This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
On October 12, 2019, Eliud Kipchoge made history by becoming the first person to run a full marathon in under two hours. This remarkable achievement was not just a result of his exceptional athletic ability, but also the result of meticulous planning and scientific analysis.
As I watched the event unfold on television, I was struck by the sophisticated technology used to support Kipchoge's run. A lead car, equipped with advanced gadgets, projected a laser beam on the road to mark the geo-location that Kipchoge and his pacemakers should be at to beat the two-hour target.
The car also displayed the current time, speed, and distance covered, as well as the projected finish time at that pace. This information was crucial in ensuring that Kipchoge ran the entire race at a consistent pace, avoiding the natural tendency of runners to vary their speed over different kilometers.
But that was not all. The pace setters were carefully rotated in and out of the circuit to ensure that they had fresh legs throughout the run. The lead car was also electric, producing zero carbon emissions to avoid slowing Kipchoge down.
Even the location of the marathon was carefully selected to maximize Kipchoge's chances of success. The altitude, temperature, humidity, time zone, and track gradients were all taken into account to create an optimal environment for the run.
And then there was the nutrition. Kipchoge's diet had been carefully planned by a professional nutritionist, but during the marathon, he was given a specially-designed energy drink that delivered 100 grams of carbohydrates per hour to his body.
Even the shoes Kipchoge wore were custom-made to give him a four percent performance efficiency in his movements. The shoes were designed to suck in and evaporate the extra weight that watery sweat introduces in traditional running shoes.
As Kipchoge broke the record, scientists were still taking measurements, eager to analyze the data and make further improvements to his performance.
It's clear that the intersection of sports and data has arrived, and Eliud Kipchoge is at the forefront of this revolution. But how many other athletes are hiding in Kenya, waiting to be discovered, but lack the elaborate digital and scientific ecosystem that has made Kipchoge's success possible?
