Eliud Kipchoge talks exactly how he runs: smoothly, with purpose, and in pursuit of big dreams.

“I want to make this world a running one. That’s the only way to reach everybody,” he says, between sips of tea.

“My mind has been running back and forth for the last two weeks,” he tells The Athletic over a 30-minute video call, having recently returned home to Kenya from the United States.

Advertisement

After running 2:14:36 for 17th place at the New York City Marathon on November 2, he celebrated his birthday (three days later) by first having a pizza, then heading to Washington, D.C. to meet his hero, former U.S. President Barack Obama. Safe to say he has transcended the sport.

“We talked about legacy, the future, leadership and mentorship of our youth around the world and in Africa,” Kipchoge says. “And, above all, how I can use sport to bring change, to mentor people to lead in a good way, to empower communities and to really make everybody think in a positive way to improve the world.”

After his thirties brought two world records, double Olympic marathon gold and a stellar sub-two hour marathon — the first, and only, athlete to break the iconic barrier — the 41-year-old is making a slight career change. This is realignment, rather than retirement.

“I’m reading a book called The Second Mountain,” Kipchoge says. Written by Canadian-American author David Brooks, it is about a human tendency to pursue personal achievements (the first mountain) before realising that more joy and happiness can be found in something deeper, more societal and altruistic.

“I want to put the knowledge I’m getting into the world tour. That is my second mountain,” he continues, speaking about ‘The Eliud Kipchoge World Tour’.