Why Kipchoge won’t engage political gear

World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge does not harbour any political ambitions. The runner says that he is contended with inspiring people around the globe through athletics as opposed to  politics.

There have been calls from a section of Kenyans for Kipchoge to venture into politics especially after running a 42km race under two hours in Vienna, Austria, last month. However, his response has been that he is not interested in  races of that nature.

“I think no human can handle two things at the same time. One event or purpose will be affected,” said Kipchoge, referring to German economist 

Hermann Heinrich (HH) Gosssen’s law of substitution which states that if a consumer is to use all the available resources in the consumption of a single commodity then marginal utility, derived from every additional unit will decrease successively.

Mr Philosophical, as many call him, added: “My sole purpose is to reach, mentor and inspire as many people as possible. That is what I am good at and it is what I will continue to do.” Kipchoge, who timed 1:59.40 in the “Ineos 1:59 Challenge” on October 12 in Vienna, challenged other athletes to follow his footsteps and run a sub-two hour 42km race on a certified course.

“I think I have done my part. Just like Roger Bannister ran the first sub four-minute mile 65 years ago when it was considered not achievable, I have shown everyone that it is possible,” said Kipchoge at Karura Forest on Saturday when his sponsors, Isuzu East Africa, presented him with a single cabin pick-up worth Sh4.1 million as a reward for his exploits in Vienna.