Eliud Kipchoge and the team behind his marathon domination

As expected, Eliud Kipchoge trusts his team for its unwavering support and invaluable guidance during competitions and training sessions. Comprised of a dedicated group of professionals and trusted confidants, this team works diligently behind the scenes, employing strategic measures to ensure that Kipchoge is in optimal form, ready to demonstrate that human boundaries are mere misconceptions.

BOSTON MARATHON:

By adhering to their advice, Eliud Kipchoge, the esteemed Olympic champion and marathon legend, has achieved remarkable feats. He has proudly represented Kenya by shattering multiple records, including setting and surpassing his world records, bringing glory to his nation - Kenya.

Eliud Kipchoge’s team

The core team supporting the champion comprises a select group of five individuals, each with their specialized roles. These include experts responsible for his physical conditioning, nutrition, and recovery protocols, as well as a team member overseeing the business aspect of his career. A dedicated individual is also responsible for water duty, a crucial role in Kipchoge’s race performance.

Patrick Sang

Patrick Sang, a 59-year-old Kenyan, is a renowned running coach and former steeplechase athlete. He earned the distinction by winning three silver medals in prominent 3000m steeplechase events, including the 1991 World Championships in Athletics, the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics, and the 1993 World Athletics Championships.

Patrick embarked on his coaching career in 1995, just three years before he retired from competitive athletics. In 2001, he crossed paths with Eliud and became his coach in 2002. Under Patrick’s tutelage, Eliud achieved a remarkable feat by winning a gold medal in the 5000m event at the World Championships just a year later. Since then, Patrick has been a persistent presence in Eliud’s journey, supporting him through his illustrious track career and culminating in his Olympic gold medal and record-breaking world achievements in the marathon.

Peter Nduhiu

Peter Nduhui is Eliud Kipchoge’s dedicated physiotherapist at the Global Sports Communication (GSC) camp in Kaptagat, Kenya. Much like Eliud, Peter hails from the Rift Valley region in Kenya. After completing his studies in Havana, Cuba, he returned to Kenya. He began working as a General Practitioner at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, the largest hospital in eastern-central Africa.

Peter’s association with Eliud and GSC dates back to 2003, when he joined Athletics Kenya. While working with the Kenyan team in preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games, he first crossed paths with Eliud Kipchoge, marking the beginning of a longstanding relationship.

Armand Bettonviel

The professor from the University of Stirling and the nutrition expert play a crucial role in ensuring that Kipchoge, the renowned athlete, maintains a healthy diet to prepare for competitions. He always stated that his greatest challenge while working with Kipchoge was devising a drinking plan for his sub-two-hour run attempt while ensuring the diet was optimized for his metabolism.

The professor emphasized that Kipchoge follows a strict diet to achieve peak performance. The nutrition expert and professor design a diet plan that caters to Kipchoge’s specific nutritional requirements, considering the demands of his training and competitions. Providing Kipchoge with the proper nutrition, he helps him maintain his health and optimize his metabolism, which is essential for his exceptional performance in competitions.

Valentijn Trouw

The Dutch Trouw is Eliud Kipchoge’s manager and employee of Global Sports Communications, the sports management agency that represents world-class athletes & international athletic events hosts. They negotiate with organizers and sponsors, organize travel, accommodation, and visas, and offer medical, training, and marketing assistance.

The manager has been responsible for leading the performance team and ensuring that the Champion, Kipchoge, remains in peak physical condition. With years of experience guiding and mentoring other athletes, the manager works closely with former long-distance runner Jos Hermens, who provides leadership and guidance.

Apart from providing water bottles to Kipchoge during his runs, the manager also cycles alongside him, offering encouragement and ensuring he maintains the desired pace according to the set split times. This hands-on approach allows the manager to closely monitor Kipchoge’s performance and provide real-time support, helping him achieve his best performance on the track.

Claus Henning Schulke

Claus, an avid marathon runner, triathlete, and enthusiastic volunteer for the Berlin marathon, is a valuable team member responsible for providing water to the race’s star athletes. His excellent physical condition ensures that he can keep up with the fast pace of the race and fulfill his crucial role as a water carrier.

Claus is responsible for swiftly and accurately handing out water bottles to the athletes at the refreshment points along the marathon route, ensuring they stay hydrated and maintain their performance. This task requires precision, as the athletes cannot afford to slow down to catch the bottles, similar to a relay race. Claus’s keen sense of timing and athleticism allows him to seamlessly provide the much-needed hydration to the athletes, enabling them to continue their race without interruption and perform at their best.

During Eliud’s two record-breaking runs in Berlin, Claus has played a crucial role in keeping him hydrated. Positioned at each refreshment point along the race route, approximately every five kilometers, Claus must be ready to hand Eliud his water bottle. This requires him to quickly jump on his bike after each delivery and race to the next refreshment point amidst the bustling race convoy of bikes and cars and at a significantly higher speed than Eliud’s average pace of over 20 kilometers per hour.

Claus’s task of keeping up with Eliud’s blistering pace requires agility, precision, and swift decision-making. He needs to anticipate Eliud’s arrival, hand him the water bottle seamlessly, and quickly move on to the next refreshment point, navigating through the race convoy. Claus’s dedication to ensuring that Eliud stays appropriately hydrated and can maintain his record-breaking performance is paramount, and his commitment to this vital role is instrumental in Eliud’s success on the race track.

Recognizing the invaluable role Claus played in his first record-breaking performance in 2018, the esteemed champion, Eliud, decided to invite Claus to join his team permanently. Eliud publicly praised Claus, acknowledging him as crucial to his top-level performance.

Eliud’s decision to include Claus as a permanent member of his team demonstrates his appreciation and recognition of Claus’s exceptional efforts in supporting his record-breaking performances and showcases the importance of Claus’s role in Eliud’s achievements.