Frankfurt depicts rare records – Kipsang carves history
Besides Wilson Kipsang remaining in focus after emphatically winning the Commerzbank marathon, the fastest marathon in the world, there had been other marvellous records as well. Apart from Kenyan runner making it to the finishing line in impressive two
hours, four minutes and fifty seven seconds, which marked Frankfurt marathon one of only four races that have observed less than two hours and five minutes course records, a total number of 9558 runners crossed the finishing line in the indoor arena Festhalle.
The organizers are expecting the number to significantly rise by the next year’s event.
While running the Commerzbank Frankfurt Marathon that is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, Caroline Kilel from Kenya also improved her course record for the women’s event. She made it to the finishing line in two hours, twenty three minutes and twenty five seconds.
With athlete like Caroline Kilel and Kipsan admiring the athletes to opt for the renowned long distance race, the organizers have added another reason to increase the number of participants significantly. While this year’s race ended, the organizers of the
event announced that the premium car company BMW was going to join the race in capacity of the new partner. The first race in co-sponsorship of BMW would take place on October 30 next year.
Dwelling back upon the performance of Wilson Kipsang, the guy has now become eighth fastest marathon runner in history. Contrary to the perception that life on the farms usually breeds rugged individuals, Kipsang worked hard day in and day out and attuned
to the mental and physical demands of the sport. The career for the impressive athlete has never been smooth to achieve the present position as gaining the required strength, endurance and skills while herding the cattle was altogether an uphill task.
Running for the impressive Kipsang had never been a tempting sport for long. Unlike most of the Kenyan children, his school was also quite close from his home so he did not have to run miles and miles to the school and back. At that time, even if he did
some running, the occasional good results never realized him that his future was there in the sport. Right after graduating at the age of 18, the guy chose to become a travelling salesman. Spending three years into this new profession and doing very little
with the precious running, he read about Paul Tergat’s record breaking performance at Berlin in 2003. This stirred up the guy to his soul, proving to be a turning point in his life.
Deeply inspired by the performance of Tergat, Kipsang started getting training with the aim to make it purposeful. By the time he turned 21, he had already bagged a measure of successes in local races. While participating into the local races, Kipsang also
continued with his job as the travelling salesman.
Another input to his current success was when he met Gerard van de Veen who later on became his manager. This was 2007 when both of them agreed upon a partnership and Kipsnag found himself heading for Germany. This was the place where his source of inspiration,
Paul Tergat had made his world class record.
Kipsang’s performance at Frankfurt has always been impressive and that was primarily because of the way the athlete conducted himself. Of an ordinary player, there is always a certain doubt if he looks rather relax before the race, but Kipsang’s style of
laid-back authority proved to have substance.
At Frankfurt, during the recent commerzbank race, Kipsang was happy both before and after the win. He was happy to see how faster he could run. Starting from the depiction of two hours, seven minutes and ten seconds in his debut at Paris, the guy has managed
to show impressive improvements. In his own words “when I look at others who have similar half marathon times to me and have run much faster than I have so far in the marathon, I think why not me for the world record?” This determined and positive state of
mind was perhaps the main factors which have always played an important role in the success of the Kenyan athlete.
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