This archive report was first published on 20 October 2019.
On 12th October, Eliud Kipchoge made history by becoming the first person to run 42 kilometers in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds in Vienna.
Just weeks later, American athlete Nick Symmonds, 35, attempted to break this record but his attempt ended in a fainting spell after covering only 1,029 meters.
According to Symmonds, he felt like he was running an all-out sprint at a pace of 42 kilometers per hour, with a heart rate of nearly 200 beats per minute just 90 seconds in.
"For me, at that pace, it felt like an all-out sprint. Just 90 seconds in, my heart rate was nearly 200 beats per minute. I was ready to call it after a minute," he gasped from the ground after his run.
Despite his failed attempt, Symmonds was full of praise for Kipchoge's achievement, calling it "the greatest accomplishment by a human being in the history of the world".
