This was not the post-race press conference that Eliud Kipchoge—or anyone else—expected.
CA Notice at Collection Boston Marathon on Monday, the world record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist was a no-show in the media area after his sixth-place finish. left leg problem, Evans Chebet.
Monday afternoon Kipchoge’s team issued a statement that read, in part, “Today was a tough day for me. I pushed myself as hard as I could but sometimes, we must accept that today wasn’t the day to push the barrier to a greater height.”
But on Tuesday morning, Kipchoge, 38, did appear in front of the media who were still in Boston and answered questions for about 10 minutes. He was philosophical, and at times, feisty toward the assembled reporters.
Evans Chebet Wins the 2023 Boston Marathon DAA Industry Opt Out at about 18 miles into the race caused him to fall back. But he wouldn’t specify the nature of the problem, and when he was pushed on the matter, he only said it was his upper left leg. He did not specify whether it was his hamstring or his quad, for instance. “I am not a doctor,” he said.
When the problem cropped up, he said he “put my mind just to run in a comfortable pace to finish.”
CA Notice at Collection.
“A lot of talking was going on in my mind,” he said. “I said, ‘Hey I can’t quit.’ They say it’s important to win, but it’s great to participate and finish.”
Training Tweaks That Will Get You to a BQ Berlin and London where Kipchoge has run so many fast times and racked up so many victories. He waved off questions about his tactics, leading the race through an aggressive opening 5K (14:17) on the downhills.
“It’s common sense,” he said, “This is sport, and you need to push.” He seemed to realize that people would second-guess his strategy and said, “I think I have opened for you something which you can discuss.”
He also brushed off a question about whether his training was sufficient for Boston’s hills. The course, he said, “is no challenge. My training actually is all around. It can accommodate hills or flat.”
When asked why he didn’t appear at a press conference after the race ended, Kipchoge said to the reporter who asked, “You are lying. Ask the right question. I did not refuse to talk to the media.”
Kipchoge said he did not know when he would race again and he would sit with his team in the coming days to “see what’s on the table for me.” The New York City Marathon remains the only World Marathon Major that he has yet to run. He also did not rule out a return to Boston someday.
He shared some philosophy for which he has become famous over his many years of winning marathons. About being resilient, he said, “Resilience is one of the recipes for success. If you are not resilient, you cannot go anywhere.”
He also spoke of his challenges yesterday in economic terms, with a focus on the future. “Yesterday is a canceled check,” he said. “Today is cash. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Forget about the canceled checks. Talk about the cash and the promissory notes.”
Sarah Lorge Butler is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
