The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Chepng'etich's Marathon World Record Analysis: Too Good To Be True?

Oct 18, 2024

Ruth Chepng'etich's astonishing marathon world record raise eyebrows and suspicions. The impact of 'super shoes' on women's running performance compared to men is explored. Nutritional strategies and the science of pacing are examined, alongside the use of bicarbonate for endurance. Doping allegations cast a shadow over Kenyan athletics, prompting a discussion on trust and transparency in sports. Historical instances of performance skepticism, like Rosie Ruiz's infamous win, are revisited, highlighting the complexities of validating athletic achievements.

01:23:32

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Quick takeaways

Ruth Chepng'etich's stunning marathon world record prompted skepticism due to the ongoing doping controversies surrounding Kenyan athletics.

The rise of carbon-plated super shoes significantly impacts marathon performances, with evidence suggesting varied benefits for elite runners like Chepng'etich.

Chepng'etich's race strategy, utilizing male pacers for consistent pacing, played a crucial role in her record-breaking performance.

Deep dives

Ruth Chepngetich's Historic Marathon Performance

Ruth Chepngetich recently set a new world record for women's marathon running with a stunning time of 2:09 at the Chicago Marathon. This achievement marked her as the first woman to average under five minutes per mile for the entire marathon distance, smashing the previous record by nearly two minutes. Chepngetich's performance is particularly significant in the context of historical marathon records, as it took more than 16 years for Paula Radcliffe's record to be broken. Key to her success was a strong pace strategy, evident in her impressive halfway split of 64:16, which ranks among the fastest in women's half marathon history.

Intro

5min

The Evolution of Marathon Running and Technology

23min

Super Shoes and Marathon Performance

5min

Analyzing Marathon Performance and Pacing

18min

The Role of Bicarbonate in Endurance Performance

2min

Carbohydrate Requirements for Elite Marathon Runners

1min

Doping Dilemmas in Marathon Running

16min

Doping Allegations in Kenyan Athletics

13min

Skepticism in Marathon Record Validity

3min

When Kenyan Ruth Chepng'etich took nearly two minutes off the women's marathon world record, the sporting world was aghast. How did she do it? Shoe tech, nutrition, race tactics? With a doping cloud hanging over Kenyan athletics, it's easy to see why so many are sceptical. Join Prof. Ross Tucker and sports journalist Mike Finch as they assess every aspect of the run in an effort to explain one of the most astonishing running performances in history.

SHOW NOTES

The paper by Mason et al on how the shoes have boosted women’s distance runners more then men.

The Joubert & Jones paper that compares different shoes, including Figure 2 that shows the individual variation between models of the same brand.

For analysis of the performances since super shoes were introduced.

A piece by Toni Reavis in defence of Chepngetich’s performance.

The article by Amby Burfoot that Reavis mentions. Amby does not hold back.

The AIU list of Kenyans currently serving doping bans. You can count the drug type to see if the show conversation was accurate.

The CAS Decision on Rhonex Kipruto, in which his doping is described as a “sophisticated doping regime.

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