

This very up and down hill course will benefit Bekele more i think. considering his Cross country winning experience.

[@suartblofeld]

Where on earth do you get your information for this video? "We have recently learned""..... Erm no the Paris marathon course was announced over a year ago! This is not new news. Sensationalism just to get clicks. Poor journalism.

[@1212wolverine]

All these predictions but I think Kipchoge’s focus and determination would prevail. Nothing this time would stop him from creating history

[@thebullfighter6733]

Kipchoge hasn’t done well in rain or poor conditions and recently has struggled over elevation. I think Paris will be super hot and the course doesn’t play in his favour

[@Jess-Rabbit]

Hes from Kenya I think he can deal with the heat

[@28mouse85]

This myth about he doesnt run well in the rain is hilarious. Hes won 3 of the 4 marathons hes been in when it rained.

[@aidenhoffman2182]

​​​​@@Jess-Rabbit the part of kenya where he lives isnt as hot as you think, its usually 13 to 18 degrees

[@iode9999]

Now you're just making shit up. He's practically flawless in the marathon record-wise; tell me how he struggles with rain or poor conditions, especially given that he's won 3/4 marathons when it has rained?

[@28mouse85]

@@iode9999 iv seen so many people on the past claim it aswell 😂 in rio 2016 it rained heavily the whole race and he won by over a minute. Numerous times at london its rained and hes won by over a minute. Even vienna when he ran sub 2 it rained. So the evidence shows how incorrect this claim is.

[@giorgoskyrochristos7991]

I think this Olympics Marathon race compares to Athens Marathon only which was the 2004 Olympic Games Marathon as well. Total ascent in Athens Authentic Marathon is around 1258 feet with mostly heels from 17th to 31st kilometers

[@AardvarkDK]

You really need to tone down the clickbait, dude.

[@yahinkie9532]

what was that buddy

[@AardvarkDK]

@@yahinkie9532 Do you not know what clickbait is?

[@ivanterrible7362]

That course profile, what a beast.

[@kedr77]

Welcome to Paris, in my home town, we know these hills, that are part of a famous race "Paris-Versailles", it is going to be nothing short of a hard challenge, especially if it hot in Paris.

[@Thoth19]

Father TIME is Undefeated! Nearly 40 years old, he has been the Worlds #1 for a decade.🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Great Champion, but the NEXT generation now....🙏

[@HunterThinker]

Mental course. Reminds me of XC training on Mont Royal in Montreal

[@JJR-Running]

It's only about 80m total gain higher than the Oslo marathon... That's a tough course! I'd be expecting a finish time of ~2:09:50 for the winner, with the heat and the hills

[@paulmulks]

Kipchoge's legacy would have been blitzed by Kiptum! RIP

[@wesleydeng71]

Well, Tour de France 😂

[@mihaidumitrescu1325]

it seems you were spot on!

[@Thoth19]

KIPRUTO won easily at Boston, and dominated Tokyo this year. 🔥🔥🔥

[@garethhornby4694]

You do realize that Eliud trains on hills most days. And he trains at altitude. Write him off at your own peril. I believe he will give this last Olympics his all and predict at very least a podium ❤🎉

[@lowzyyy]

Favourite would be Lemma but he magically gave up so Tola is at his place. Still a great runner though This marathon has potential to drop so many runners

[@FisicoTristan]

1:45 " We just recently learned", uh the course been known for 18 months thankfully, all athletes had time to adjust their training in consequence, imagine learning 2 weeks before you race that suddenly "oops sorry guys, won't be flat this time, apologies for not telling you before !"

[@19Vxc76]

I did the Paris marathon in 2019 and it was the most hard in terms of elevation until now. 😬

[@amblincork]

300 metre gain over 26 miles is flat......Kipchogees training camp is at 2,400 metre in the highlands of Kenya....

[@19Vxc76]

Hello Amblin, do you run marathons ?

[@amblincork]

@@19Vxc76 Yes I do and I am 67 and my preferred event are marathons on trails and mountains and I have run a few trail ultras also..so yes I do know a good deal about running on hills. Fact is Kipchogee will almost certainly be doing weekly hill repeats and where he trains will not be flat. Hopefully I will be taking part in the Wolrd Masters Mountain Championship in Canfranc, Spain in September

[@19Vxc76]

@@amblincork that's why 300m for you it's peanuts. Because you run trails. I only do road races (21/42km). And for me and my friends, we feel the difference. Another thing is that the 300m are not diluted on 42km, but in specific parts of the race. Have a great run in Spain.

[@mauricepointer9555]

Good day, If you do compete in the championships in September, I wish you an epic run & all the best to you from the United States of America 🇺🇸. ​@@amblincork

[@indoorandoutdoorendurance3889]

When watching and listening to this video, I thought about the original run in ancient Greece, when a messenger brought war news. (This is the famous historical run that inspired our Marathon race.) I wonder what the "hillyness" or lack of "hillyness" of that course was like. In view of this question, perhaps we can see our modern Marathon race as an attempt to reenact this course run. Therefore, I am confident that the Paris Olympics course will be a reasonable event.

[@mr.mikeygaming3723]

I would love to see kipchoge run a 50 mile ultra marathon to see how the times would compare

[@isaiahmoses9001]

It's difficult to pick-up the winner

[@mathiasbaridon5325]

They litteraly have put a trail in the middle of this marathon 😅

[@dbranc0]

hills he said...!!! 5km with 150m should be like running with the inclinantion of 3% in 15-20min... for sure no HUGE problem for Kipchoge or for any marathonner there ;)

[@SouravJangid140]

Kipchoge is marathon goat for a reason. Be ready for the third olympic title 🎉

[@Mongkol_Thirakot]

Looks like you're very disappointed

[@ajbroo]

its going to be more of a mental battle IMO. who wants it more that's going to push through the pain. Hope Eliud surprises us all and wins it. if he does win I see him going for retirement soon

[@twest6857]

Why is nobody talking about Sisay Lemma?

[@wtsang1]

3:10 Are you sure this is 2024 marathon stage looks more like a Tour de France hill stage with a sprint finish 😂

[@dominickbryant7094]

Lemma is my favorite but im open to a great competition

[@stvp68]

How much notice were the runners given about the course?

[@ZanicL3]

The course has been announced quite a while back, like more then a year ago already

[@suartblofeld]

Over a year!! 18 months I think. Every "fact" in this video is wrong. Just poor journalism and clickbait.

[@stvp68]

@@ZanicL3 thanks! So they’ve more than enough time to adjust their training programs

[@Persistence_run_444]

Notification gang -Present!

[@bh4560]

Kelvin should have been winning this!

[@yna418]

rip😔

[@dasdWARf]

I'd like to hear Jim Walmsley chime in on this, He would have some great insights. The gradient doesn't seems to go over 5% so everything is runnable. Yes the athletes will feel it and records are of the table, but they wil handle it just fine. The Kenyans do a good amount of hilly training aswell from what I've seen. And the descents aren't steep enough to damage if anything it will give the athletes a nice breather. It will add a great tactical layer!

[@dasdWARf]

Edit I didn't account for the incline at 29.5km, that one seems to be approaching 10% still runnable but dangerous.

[@luhwah586]

The clickbaitiest channel on KZbin. I sure hope so it won't show on my feed after I hide it.

[@FreeWilly416]

Meb in his prime would have a real chance with this kinda heat and elevation

[@RichardIILionheart]

I have a hard time picking anyone other than Kipchoge.

[@WKLNETWORK]

Kelvin kiptum

[@Tritiuminducedfusion]

​@@WKLNETWORK🤡🤡🤡 Someone should really inform you he's been dead for months. 🙄

[@RichardIILionheart]

@@WKLNETWORK Being dead, Kiptum is no longer in the picture.

[@hikerJohn]

They are un-leveling the field with such a steep course. It should be as close to an average Olympic marathon course as possible. Imagine they decide to make a 100 meter all up hill . . . no one would accept that. Or what if they decide to put hills in the 10K??? How do you set new records of the course is different every time?

[@M20-z4j]

I am struggling to see what's "new" about the course. It's been out since 10/2022 and I find it highly unlikely that runners (including Kipchoge) are un-prepared. It's going to come down to execution, luck and sheer determination.

[@manhajkitabwasunnah740]

" Winning is not for everyone " ~Kipchoge

[@frederickbenny]

You make it sound like it's climbing a hill but 430m over a marathon distance is not a massive climb. Numerous amateur marathon courses around the world have a lot more elevation gain than this.

[@stormense]

Stockholm Marathon in Sweden has 238 m climb and befor 2023 308 m.

[@frederickbenny]

@@stormense I'm running Sunshine Coast Marathon in Australia next month. It's around 350m and not considered a hilly course.

[@davidgagen9856]

Ridiculous... it's quite flat

[@amblincork]

Yes - this is just a junk clickbait video

[@ambiguousheadline8263]

True, where I live you can get that much elevation in half the distance and it's only a bit hilly. If you really want hills there is a stretch of road a bit north of my house that gets 180m elevation gain in 2 miles... now that would be a challenge for a marathon

[@PerryScanlon]

Lemma if he paces himself well. He won Boston (hills) and has the fastest recent marathon time.

[@betterdaysahead6979]

Oh my, where is Kelvin Kiptum? 😢

[@benhur1959]

This wouldn't have been mentioned years ago. All the athletes are aware of this irrespective of age. Remember its pace that wins the race

[@martinst8764]

One thing I can say about Bekele - he is brilliant at hills - esp descending. This course favours him. But I don't think he'll win. Kipchoge neither. Any medal by either of them will be awesome! It's too difficult to call the winner.

[@tomzolek]

I agree

[@tamasszanka5866]

When everyone is focusing on 2 players, usually a 3rd would win.

[@Lawomenshoops]

I’m sorry, but in March at the LA Marathon, I found out about the very hilly Olympic marathon! Olympic marathon runners should have train for a hilly marathon course.

[@jazzyjay4595]

We just learned this? We’ve known it’s going to be hilly and hot for like a year!

[@stereozo]

Hills, no pacers and hot weather - 3 difficult factors, not one. My prediction - winner time will be 2:02:50-2:03:30, Big competition, lots of capable runners and Kipchoge is not on his prime.

[@FisicoTristan]

"Hills, no pacers and hot weather" and you expect a winner in around 2:03 ? With Lemma dropping there's barely one with a PR close to that, PR that were all done in fresh weather and flat course. Look at what the heat just did for previous olympics marathon times, now add the elevation and there's no chance anyone will go below 2h10

[@alwaystmoza]

Am I the only one confused why no other footage but the thumbnail photo

[@LSEBalla]

Kiptum would’ve won this if Kipchoge didn’t have him killed

[@krakhour2]

Chebet loves hills if he qualified

[@benjamin.kelley]

The Akron Marathon has about 700-800 feet of elevation gain in the second half, 1200 feet overall - it's a soul sucker.

[@TheSiameseDreamer]

I believe this is Eliud's swansong. And as much as I would love him to win, I don't think he will.

[@robinbauer1975]

Sisay Lemma World Ranking 1 And 2:01 runner is out due to injury tola is his replacement

[@juanfcruzpi]

The guy with higher w/kg will have better chances

[@patrickc7467]

This course would have suited Kelvin Kiptum and we could have witness the best Olympic marathon race in history. Unfortunately 😢. RIP Kelvin Kiptum.

[@shanegill5091]

Neither Bekele nor Kipchoge will win, unfortunately. The course will tire them more than the younger men.

[@sportsworld-r3p]

Huge problem for Kipchoge???? not at all. He ran Boston for a reason, to see how he goes over hills and he would have learned a ton from that. The course is the same for everyone, the hills, the predicted heat, everything, so thats where Kipchoge has a huge advantage, because he knows how to run and win Olympic style races, Its not about time, its about strategy and you can bet he has put everything into training for this his swang song and legacy race at the Olympics. If anyone beats him they will have the toughest race of their life and they would have deserved it.

[@macau.friend]

Killian Jornet could crush everyone in a race like this 😂 Too bad he’s not in the Olympics

[@coenvandasler]

Abdi Nageeye 🇳🇱

[@kev0000-1]

Yeah. Spot on. Kipchoge's not built for hills.

[@Chris-vw8yj]

What sized feet are we talking

[@iq_by_0303]

150hm in 5k is not that bad, its a 3% grade

[@skybirdnomad]

I think you actually burn more calories per mile downhill than on the same slope going uphill

[@tidesofkali]

Kipchoge and rest only have a chance because kelvin kiptum is not here ..damn :(

[@joshuasasfire2759]

Are they doping

[@eunicepadilla4513]

🎉🎉🎉

[@robertellis4824]

The guy has run over hills in Kenya for 30 years. Definitely not prepared for the hills of Paris.

[@tedallison6112]

Tour de Marthon( I guess!)

[@GardenChess]

Here

[@_Domo_]

Broooo theyre nerfing kipchoge

[@Mongkol_Thirakot]

Better than getting killed like Kiptum

[@Mongkol_Thirakot]

Imagine only being able to run on a flat course in perfect weather conditions...

[@conartist267]

Ohhh nooooo 😮

[@michaeljohnfx5574]

lol this video was wildly accurate

[@pahom2]

With recent news I just wait for him being exposed for taking doping as well

[@distantlight4527]

Um, there is denying that first line. Kiptum was far, far better. Ridiculous statement.

[@Robert_McGarry_Poems]

Present

[@torontocitizen6802]

Ummm…. The event is supposed to be hard! Just look at what the Tour de France puts cyclists through!

[@nathanenns]

TRP has a huge problem.