Eliud Kipchoge reveals key lessons from recent defeats

Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge says he has had to learn patience, following his recent spate of setbacks.

Kipchoge, who once set an unbeaten streak of 10 straight marathons, suffered a downturn in form beginning early last year, when he suffered his fourth career loss in the distance at the Tokyo Marathon, a race he ended up finishing tenth.

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That shock defeat was later followed by a first career DNF (Did Not Finish) at the Paris Olympic Games - where he was eyeing a record three-peat - before placing sixth at this year’s London Marathon.

For a man who once looked unbeatable, the results gave him a bit of perspective.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, Kipchoge, who is readying himself up for another go on the road at Sunday’s Sydney Marathon, spoke about how his mindset had shifted post the defeats.

“I have learnt patience," Kipchoge said. "I have learnt to handle the challenges. I have learnt to be determined in life, and that pain can resolve into a huge benefit.”

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Speaking about his latest race, which saw him finish in a time of 2.05:25, he said: “What I learned from London is that consistency and patience still rule the day.

I had to be patient enough, and my consistency helped. I tell young people that the more you stay in any profession, the more you gain knowledge, get more expertise, and I believe that's what I am showing.

Marathon is like life. We do not win by our legs, but we win by hearts and our minds. The first thing social runners should know is that a marathon is not about running your fastest run, but more about going the whole distance.

Once you cross the finishing line, you are accomplished. It changes you, especially when you remember how painful it was. Feeling that pain for a long time, that's how we enjoy the marathon.”

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Over the last month, Kipchoge, the first person in recorded history to do a sub-two-hour marathon, has earned a new title to his name, having been elected as Athlete representative at the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K).

On what he intends to achieve in his position, he said: “I want to get a chance to talk to the athletes of as many federations as possible.

"I believe sports can bring huge economic benefits to our country. We need to empower all our sportsmen and sportswomen across all sports to appreciate and understand that sports are an opportunity to make a living and sell themselves.”

Having watched the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN), Kipchoge believes the country has “many young people who love sports”, and is thrilled to be part of what could yet prove another inspirational journey.