NAIROBI, Oct.8 (Xinhua) -- Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge believes the sacrifice he made to skip defending his Berlin marathon title last month will pay off in Vienna, Austria as he actualizes his belief that man's abilities are not limited.
Kipchoge, with a horde of 41 pacesetters, embarks on an unchartered journey to become the first man to run the marathon in less than two hours.
Organizers have narrowed the current window for the ambitious INES 1.59 Challenge to Oct. 12-14 with a target date for the run to be on Saturday.
"On Sunday, the decision was made for Kipchoge to fly from his training camp in Kaptagat, Kenya to Vienna on Monday night with his coach Patrick Sang and a number of his teammates, now pacemakers. His manager Valentijn Trouw informed Kipchoge, who confirmed he was ready," said a statement from the race organizers.
The race date will be confirmed three days out and start time the day before the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.
In 2017, Kipchoge made his first attempt to run the marathon in less than two hours in Monza, Italy and was 26 seconds late to clock 2:00.25.
"We are all human. We are going up the tree. I have lifted a branch and I am going onto the next one," Kipchoge said then.
"This is not the end of the attempt of runners on two hours. The question on everyone's mind is not just if Kipchoge is going to make history and run the first-ever sub-two-hour marathon, but when?"
The team behind Kipchoge is leaving nothing to chance in the final week before the first scheduled date for the Challenge on Saturday.
"It's now down to the INEOS 1:59 meteorology and performance experts to provide weather data to Kipchoge's coaching team and collectively make the decision as to what date and time the INEOS 1:59 Challenge will take place, to give Kipchoge the best possible chance of success," they added.
Vienna was picked for the venue of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge because of its favorable weather conditions in October. The conditions are, for now, looking to be within an acceptable range.
"After Kipchoge arrives in Vienna, on Wednesday, three days from the targeted challenge date, the performance team will decide if the date for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge will either be confirmed as the Oct. 12 or delayed," organizers said.
If the green light is given the three-day countdown begins and Kipchoge will switch his nutrition and begin carb-loading. Kipchoge and his team can then make their final preparations and the world can start getting ready to watch the INEOS 1:59 Challenge on Saturday.
"Millions of people around the world want to watch Eliud make history and they want to know when it will be taking place. The unique nature of this extraordinary event means we are not in a position where we can confirm the date or the start time of the Challenge until we can be absolutely certain the weather conditions are suitable," said Robby Ketchell, the man in charge of coordinating the weather considerations.
