2:02:57 World Record
The greatest lesson I took from watching the 2014 Berlin marathon and witnessing what Daniel Kimetto did was this.
The lesson in failure.
Few outside of the sport world know that Daniel Kimetto has only been running for 2 years.
He set a debut world record last year at the Berlin Marathon running 2.04.16.
He obviously has the talent but what is more impressive and what even fewer people realize is the now world record holder dropped out of the Boston Marathon earlier this year.
What Kimetto did was incredible.
The average pace per mile an individual must maintain to break the 2.03.00 marathon barrier is 4.41 per mile pace.
The majority of the world's population cannot run 1 mile in 4:41 yet here is an individual who has worked on his gift to such an extent that he can withstand the physiological mountain of clearing lactic acid faster then it is building in his blood stream.
What is even more startling is that he can do it running well under 4.40 per mile pace.
Keep in mind is 2:02:57 world record was an ‘average' of 4:41 per mile pace.
That is the key to running faster.
We must train in such a way where we clear lactic acid faster than it is building up.
You must conduct long runs at speeds that match or are even faster then your goal marathon pace.
It doesn't mean you have to maintain that entire distance at faster then goal marathon pace but part of it has to be constructed in that manner.
Long and slow, easy running prepares runners to be long and slow, easy runners.
If you want to be fit, outstanding way to do it.
If you have specific goal times in mind, this mindset cannot be maintained.
It has to change.
As long as our body's can convert lactic acid back to energy we can continue to maintain.
I have mentioned Glutathione plenty of time already here on rundreamchieve but what not enough athletes know is the crucial role it plays in ATP (adenosine-tri-phosphate).
Big word but basically it means energy production.
If we run low on it we cannot maintain pace for long durations.
Kimetto has most certainly trained well and am sure his diet doesn't consist of fast food and Americanized meals.
The difference between 2.19.35 and 2.02.57
The difference between 2.19.35 and 2.02.57I ran my personal best at the California International marathon and on that day my pace was 5.19.5 per mile pace.
The pace differences between holding 5.19.5 per mile and 4.41 pace is astronomically different but on that day I was putting forth the best possible effort I have ever made to date.
The same goes for Kimetto.
The man who finished in second place also broke the old world record time of 2.03.23 by running 2.03.13.
Very few people are talking about that.
The attention goes to the victor but the man who finished second ran an absolutely incredible time himself.
I have a firm believer that whatever we want in life has to be envisioned in the mind first.
It has to start there.
Let us never forget the trials and tribulations the man that ran the 2:02:57 world record today, I am sure, has had to endure to make that time happen.
He didn't' just walk across the line smiling.
He was totally spent at the finish line
Lastly, let us never forget that this is a man that was unable to finish the 2014 Boston Marathon and he, too, has experienced failure.
The greatest successes come from it and we should never disrespect or not neglect the importance of failure.
It helped motivate a man to do what no other in the history of the world has done, run a 2:02:57 world record marathon time.
His performance today has inspired me to go after my long-term goal of breaking the 2.15.00 marathon barrier at next year's Boston Marathon.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR TRAINING PLANS[amazon table=”34612″]
