The Futility of 1:59:40
While it’s impressive to see a human cover 26.2 miles in less than two hours under any conditions, many people are questioning what was actually accomplished. The science behind the attempt is certainly impressive. From the analysis of the marathon course to the technology in the running shoes, this attempt was analyzed down to the finest detail. Barriers are meant to be broken and serve as the inspiration for others to strive toward.
When Roger Bannister slipped under the 4:00 barrier with a 3:59.4, it was 46 days later that the second person, Australian John Landy repeated the feat. What’s more impressive is that Bannister burst through the barrier in less than ideal conditions. May 6, 1954, was a cold day with 3,000 people gathered in attendance hoping to witness a leap in human achievement. The track was wet and the six other men in the race were not allowed to pace Bannister. Although his training partners, Christopher Chataway and Chris Brasher set the pace, they had to do so within the limitations of a live race.
Landy’s record was impressive in that 46 days later, he shaved 1.5 seconds off the time that most believed impossible to achieve. Then on August 7, 1954, Bannister and Landy squared off in the “Miracle Mile” at the British Empire Games. While Bannister bested Landy in the race, they made history in that two men finished under 4:00 in the same race. So in just over three months, two men ran under 4:00, two times each.
On Saturday, when Eliud Kipchoge crossed the line in 1:59:40, he had the benefit of:
- Pacemakers that rotate in and out of the race (35 total and 6 in reserve) in “V” formation.
- Pace car with a laser system to show where the pacemakers should be running.
- Looped course with 4.3-kilometer straightaways run 4.4 times.
- Vaporfly 4% with supersoft foam, carbon fiber plates, and airbags.
- Hydration every few kilometers to ensure 60–100 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
- Favorable weather and humidity.
In the same weekend, Brigid Kosgei used the Chicago Marathon to shave 1:21 off of Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year-old record. Her 2:14:04 handily beat down the 2:15:00 barrier for women and she flirted with exceeding 2:14:00. Her performance has opened the door for many more women to follow.
This is not intended to be critical of the effort. Again, it does prove that a human can accomplish this feat under extreme ideal conditions. It has laid the groundwork for quantifying all the variables that come into play and how they need to be overcome. However, we are likely years away from an elite runner accomplishing this in the “wild”. With the marathon season upon us, it is unlikely that we will see a runner coming in under 2:00:00 in fall 2019 or Spring 2020.
