INEOS 1:59 Challenge: Organisers pull out all stops
Eluid Kipchoge and his partners are leaving nothing to chance to ensure he beats his own marathon record on Saturday.
Backed by leading chemical company INEOS, the Kenyan long distance runner is seeking to beat his own record in the marathon distance.
No other human being has managed this feat and it will understandably not be easy, even for Kipchoge.
Here are some of the measures put in place to make life easier for Kipchoge.
1. Dozens of pace-setters will race alongside Kipchoge. This group has been training together for the past month and will help him remain within the track.
2. An electric car, which will fire a fluorescent green laser beam onto the road to mark where he needs to be if he is to break two hours, will be used to control the pace of the race. This will ensure Kipchoge runs at about the same speed for the entire race considering he has a tendency to ‘go faster and slower’ during previous races.
3. Kipchoge will don the Vaporfly 4% shoes, developed by renowned manufacturer Nike, which are engineered to make athletes four percent faster. The shoes work best at reducing moisture retention.
4. The organisers have picked on a venue, date and time they believe weather conditions will be ideal for him to compete in this race.
