The 2023 Boston Marathon showed the world that even the greatest are human.
Making his first appearance at the 127th edition of the storied race, Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest marathon runner of all time, took on the race many regard as the toughest challenge in marathon running.
The then-world record-holder arrived in Massachusetts well-placed to challenge for the podium in Boston.
Six months previously he ran clear of the field in Berlin and all the talk prior to the race was of another win, taking him five sixths of the way to becoming the first able-bodied man to win all six AbbottWMM races.
But the Boston Marathon course had other plans and a leg complaint and inclement weather conditions meant the best he could manage was sixth place. That feeling of invincibility was shaken further just a week later as his compatriot Kelvin Kiptum stormed to victory in London, finishing 16 seconds outside Kipchoge's world record.
Kipchoge declared his next appearance would be in Berlin, the German capital offering the chance to regroup and re-prove himself in familiar surroundings.
It turned out to be just the tonic. In the shadow of the Brandenburg Gate, he stormed to victory with a time of 2:02:42, at the time the eigth fastest marathon ever recorded.
Whether these times represent the changing of the guard in the men's marathon remains to be seen. There is an Olympic Games on the horizon where we could see Kipchoge go head to head with the man who has usurped him as the fastest ever.
Picking a winner there is a difficult task, but there is no doubt that Eliud Kipchoge has given us some of the greatest moments road running has ever known. Berlin 2023 was another opportunity to witness a giant of the sport displaying why he will always be a legend.
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