Eliud Kipchoge

From the hilly trails of the Kenyan highlands to the roaring avenues of New York City, Eliud Kipchoge’s journey is as much about chasing history as it is about running.

Here’s why the man widely regarded as the greatest marathoner of all time keeps pressing forward.

Humble beginnings in Kenya

Born in 1984 in Kapsisiywa, Nandi County in Kenya’s Rift Valley, Kipchoge was the youngest of four children and grew up in modest conditions. (China Daily)

– In his village, running was simply part of everyday life: “you run up and down to school, to the shopping centre,” he has said. (China Daily)

– He began his serious athletic journey not with the marathon, but as a world-class 5,000m runner, before shifting to the marathon distance. (Wikipedia)

That environment forged two critical traits: a love for running simply because it was part of life, and a built-in engine of hills and altitude training in Kaptagat that would become the foundation for his dominance.

The rise to greatness

Kipchoge’s career is littered with landmark achievements:

– He broke the official marathon world record twice, running 2:01:39 in Berlin in 2018 and then 2:01:09 in 2022. (China Daily)

– He is the only human to have run the marathon distance in under two hours — 1:59:40 in Vienna in 2019 — albeit in a controlled, non-open competition. (Wikipedia)

– He has won multiple major marathons, Olympic golds (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020) and established himself as a barrier-breaker in the sport. (China Daily)

But for Kipchoge, the numbers aren’t the full story — the why behind his running matters.

The “why”: chasing history and meaning

1. Legacy beyond records.
He has stated:

“I want to be remembered as a person who pushed barriers and inspired the next generation… they need to push boundaries in every field, in every sector.” (Capital FM)

He views his running not merely as competition, but as example.

His sub-2:00 run was more than a time—it was a statement: “The barrier was broken.” (Capital FM)

2. A major item unfinished: the sixth star.

Kipchoge is chasing a complete set of wins in the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York).

He has done five of the six; the only one missing is New York. (Capital FM)

He sees the streets of New York as the final piece of his major-marathon jigsaw:

“My legacy will be complete because I will have a sixth star.” (Business Day)

3. Age and time as motivation.
Even with world-class accomplishments behind him, Kipchoge knows that time is pressing.

He is acutely aware of his advancing age and uses technology (like continuous glucose monitors) and modern training to adapt. (Business Day)

The hills of his training ground in Kaptagat mirror the tough courses he faces—such as New York’s hilly terrain. (Men’s Journal)

Why New York now?

The decision to race in the New York City Marathon is about more than ticking a box:

– It’s the only major he hasn’t yet won, so it completes his ambition of all six major wins.

– It aligns with his personal message: push boundaries, leave no gap.

– The course is tough—hilly, unpredictable—but his Kenyan hill-training gives him confidence.

“We train on hills in Kaptagat… we even have a route we call the Boston route.” he said. (Men’s Journal)

– It’s a global stage. Running in New York adds a dimension: from rural Kenyan footpaths to the city streets of the world’s most iconic metropolis.

The driving mindset

Kipchoge’s motivation is multi-layered:

• Self-competition: He says he competes first with himself: pushing his own benchmarks rather than just others. (Pulse Sports)

• Inspiration: He wants his journey to inspire others—“through running people can be free in life… go out of their doors and run.” (allAfrica.com)

• Barrier-breaking: Whether it’s the two-hour mark or finishing all six majors, he’s motivated by the historic “firsts” and “lasts” that define eras.

• Humility + discipline: Despite his fame, he still lives in the Kenyan highlands, trains simply, emphasises sleep, diet, stress-management, and consistency. (GQ)

Final thoughts

Even at the zenith of his career, Eliud Kipchoge hasn’t slowed down—in fact, this may be his most focused chapter. Why?

Because he knows legends aren’t just made when records fall—they’re made when ambition persists, when one more race matters, when completing the story becomes as important as starting it.

In the hills of Kenya he learned the value of every uphill stride.

On the streets of New York he aims to translate that into history. Not just for himself—but for every runner who believes that human limits can be rewritten.