Eliud Kipchoge manages risk to run a sub 2-hr marathon

Today, a feat that I never thought would happen in my lifetime occurred - I saw a human run a marathon in under 2 hours.
This astonishing feat was achieved by the amazing long-distance runner, Eliud Kipchoge.
I am a marathon runner myself, and I always aim to finish in around the 3-hour mark. I cannot fathom achieving a marathon in under 2 hours, or indeed anything close to that mark.

Any marathon runner will tell you that there's a lot that can happen during a marathon. You can of course be bang on form and run a good race. Or, something can happen - an injury of some sort - that impacts your ability to keep going. Or it can just get hard - especially in the mid-30 kms - and your brain can start thinking some strange things.

This particular incredible feat was achieved through the application of military-like precision planning (as various news articles describe). That's for sure. Yet it ultimately needed the runner - Eliud himself - to manage his risks throughout the duration of the 42.195km distance. The fact that he was able to do so, and be smiling and appearing in such good shape at the end of it, is testament to good planning and training, and excellent management of risks.

Whilst it's not the official world record, it is still an absolutely remarkable feat.

Kipchoge - a very modest sports person - said he knew within the first kilometre than he would achieve his objective. He dismissed comments of mid-race presented brief troubles. “That’s untrue,” he said.

It seems incredible that the four-time London marathon winner trained for it for just four months. His Saturday morning pre-race breakfast? Oatmeal.