Eliud Kipchoge on why he will keep running, and not quit at the top: “I want to sell a new story” - Exclusive
In a wide-ranging exclusive chat with Olympics.com, the Kenyan double Olympic marathon champion gave insights into his current training, goals for the future, and why he’s concerned with the 'worrying' doping trend in his home country.
Eliud Kipchoge is allowing himself to ride the waves of disappointment, pain, sadness - the entire spectrum that athletes go through after failure.
Even without a goal in sight, for now, he’s back training after weeks of shaking off the terrible feeling of dealing with his ‘worst marathon’.
"It was tough" dusting off from his final Olympic marathon run.
Astoundingly, the road running legend who aimed for a three-peat at Paris 2024, has not lost his inner fire, despite not being able to summon the strength to go the full 42.2km distance for the first time in his career.
“The memory that I still have is the DNF (did not finish). It came as a surprise,” he says in an exclusive chat with Olympics.com, of his fifth Olympic appearance, “because I had never done that”.
Paris was billed as his last Olympic race. But Kipchoge has been clear that it wasn’t the definitive farewell to competitive running, a career that began with the world 5000m gold some 21 years ago, also in the French capital.
“I had to take time off to adjust. To see what's going on. Just pick up again and move on. It was tough. But I think I am going on well,” he continued, offering a brutally honest assessment of his feelings.
The two-time marathon world record holder dropped out just after the 30km mark, which would have been inconceivable months earlier, given his previous record of 23 finishes from 23 starts.
Kipchoge, the first person in history to run a marathon distance in sub-two hours using unofficial course conditions, is vowing to keep competing.
“All the stories have been about quitting when you are up. I want to sell a new story.”
Eliud Kipchoge on picking himself up and getting back to training ‘slowly by slowly’
Kipchoge's illustrious career, if broken in halves, would be as a long-distance runner on track and a marathoner on the road. His aim has always been to transform pain into success, challenging himself to attack new goals - whatever that might be.
There was the limbo phase when he failed to make the Kenyan team for the the London 2012 Olympics after medalling at back-to-back Games in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
Turning to the streets gave him space to rise. The Kenyan finds himself at a crossroads, again with an Olympic link.
After 22 years of racing internationally, including what has been described as the greatest athletic feat of the modern age, an unbeaten streak of 10 consecutive marathon wins between 2014 and 2019, he’s at another significant point in his prolific career.
But even the Olympic disappointment cannot slow down one of the best marathoners the world has ever seen. He is back at his high-altitude training base in Kaptagat, pounding the roads and the dirt paths in the Great Rift Valley.
“I have resumed training for the last three weeks, but it’s slowly by slowly. I want to peak slowly, then try to move on slowly,” he said in the interview with Olympics.com from his home in Eldoret.
“I am still motivated. I still want to do something. But I want to get into fitness slowly, peak slowly, and come back to running.”
Eliud Kipchoge: ‘I still want to run some marathons’
For a man who has always defined the goal for most of his training sessions, from how he repeated the word ‘slowly’ over and over, eight times to be precise during the interview, he is a man not in a hurry. He never is.
After 21 years of high level competition, the legend who redefined marathon running and helped the world embrace the philosophy that 'no human is limited' is giving himself grace. But even with no next race on the horizon, his work ethic and his unwavering focus are still intact.
“A lot is in front of me,” he states firmly in his usual soft-spoken tone, seemingly aware of calls to end his storied career.
“I still want to become fit and run some... few marathons. I'm concentrating purely on coming back to my normal fitness.”
The world will certainly get to catch a glimpse of Kipchoge’s flawless form, charging to a finish line at a marathon somewhere.
He is one run short of completing all the six races in the World Marathon Major Series.
“Even if I don’t do [it] when I'm still active, I will go one day and jog and run for a course, or for something which can promote humanity in New York and get a Six Star medal.”
Eliud Kipchoge: It’s not about quitting when you are at the top
Kipchoge’s confidence did take a hit from his ‘worst performance’ and a fifth marathon loss, but the well-rounded runner plans to keep moving forward.
He will end it on his own terms, and challenge the conventional wisdom to quit while you are at the top of your game.
“I want to sell a new story that I don’t [always] need to run very fast,” he said, steely-eyed, focussed that his longevity will come good.
He’s had a difficult year on the road, including his lowest finish ever in the marathon when he placed 10th at the Tokyo 2024 Marathon.
In spite of this, he brings to mind that sport is a safe place to fail.
“Those who understand sport, know that even tomorrow is another day.
“If you are a boxer, the moment you get knocked down, it’s not your time to retire. But also, the moment you knock somebody down, it's not your day to retire. It’s what you carry on your neck.
"That’s what makes you to move on and not what the general population is saying,” Kipchoge who turns 40 in November, responded on whether he’s past his prime.
Eliud Kipchoge on his future as a coach
He’s carefully considering his future plans. With his top-tier running mind, he has no shortage of options but putting his name on the athletics map as a coach isn’t one of them.
“I don't think I will fit in coaching. When I have done what I'm planning to do, I don’t see myself being a coach,” restated the second-fastest marathoner in history behind the late Kelvin Kiptum, who smashed the world record with his 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
“I’m ready to hold the back of athletes, if anyone comes to me for advice, for motivation, or inspiration telling them what's needed. That I will do! I'm ready to hold their back when they are low and even when up.
“But it's really minimal for me to put my mind coaching.”
And what about administration?
“That might sound a little bit better. But the future will tell,” was his nonchalant response.
He’s more focussed on environmental and educational philanthropy collaborations through his Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which is currently constructing classes for a local primary school bordering their Kaptagat Camp.
The first Kenyan to compete at five Olympic Games is also certain about ending his Olympic adventure and playing a different role at Los Angeles 2028.
“You can do other things and put your foot on another thing which associated with running and still give inspiration.”
Kichoge has also been announced as a UNESCO Goodwill ambassador, reacting on Instagram, "This moment is not just a personal achievement, but a reflection of the power of sport to inspire, unite, and transform lives. Sport has always been more than just competition; it’s a universal language that teaches us teamwork, self-discipline, and the importance of integrity. These values have shaped my journey as an athlete and continue to guide me in everything I do."
Kenyan star concerned about the doping menace in Kenya: ‘We lack morals’
Even as he ponders his next steps, what’s concerning the man, whose career has been highlighted by momentous firsts, is that doping is diluting the talent of young Kenyan athletes.
“It's really unfortunate that young girls and boys want shortcuts to move to the next life. We lack morals," he told us.
"We lack mentors, people who show it the way it should be done. Most people are talking about money. We lack the legends of sport, because what we have is 80-90% of the runners who want to get money and build a big house, buy a big car, enjoy life,” he said. “It should be about putting your mind on becoming a legend, running, breaking world records, and chasing longevity in your life."
Kipchoge agrees that liability lies on the athlete, but with the menace now spreading amongst young athletes there should be more focus on educating coaches and managers on the anti-doping programs, and even widening probes.
“We have a big job to teach people. I always tell them [athletes] if you are driving a car on a superhighway, and you are concentrating on a rear mirror, you will automatically crash,” Kipchoge reasoned.
“It's the same thing that if you put your money in your mind, you will either not perform or will take shortcuts for you to perform.
“Most of those who are manning all these athletes lack education. They lack the know-how of how to run the sport. They don’t treat the sport as a profession but as a business, an arena where you can just get money and move, which is unfortunate.”