A day with a living legend Eliud Kipchoge

ELIUD KIPCHOGE ARRIVES IN ELDORET. London Marathon winner Eliud Kipchogo is hugged by his wife Grace Sugutt when he arrived at the Eldoret International Airport yesterday. He won the race at 2:03.05. Looking on is Lynne Chebet (daughter). 26.03.2016. Pictures By Peter Ochieng

‘What cannot kill you can only make you stronger’ is one of his favourite songs.

Our mind-blowing experience starts on Tuesday (October 9) when Eliud Kipchoge, the Olympic marathon titleholder asks us to meet him at a restaurant located at the leafy Elgon View Estate at around 9pm following our journey from Nairobi.

The Rio 2016 Olympic champion is smartly decked in Nike apparel and his team NN black polo t-shirt, branded slacks and running shoes, a firm guarantee to honour his sponsors even when going about casual business.

He then disarms us from the palpable excitement of being in the presence of a global superstar, an icon, a giant and the finest in his trade by breaking into a broad smile, warm greeting and a question, “How did they let you in here?”

“We just told them Eliud told us to wait here and that was enough,” prompting him to break into laughter. “You’re a big name you know,” we continue.

Our adulation does not faze him even one bit as he listens patiently, intently and obediently to the purpose for our visit. We are not here to dwell on his jaw-dropping ever-expanding list of milestones in athletics; we came just to spend a day with Kipchoge the man and have a chat.

A model of longevity and discipline that is firmly ingrained in his DNA, we turn to his audacious Nike Breaking2 attempt to run the 42.195 km marathon in under two hours at the Monza Formula 1 track on May 6 last year, an astounding effort that fell an agonising 25 seconds short (2:00:25).

September 16, 2018 Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge celebrates as he wins the Berlin Marathon and breaks the World Record REUTERS

Does he believe the 2:00 barrier can be breached and is he the first man to do it?

“That was Nike’s project and who knows who else will come up with such an idea. I would love to do another great thing in the world before I leave the sport.”

Since then, the Breaking2 documentary continues to pull insane interaction on social media, spiking again when he pulverised the four year-old previous world record set by countryman Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57) at the same Berlin course four years ago.

Despite hailing from an era where social media was a foreign phenomenon, Kipchoge has quickly adapted to the digital age and the powerful modern communication tools that have fuelled his rise to superstardom.

He is one of the few Kenyan sports personalities with a verified Twitter account, with over 84,000 followers.

“To say the truth, in Kenya nobody believed I could do Breaking2, apart from my coach Sang (Patrick) and training mates. There were some nasty comments on Twitter but all in all, somebody else cannot kill your idea.

“Personally, I internalised and thought about how to run under two hours for seven months. The training took three months first then we went for a test run to feel how a formula one track is,” the former Chicago Marathon winner said.

“Later, we came for another three months for pure training for the marathon. A 100 per cent of a whole population cannot like what you are doing but will believe it when you actually show them this is right.

“With a week to go to the real Breaking2, I was happy to see positive tweets and posts on social media. I was amazed after missing (the target) by 25 seconds; those watching on www.nike.com were 13.5 million without Runners World or all those websites,” Kipchoge quipped with his eyes lighting up.

He then went on to outline the incredible figures on social media about a project that was slammed by some as a gimmick and a joke for the sport he starred in and the pride of place it takes in his career although there was no medal on offer.

“Eight hours after that, those who got interested were 660 million! And from that time since the Breaking2 documentary first aired on National Geographic, every week from May 6, 2017, 40,000 to 50,000 people watch it every week (on YouTube) to date! “It has been voted, more than 10 times, as the best documentary ever!”

Let those scarcely believable statistics sink in for a moment.

From early on, you realise running was a ticket that gave you an opportunity to board a plane. When and where did you spot your first plane? We continued as the noise from the cracking dry leaves underfoot created a crunching soundtrack.

“My aim was just to board a plane. I did not know at the time I would compete and fly into big cities around the world in high profile races. Yes, I just wanted to be inside a plane, I never thought of the outcome from running or competition. Kipchoge who completed his O-Level education at Kaptel Secondary School in 1999 charged.

Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge lies down after crossing the finish line of a marathon at the Monza Formula One racetrack, Italy, Saturday, May 6, 2017

Like every young Kenyan growing up in the Nyayo Era of retired President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, Kipchoge was attracted to matters aviation by the pomp and pageantry of national day celebrations.

“Every holiday like Kenyatta Day (October 20), Moi Day (October 10) of Jamhuri Day (December 12), the jets used to fly across the country from Nairobi like Whoooooosh (gestures with his arm while simulating the deafening sound they made in flight) and those were the first planes I saw and told myself, one day I want to fly in them.”

What kind of music do you listen to?

“I’m not a big fan of music but sometimes I listen to Kelly Clarkson. She sang a beautiful and strong song, What cannot kill you can only make you stronger, that is the best among my favourite songs,” he replies in a nod to the American singer and songwriter who won the 2002 season of television series, American Idol.

Kipchoge, 33, however, is still in touch with what is hip and enjoys the tunes of Tanzania music megastar, Diamond Platnumz (born Naseeb Abdul Juma).

Kwangwaru where Diamond is featured by Harmonize (born Rajab Abdul Kahali) another Tanzanian artiste, razed the East African music charts with the song garnering over 28,150,736 views on YouTube by time of going to press.

Do you listen to any song or is there any tune that plays in your head before you take to the roads to train or compete? “No, I actually don’t listen to music when I’m running. Most put earphones when they are training but a race takes a lot of energy and need more concentration. When I’m about to enter a race, there is a lot on my mind.

“I cannot think of a song, I think of what could happen. In any marathon, you cannot know what will happen, you might be knocked down in the first five kilometres, maybe something will happen and you will not finish, there is a lot going on.”

What keeps you going at that point when you feel your body is about to give up? “When you’re running at high speed and you feel like you want to give up, to me, I know that is where success is if you persevere since you are not the only one feeling that pinch.

“If you are 10 people (left in a leading pack) for example, each has their own percentage of perseverance. One may have 10, another 90 or 80 per cent. The more you persevere, the more you win and that is where success is.”

That goes a long way in explaining why Kipchoge emerged the winner at the 2017 Berlin and this year’s London marathons where he prevailed over unheralded Ethiopians Guye Adola and Tola Shura Kitata who chased him all the way to the final stages.

Marathoners Eliud Kipchoge (left) and Stanley Biwot in long run training session in Moiben, Uasin GishuCounty on July 21 2016, ahead of the Olympics Games.[PHOTO: DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]

The Kenyan ace put them down for victory after epic battles of attrition that cemented his status as the undisputed king of the event before his world record in September confirmed him as the G.O.A.T.

“What helps me to go through the pain is when it becomes harder than anything else, I start auditing my life,” Kipchoge adds.

What are your favourite dishes, outside those recommended by dieticians or nutritionists? “Ugali and Chapati,” he responds citing the maize and wheat flour delicacies enjoyed across East Africa.

But you can’t just eat Ugali and Chapati (unaccompanied)?

“Yes, you cannot do that, so I enjoy them with beef. And I like tea too,” Kipchoge reveals with another wide dazzling smile.

Do you think Kenyans love you? Do you feel appreciated? “Kenya has come to appreciate sports, not like previous times. You can see the reaction around of the country and I can say maybe half of the population in Kenya watched the Berlin race and felt inspired.”

What is the craziest thing that has ever happened to you with a Kenyan fan apart from being interviewed in a farm by two individuals? “(More laughter) I once went into a supermarket and bumped into someone who was crying.

“He hugged me and I had to stop shopping and ask him what is going on. He said no (it’s only that), I have been a great inspiration to him and his kids.”