This article is part of Outside Run’s complete 2023 Boston Marathon race coverage.
Eliud Kipchoge is the overwhelming favorite to win the Boston Marathon on Monday morning. And with good reason.
He’s broken the world record for the marathon twice since 2018, lowering it to the current mark of 2:01:09 last fall in Berlin. He’s also the only person ever to break the two-hour mark for 26.2 miles, famously running 1:59:40 in an exhibition race in Vienna, in 2019.
He’s 38 but he’s still the best marathoner in the world. He’s won 15 of the 17 marathons he’s raced since his debut in 2013, including the last two Olympics. But this is his first time running the Boston Marathon, which is known for its challenging hills, a deep field of challengers (without pacemakers), and unpredictable racing tactics.
However, Kipchoge isn’t the G.O.A.T. just because he runs fast. He respects his competition and the challenging course, but his dedication, preparation, and perspective seem to be on another level.
“I have prepared for Boston for five months, and my seconds, my minutes, my hours, my days, my weeks, my months I…
