Eliud Kipchoge

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Eliud Kipchoge’s training camp bedroom which he shares with another athlete. Photo: LETSRUN

Eliud Kipchoge, known to some as “The Philosopher” for his running wisdom, has been described as “the greatest marathon runner in history”. Eliud burst onto the scene as a junior, notably defeating Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele at the 2003 IAAF athletics world champs in the 5000m. Despite stunning track career, which further included a silver medal in the 2008 Olympic Games, Kipchoge was left out of the Kenyan Olympic squad in London 2012. Following this, Kipchoge shifted his full focus to the marathon distance, and in 2016 won gold in the Rio Olympic marathon.

Kipchoge is described by fellow team mate Abel Kirui as a smart, organized, and discipline person. “If he says dinner is at 7pm, dinner will be at 7pm. If it is time for sleeping, it is time for sleeping. He is always on time.” He also mentions that Eliud is the first in the gym in the mornings. 

Below we explore Eliud’s Kipchoge training leading into the 2017 Berlin marathon. Eliud is coached by Kenyan running icon, Patrick Sang.

Comments on training:

Consistent mileage, no fluctuations, & lack of traditional taper

5 weeks out: 118mi / 189km
4 weeks out: 110mi / 177km
3 weeks out: 119mi / 191km
2 weeks out: 110mi / 177km
1 week out: 113mi / 182km
race week: ???

Specificity

Approaching Berlin, his training was very specifically geared towards the stress of the marathon. Notice the very long tempo runs done at good pace! Also in this final phase of training there’s no long 30-40km easy runs (LSD), nor are there any short tempo/threshold efforts. There is however interval workouts which would cover a stimulus which would overlap with shorter tempo training. These intervals are run mostly between 5-10km pace, nothing astounding fast but getting in faster running stimulus. Other than the day of his flight, he trains every day. He’ll likely recover more efficiently by training than by taking a full days rest. 

High altitude & dirt roads

Add terrain and training conditions to the equation and it makes an already incredible 40km tempo in 2hr13min seem that much more impressive! In other words, his training in Kenya will under-depict the % of marathon pace/effort he’s training at. Notice how he lands in Berlin 2-3 days before the race – enough time accustoming himself to hotel, loosening up from flight etc., without compromising maximal altitude training benefits.

Eliud Kipchoge World Record Training Leading Into 2017 Berlin Marathon:

 

Eliud Kipchoge’s Berlin Marathon Training
	Am	Pm
Thursday​​ 10th​​ Aug	Tempo run 30.8km​​ in​​ 1hr42min	10km easy (40mins)
Friday​​ 11th​​ Aug	16km easy-moderate (70mins)	10km easy (40mins)
Saturday​​ 12th​​ Aug	Tempo intervals: 4x10mins (2’ slow jog rest) @ ±3:00/km avg, 2nd​​ rep uphill 3rd​​ rep downhill​​  10min WU (1.9km) 15min CD (2.2km)	12km (50mins)
Sunday​​ 13th​​ Aug	22km (78mins)
Monday​​ 14th​​ Aug	21km in 70mins moderate on flats	10km easy (40min)
Tuesday​​ 15th​​ Aug	Track session: 1x1200 -Lap jog recovery- 5x1km in 2:55 (90” rest)​​  -Lap jog recovery-​​  3x300m in 40-42sec (60” rest) -Lap jog recovery-​​  2x200m in 27sec (60” rest) 15min WU (3.1km) 15min CD (3km)	Rest
Wednesday​​ 16th​​ Aug	18km easy-moderate (71min)	11km easy (44min)
Thursday​​ 17th​​ Aug	Hard long​​ tempo: 40km in 2:26 on tough route
Friday​​ 18th​​ Aug	18km easy-moderate (70min)	10km easy (39min)
Saturday​​ 19th​​ Aug	Fartlek: 30 x (1min on @​​ 2:45/km​​ 1min off @easy pace) 10min WU 15min CD
Sunday​​ 20th​​ Aug	20km easy-moderate (77min)
Monday​​ 21st​​ Aug	21km easy-moderate (72min)	11km easy (43min)
Tuesday​​ 22nd​​ Aug	Track: 12x800m​​ (goal 2:10)​​ with 90” rest + 10x400min​​ (goal 62sec)​​ with 90” rest   800m reps = 2:11average 400m reps = 62.4sec average 10min WU 10min CD
Wednesday​​ 23rd​​ Aug	18km easy-moderate (77min) @ 6min/km picking up to 3:30min/km for final 5km	10km easy (41min)
Thursday​​ 24th​​ Aug	Tempo: 30km in 1hr38, favourable conditions
Friday​​ 25th​​ Aug	18km pick-up run (76mins) starting at slow 5:45/km ending up at 3:30/km for final 6km
Saturday​​ 26th​​ Aug	Fartlek: 18x(3min hard, 1min easy) hard = 3:00/km easy = very comfortable jog   10min WU 15min CD
Sunday​​ 27th​​ Aug	22km easy-moderate (83min)
Monday 28th​​ Aug	21km moderate (71min) flat course	11km easy (43min)
Tuesday 29th​​ Aug	Track: 5x (2km, 1km) with 100m walk then 100m jog between reps and sets. 2km in​​ 5:45-5:50, 1km in 2:50 15min WU & CD
Wednesday 30th​​ Aug	18km easy-moderate (72min)	11km easy (44min)
Thursday 31st​​ Aug	Hard long tempo: 40km in 2hr13min
Friday 1st​​ Sep	18km easy-moderate (74min)	10km easy (41min)
Saturday 2nd​​ Sep	Fartlek: 25x(1min on, 1min off) on cross country loop on = 2:45 off = easy jog 10min WU 15min CD
Sunday 3rd​​ Sep	20km easy-moderate (77min)
Monday 4th​​ Sep	21km moderate (71min) flat route	11km easy (45min)
Tuesday 5th​​ Sep	Track: 13x1km starting at 2:53 working down to 2:45 (90” rest) averaged reps in 2:50 15min WU & CD
Wednesday 6th​​ Sep	18km moderate (75min)	10km easy (40min)
Thursday 7th​​ Sep	Tempo Run: 30km in 1hr42 in challenging conditions
Friday​​ 8th​​ Sep	16km easy-moderate (63min)	11km easy (40min)
Saturday​​ 9th​​ Sep	Farlek: 13 x (3min hard, 1min easy) on XC course. Hard=2:55-3:00 10min WU 15min CD
Sunday​​ 10th​​ Sep	22km easy-moderate (83min)
Monday 11th​​ Sep	21km moderate (71min)	10km easy (40min)
Tuesday 12th​​ Sep	Track: 14x800m​​ in 2:10-12 (90” rest) 15min WU & CD
Wednesday 13th​​ Sep	18km moderate (75min)	10km easy (40min)
Thursday 14th​​ Sep	Long Tempo Run:​​  40km in 2hr15 on XC course
Friday 15th​​ Sep	18km easy-moderate (74min)	10km easy (41min)
Saturday 16th​​ Sep	Fartlek: 20x(2min on, 1min off) on = 2:50-2:55/km, off = easy jog 10min WU 15min CD
Sunday 17th​​ Sep	20km easy-moderate (77min)
Monday 18th​​ Sep	21km moderate (71min) on flat Eldoret route	11km easy (45min)
Tuesday 19th​​ Sep	Track: 12x400m in 63-64sec with 90” rest. ​​ Rhythmic and relaxed
Wednesday 20th​​ Sep	Travel from Kenyan → Berlin for marathon

 

 

Source: SWEATELITE

A few extra points:

• He can barely touch his toes in standing straight leg hamstring stretch.

• Like all fellow athletes in his squad, he has roster of camp cleaning duties to fulfill. Everyone in camp is treated equally.

• In training camp, he shares a 8x10ft room with a fellow athlete, and shares communal lavatories with his squad. His night stand rests all his water bottles for training.

• He is as good as it gets: he’s nurtured his nature sublimely with likely 15 years of quality training. He’s found a striking balance between stressing his body and recovering. It’s not possible for anyone to succeed in training by simply adapting his highly refined structure. You may need 2-3 days between hard workouts where he might only need 1-2. It’s all relative.

• And most importantly, the basis of a high performance program is not to mistaken with expensive resources. A few top Kenyan running squads reiterate this. It’s about working in a well-managed system with knowledgeable passionate people, working alongside dedicated team mates with common goals.

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