ELIUD Kipchoge's sub-two hour marathon last month proved a pivotal human, scientific and marketing feat. The Kenyan run of one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds help thrust athletics into the global spotlight and general office 'water cooler' talk the world over.
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He inspired and ignited what could be possible on the same weekend and thousands hit the streets for the Melbourne and Chicago marathon running festivals.
But what does it means for Ballarat runners, one week out from Run For A Cause? Run race director and world championship marathoner Julian Spence said Kipchoge's run was "so far outside" the realm of grassroots running it was unlikely to have much impact other than a bit extra buzz about the sport. Or some inspiration to pull on runners and move.
To compare Kipchoge to Ballarat's marathon legend Steve Moneghetti: if Moneghetti was running his marathon best (2:08:16, Berlin, 1990), he would still have three kilometres to run when Kipchoge crossed that finish line.
Put Moneghetti's lap of Lake Wendouree record (16:10) against Kipchoge's pace, and Moneghetti has the edge just: Kipchoge would have clocked about 17:10 and only a handful of Ballarat runners have done better. No-one has come close to Moneghetti's lake best - and he ran that in 1992.
Kipchoge ran 100 metres in 17.2 seconds - 422 times. His clocked his first five kilometres in 14:10 and kept going another 32.2 kilometres - at the same pace. Ballarat's average parkrun time for 5km is 30:51 and Jack Davies holds the event record of 14:38.
A week before Kipchoge's barrier-breaker, Spence was battling heat and humidity his IAAF World Championships marathon debut in Doha. The race started at midnight, Doha time, with temperatures still almost 30C.
Back in Ballarat, Spence said the best piece of advice he can offer runners after his Doha experience was to run your own race.
"Do your own thing, don't get caught up in other people's plans," Spence said. "We're all at different levels, we've all got different strengths and weaknesses."
We're all at different levels, we've all got different strengths and weaknesses
- Julian Spence
Spence said Run For A Cause registrations were steady but he expected a final surge in entries this week.
The program includes the city's first half-marathon in almost a decade. Spence said a lot of people training up to run their first 21.1km distance, and to do so in their home town.
While it might be too late to start training for a half-marathon, Spence said the five and 10km events were achievable.
Spence urged people to get involved and have a go because all entries helped build the event for Ballarat.
Details to help you run this city
WHEN: Sunday, November 17.
WHERE: Community Village and start/finish precinct in Victoria Park. Courses path takes in Victoria Park and Lake Wendouree.
EVENTS: RUN - 8am start, Half-marathon (21.1 kilometres); 8.15am, 10km; 9am, 5km; 10.15am, 1km (children's dash). WALK - 9am, 5km family event, pets included.
CAUSE: Early childhood development programs: Ballarat Reads, Ballarat Community Health's paediatric programs, Eureka Mums, Eureka Community Kindergarten Association, Uniting Ballarat, Ballarat Toy Library and Playgroup Victoria's Sebastopol Hub.
ENTER: run4ac.org.au
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