To say Eliud Kipchoge is a runner is to say Michelangelo was partial to a spot of painting. He has reinvented marathon running, achieving things people previously thought were impossible and applying an almost philosophical approach to the practice.
His accolades have prompted many to name him the greatest marathon runner of all time, and it’s hard to argue with their logic. But in spite of his success, the Coros athlete’s teachings on training and mindset can help runners of all ability levels improve their performance.
As Kipchoge prepares for the 2025 London Marathon, he’s shared the most important lessons he’s learned in his time competing, and offered an insight into how he’s training to conquer the next 26.2 miles.
Eliud Kipchoge’s marathon training
“I have a well-balanced running programme that focusses on endurance, speed and tempo,” Kipchoge tells The Independent.
In the lead-up to a marathon, he also likes to do one long run per week. Shared courtesy of his Coros Pace 3, an example data set from his London Marathon 2025 preparations shows a 40km jaunt, with standout statistics involving an average pace of 3min 21sec per kilometre, a cadence of 181 steps per minute and 367m of elevation gain during the 2hr 13min effort.
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The importance of the long run
The long run holds a sacred spot in most modern runners’ weekly routine. And while it’s hard to compare Kipchoge to recreational runners on most fronts, this seems to be something both parties have in common.
“It is crucial to my marathon preparations, training the body and mind to master the distance,” he says, whilst in conversation with his sponsors, performance tech brand Coros. “It normalises the effort and gives the body the experience it needs to push hard on race day.”
But, for Kipchoge, the long run is less about pace and more about checking in with how his body feels.
“Every long run is different; the weather, the route we run and the goal of the day changes every week,” he explains. “So for me, a successful long run is about feeling power in my legs, being able to push hard with the teammates around me and focussing on the rhythm of my breathing. It’s all about putting in good miles to build strength, not sprint to the finish.”
In the three months before a marathon, he will do one long run per week, with the last one falling two weeks before the race itself.
“Our [he and his teammates] long run starts before sunrise, so I wake up at 5.30 in the morning,” Kipchoge adds. “I focus on achieving a calm mind and visualising the task ahead. I change into my training [gear] and then we meet at the starting point. Our coach shares the plan of the day, then at 6am, off we go.”
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Kipchoge’s marathon preparation secret weapons
To improve your running, you obviously need to run. As evidenced above, Kipchoge does an abundance of running, and he does it better than anyone else. But that’s not the only ingredient in his winning training formula.
He says that strength training, nutrition, recovery and working on his mindset are also “crucial” components in the lead-up to a successful marathon performance.
“Strength and core exercises, and stretching, are needed to maintain a healthy body,” Kipchoge says. “I do ice baths and massages. I follow a nutritious diet that strengthens the body, and I have a good fuelling strategy during training and races to keep energy high.”
“The body also needs its rest, so I go and rest during the day and sleep enough hours. I read books; I have fun; and I have good conversations with my teammates, family and friends to keep a well-balanced and happy mind.”
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Mindset and mantras
Kipchoge’s mantra is: “If you don’t control your mind, your mind will rule you.” This, he says, helps him stay in the moment and honed in of the task at hand.
“Focus on the next step, focus on your goal, and success will come,” he explains.
He also applies three golden rules to his marathon training:
- Be disciplined, in life and in training.
- Don’t lie to yourself.
- There are no shortcuts in life. Do the work wholeheartedly.
Only when these three criteria are met, Kipchoge says, will you succeed.
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