I was not so lucky to grow up with toys as I grew up in a remote area of Kenya.
— Eliud Kipchoge
I have only ever done athletics. I was only average at school and I have never done any other sport.
It is a long time now since I started running but I still remember running up and down hills and running to school as a kid. When I was young I would run for fun and I didn’t know back then that this would be my career.
If you are humble, your concentration will be very high. That’s the way to go in sports.
To run a big marathon and win takes five months. When I’m on the starting line, my mind starts reviewing what I have been doing the last five months. I believe in my training, and I treat myself as the best one standing on that line.
To win is not important. To be successful is not even important. How to plan and prepare is crucial. When you plan very well and prepare very well, then success can come on the way. Then winning can come on your way.
Others will absolutely be able to break 2:00, too, as long as they believe in themselves.
If you want to break through, your mind should be able to control your body. Your mind should be a part of your fitness.
I want to stay for a long time and leave a mark so the young generation can aspire to be at the top like me. I love the sport, and that’s what drives me.
I want to show the world that you can go beyond your thoughts, you can break more than you think you can break.
If you believe in something and put it in your mind and heart, it can be realised.
One of my first races came over 10km in 2002. I won that race and it felt great. I would say that is when I first fell in love with running.
I think 1:59 is something a human being can run. Or 1:58. Who knows?! If someone trains very well and thinks in a good way, then they can do anything.
I got into running when I was being mentored by my coach. I tried it and developed a passion for it.
I’ve always found the secret is to stay fit and treat sport as a profession. I chose sport as a passion.
I always tell people that this is a really simple deal: Work hard. If you work hard, follow what’s required and set your priorities right, then you can really perform without taking shortcuts. If you’re taking shortcuts, you can’t be free.
I want to run with a relaxed mind.
My first competition outside Kenya was at the 2002 world cross country championships in Dublin, Ireland. I finished fifth in the junior race that day but the thing I remember the most was that it was very cold.
Long runs improve your endurance but shorter intervals improve your speed. They are mutually beneficial for a distance runner. If you do 5k runs it will help your marathon.
I have kept a training diary to record my training plans and my feelings and emotions for a long time.
Mentality is where the success is. I will teach the kids how to think in a positive way.
Where the marathon starts is after 30 kilometers. That’s where you feel pain everywhere in your body. The muscles are really aching, and only the most prepared and well-organized athlete is going to do well after that.
It’s like the first man to go to the moon, I will be the first man to run under two hours, this is crucial.
The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today.
In the offseason I allow my body to recover, my mind to recover. I like to be with my family, to read books, and know what is going on in the world, to understand how people think.
It’s important to run clean so that you can inspire people, to give an example to the young generation.
My mind is always free. My mind is flexible.
I always say: a run in the morning is like eating a fruit a day - it chases he doctor away. It is good for your mind.
I started running because my neighbour, Patrick Sang, was an athlete and I wanted to be just like him. Patrick came from the same village as I do and my mother used to be his teacher. I was so inspired by his success.
I would say that Breaking2 was my best race because I was running against something no one had done before.
I am running to make history, to show that no human is limited. It’s not about money, it’s about showing a generation of people that there are no limits.
I’m not having any problems with my body so I don’t need to supplement. Growing older you don’t recover as fast, but all-in-all I’m doing well.
Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and your passions.
My first race was in October 2001 in Kapsabet, Kenya. It was a 10km road race. I was excited and I was happy to know I am good in running.
If you train with fast athletes, it keeps you pushing. I know that good preparation is more important than everything else.
Thinking positively and confidently changed my life. If you stay consistent and work hard, you can be successful for a long time.
I wake up at 5am, by 6am I’m on the way to training. I come back and relax, have lunch, take a little nap, then train again at 4pm for an evening run. Then relax, dinner and bed at 9pm until the next day.
I’m confident to say that if you want to grow in a profession, consistency is the key… I’m strict about my work goals and training.
Vienna is a city where they love sports.
Once in a while you can run very fast, but you cannot always go to the maximum.
If you concentrate on the rear mirror, you’ll crash and cause an accident.
I enjoy the simplistic training and life in marathon. You run, eat, sleep, walk around - that's how life is. You don't get complicated. The moment you get complicated it distracts your mind.
If you have that belief - pure belief in your heart - that you want to be successful then you can talk to your mind and your mind will control you to be successful.
To me, running is life. I run to live longer and enjoy a healthier life.
No human is limited.
You need to go near to the people and actually sensitize them about the sport - specifically running. If athletes can go near their fans, many people would develop a love for running.
I really want to make a big mark in athletics, to be a legend and be a good example to kids.
Athletics is not so much about the legs. It’s about the heart and mind.
I am just going to try to run my personal best. If it comes as a world record, I would appreciate it. But I would treat it as a personal best.
