Faith Kipyegon is on the verge of rewriting history for women’s running. Tonight, on Thursday 26 June at the Stade de Charléty in Paris, France, the Kenyan will lace up her personalised spikes, pull on her custom-made kit and run just over four laps of the track – a mile – in as quick a time as possible. The goal is for this time to be three minutes and something.
Summer running gear sale first women’s sub-4 mile in history. Kilian Jornet finishes third at Western States Eliud Kipchoge, her wider training group in Kenya and her team at Nike, which Kipyegon herself regards a family, she has also been supported by a dedicated team of pacers. These pacers, comprised of elite middle-distance athletes, have a huge job on their hands when it comes to timing Kipyegon to perfection during her Breaking4 test – and each one of them will influence the outcome of her brave mile attempt.
But what is involved in pacing such a unique race? How do you prepare for such a task? We spoke with British star Georgia Bell, who scored a brilliant bronze in the 1500m at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, about what it means to be one of Kipyegon’s pacers at Breaking4 – and why she wouldn’t miss the opportunity for anything.
When did you find out about Breaking4?
‘I heard about the attempt in March this year and got asked if I wanted to be a part of it,’ says Bell, who adds that she didn’t even know where or when the challenge would be at the time, nor who would be taking it on. ‘I just thought that I absolutely wanted to be involved if I could and help in any way. It was equally cool and crazy.’
How does it feel to be part of such a huge running challenge?
‘It feels historic,’ says Bell, who worked a demanding full-time job in cyber security before turning to professional running and securing a medal on her debut Olympics. ‘It has never been attempted before and it is groundbreaking in the courage alone. She’s putting a huge goal out there that most people think is impossible and going for it.
‘I’m excited for the whole event – to run with her and support her,’ she continues. ‘I love that the Nike team comes together across countries, genders and our own personal ambitions. You don’t see that support in other sports. Especially with the men supporting the women. That’s special.’
Have you practiced pacing duties with Kipyegon and the other Breaking4 pacers?
‘Yes – we’ve been practising on a pre-camp before the event,’ reveals Bell, who is the British indoor and outdoor 1500m champion. ‘In the first few days, I stood in for Faith, so I got to see what it was like to be in the wind tunnel – the effort does feel so much ‘easier’. We were practicing 400m repeats at 60-second pace, but to me, they felt more like 65-second repeats. It felt so much smoother and used less energy than when you’re running alone.
‘Then, when Faith joined in, we were nervous and excited,’ adds Bell. ‘Putting our work into practice and getting her feedback. Those were our best practices, though – everyone stepped up.’
Have you had to alter your training and racing to be part of Breaking4?
‘Slightly, but not too much,’ says Bell. We are all still getting hard workouts done out here and will do a session after the attempt on Thursday. ‘But this sort of thing is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so it’s worth altering things to be here.’
Can tell us more about what Breaking4 pacing will involve?
‘Although different pacers will run different distances, Kipyegon will be supported for almost the whole run,’ explains Bell. ‘This will be a huge change from Diamond League races, where she’s usually running alone from halfway.
‘The tunnel has a specific formation, based on athletes’ height and their ability to respond throughout the race to different scenarios,’ adds Bell. ‘Positions were determined during practice and the pacing squad itself includes a huge list of big Nike names.’ According to Bell, these top athletes – alongside herself – include fellow Brit and world medallist Jemma Reekie, two-time Olympic medallist Grant fisher, Olympic finalist Niels Laros, Dutch record holder Steffan Nillesen and other accomplished runners like Cooper Teare, Craig Engel and Elliot Giles. Some of Kipyegon’s training partners from Kenya will also be on the team.
Do you get to wear special Nike kit for the event?
‘We do get special Nike kit, which is from Faith’s new range,’ says Bell. ‘She is the only athlete wearing the new custom shoes, which are 30% lighter than the previous Nike Victory spikes and which give back more energy. It’s going to be amazing to stand there with her on the day and watch her make history.’
