Record performance: Sports science, true grit redefine marathon limits

Two runners breaking the two-hour record in the 42.2-km London marathon on Sunday, April 26, exemplifies not just the limitless potential of human achievement but also the evolution of sports science. Thirty-year-old Kenyan Sabastian Sawe crossed the line in one hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds. Eleven seconds later, Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha finished at 1:59:41, creating a historic double. The marathon’s two-hour record was long considered unbreakable. Men and women runners from northeast Africa have long been fabled for their excellence in running, a talent commonly credited to their long-legged physiognomy, lifestyles rooted in running and walking long distances at high altitudes, exceptional stamina, and work ethic. While these may undoubtedly give them a headstart, Sawe’s record-breaking run also demonstrates the added benefits of scientific running techniques, superior diet, and sports equipment.

 

Manufacturers of a unique and personalised concentrated carbohydrate gel enabled Sawe to counter the inevitable energy deficiency through the course of the race. The gel Sawe consumed at regular intervals was a quick-digesting variety developed by a sports company working in close cooperation with the runner over the past year. It enabled him to not only maintain his pace but run faster after the halfway mark, breaking a 30-month-long record (2:00:30) set by a fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum. Sportswear technology has also contributed. Over the years, a “super shoe” revolution has played its part with carbon-plated products containing lightweight foam, which reduce pressure on ankles, knees, and tendons. Both Sawe and Kejelcha wore Adidas footwear to complete their record-breaking run.

 

The ascent of sports science — encompassing body dynamics, nutrition, equipment modification, and even sophisticated psychological training — has transformed almost every sport on the planet. Larger tennis racquets with graphite, titanium, and graphene frames have enhanced shot speed and enlarged the sweet spot. Heavier cricket bats allow batters to hit harder. Lighter footballs help to bend it like David Beckham. In adventure sports, amateurs regularly summit Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, thanks to superior equipment that shorten the odds. Sportspeople are taught how to concentrate on specific muscles to enhance their speciality. While coalminer Harold Larwood, the terror of the 1930s Bodyline series, had to rely on skipping in his backyard to build stamina, his fast-bowling counterparts in the 21st century bowl much faster because of the ball having a more prominent seam and shinier surface. At the same time, evolved fitness training has ensured that the back problems that plagued fast bowlers before are now a thing of the past, although they play far more cricket than before.

 

This is not to belittle raw human ability, hard work, and talent. Sawe’s training programme was, by all accounts, brutal, averaging over 200 km a week including gut-training and race pace consistency designed by a well-known coach. Sublime talent as much as strenuous practice kept Roger Federer, Rafael  Nadal, and Novak Djokovic on top of the rankings for years. India’s gradual ascent in global sports is undoubtedly the result of better resourced training and facilities. But as Sawe and Kejelcha demonstrate, there’s no substitute for sheer toil and struggle in the race to the top.