The largest marathon runner of all time will go to the streets of London on Sunday for the first time in five years. More recently, however, Eliud Kipchoge was in England for another challenge the size of a marathon – trying to improve Manchester United.
Shortly after the Paris Olympic Games last summer, the Kenyan legend was invited to the training field in Carrington de United by his nearby friend Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the minority shareholder of the club.
Ratcliffe, Ineos’ company, also sponsors the NN race team of Kipchoge, and the double Olympic champion was invited to come and share its expertise with players and UNITED underperformants.
“I looked at all the players of the training, so that I could see how it was,” recalls the 40-year-old, who also received a shirt by Captain Bruno Fernandes and looked at his 3-0 defeat against Liverpool to Old Trafford.
“I shared my experience of physical form and race, my philosophy and my thought, because sport concerns the heart and the mind.
“They learn that slowly, slowly. Soon they will be there. I think Manchester United will be on fire next season.
Eliud Kipchoge is expected to return to the London marathon for the first time in five years on Sunday
He was invited to Manchester United by his nearby friend Sir Jim Ratcliffe after the Olympic Games last summer in Paris
Kipchoge is the largest marathon runner of all time and has twice won Olympic gold medals
“I support Manchester United now due to the relationship with Jim and ineos. Now we are a family and we are building together for a good football team that can produce holistic footballers.
The Kipchoge’s relationship with Ratcliffe dates back to 2019, when Ineos orchestrated his attempt to become the first man to run a marathon less than two hours.
He managed to take up the challenge, finishing 1 h 59min 40 seconds in Vienna, although he did not count as a world record because he was not managed in racing conditions.
“Jim is a very good man,” explains Kipchoge at Mail Sport. “We speak every day via WhatsApp. We send ourselves texts all the time.
“I met Jim in 2019 in Monaco and he had the idea that it was not since 1954 (four minutes from Mile de Roger Banister) when a human made the history of sport.
“He offered me a chance to try to make the story and I used this chance in the right direction. I managed to run less than two hours. He is a real enthusiast with regard to sport.
Although this may be the case, the Ratcliffe Sports Empire is currently collapsing around him.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the Ineos Britannia Sailing team had abandoned its challenge for the next America’s Cup. In February, the All Blacks launched a legal action against Ineos, accusing them of not having paid the first of this year’s payments in the context of their sponsorship agreement, a recently settled dispute.
The Manchester United Sports Empire, the Ratcliffe co -owner, is currently collapsing around him
Kipchoge revealed that the reason he supports the Red Devils is due to Ratcliffe and Ineos
Kenyan legend insists that he also feels wonderful before his return from the London marathon
Kipchoge said that United players learn slowly and will be on fire next season
Questions have also been asked in the long -term future of petrochemical company with the Mercedes Formula One team, of which they have a third party, and the holding of cycling of Ineos Grenadiers.
But despite the financial challenges of Ineos, Kipchoge is convinced that they will continue to support his Kenyan -based racing group.
“Jim is a real racing fanatic,” explains Kipchoge, who reveals that Ratcliffe participates again in the London marathon this weekend, only this time without semi-final of the FA Cup to rush after.
“Ineos is a good company and we are together as one with the NN racing team. We have a good link in Kenya. They try to build a cycling academy because we think that an African can one day be a champion of the Tour de France.
“So we are together, we really want to drive sport around the world. We are with all types of sport where Ineos is connected.
“It’s really fun to get the knowledge of football, cycling, F1. We mix all of this and put it in a single package and share it and offer a brilliant idea. It’s wonderful.
Kipchoge insists that he also feels wonderful before his return from the London marathon. It will be his first race since Paris 2024, when the title champion failed to finish for the first time in his career, abandoning after 19 miles citing discomfort around his size.
Kipchoge will face the London winner last year, Alex Mutiso and the Olympic gold medalist Tamirat Tola. But he still thinks that he can triumph for a fifth time in the record extent of the capital.
Kipchoge broke the marathon world record in Berlin in 2022 – A feat later beaten by Kelvin Kiptum, who died tragically in a car accident in February 2024
He admitted that the relationship with Ratcliffe and Ineos was the reason why he supports the club
The great Olympic is represented the meeting with King Charles in Kenya in November 2023
‘Why not?’ said Kipchoge. “The training went well and I can’t wait to put what I have been doing for four months in the streets of London.”
It is unlikely that Kipchoge is getting closer to his personal record of 2 hours 1 min 9 seconds, which was a world record when he directed him in Berlin in September 2022. This record was then broken a year later by his compatriot, Kelvin Kiptum, who died tragically in a car accident in February 2024.
No one has approached the Kiptum brand of 2:00:35 in the last 18 months. But Kipchoge thinks that it is only a matter of time before someone officially spends less than two hours.
“I think it will happen soon,” he says. “I showed them the way and I expect many people to spend less than two hours.
“You first need physical form. When you are in good shape, all other things can happen – nutrition technology and shoes – but what matters is to train it and become in shape.
“I don’t believe in limits. This is why I do not mean that this can be this or this, but the world record is open. Anyone can break it.
Maybe not a kipchoge, since his career is approaching his end. Although he has not revealed any retirement project and he registered in the race in Sydney in August, Sunday is probably his last London marathon.
“I aim to enjoy London and really run in the right direction – take advantage of the streets, take advantage of the fans,” he said. “Have every kilometers to say thank you.
The Paris Olympic Games saw Kipchoge not ending a marathon for the first time in his career
Kipchoge uses Lingo by Abbott, a program of biosputor, application and coaching designed to allow people to better understand the glucose levels of their body
“My favorite thing in London is the crowd. This is what makes my mind crazy when I think of London.
There is, however, something else from which he is crazy when he comes to the United Kingdom.
“I like English cooking, I like English breakfast,” adds Kipchoge, surprisingly. “I like total English breakfast – bacon, sausages, toasted bread, eggs.
“It can eat me. When you are really in good shape, food does not always matter, provided it provides energy!
Kipchoge uses Lingo by Abbott,, A program of biosputor, application and coaching designed to allow people to better understand the glucose levels of their body.
