The Eliud Kipchoge Collection
The G.O.A.T. has to be great across multiple distances and eras. To be good in just one discipline or one era is to leave the sport wanting.
Eliud Kipchoge checks all the boxes.
With a World Championship Gold Medal in the 5,000m in 2003, Kipchoge showed the world at 18 years-old that he wasn’t afraid of pushing the limits of what was possible.
In 2019, Kipchoge did what was thought of as impossible. Breaking the 2 hour marathon barrier for the first time in human history.
1:59:40
Proving no human is limited.
Now Kipchoge continues to push the sport forward. With every mile ran, he inspires us to be the best runner possible. Never settling for what we’ve already achieved.
The G.O.A.T. is more than the fastest runner, or the most decorated athlete. They’re the one who inspires generations of runners of all levels to push themselves. Kipchoge has impacted thousands of people across continents and age groups.
No Human is Limited
The Story of the Eliud Kipchoge Collection
In a battle for the ages, an 18 year-old Kipchoge found himself up against two of the greatest to ever lace up their spikes. Hicham El-Guerrouj of Morocco who at 28 years-old was at the top of the world. El Guerrouj decided to enter the 5,000m to go for the double gold medal. Leading into the race he had ran a 12:50 5,000m earlier that season. The best 1500m runner of all time was still in form.
Another name that was vying for the title was Kenenisa Bekele. At 21 years-old he was already a cross country star with some promise to eventually move to the track. In his first season on the track in 2003 he ran a 12:52 for 5,000m moving him to top-10 all time in the event.
Kipchoge barely made the World Championship team as he beat Sammy Kipketer by 0.2 seconds. The two best in the sport relegated Kipchoge to the undercard of the heavy-weight fight. The 18 year-old had no expectations to win. And he did.
The Design
As an ode to the race that put Kipchoge in the spotlight, Nike has released the EK Collection. The color-way mirrors the one worn by Kipchoge when he beat the titans of the sport. In a call back to the Nike Victory Spikes he wore in 2003, the Eliud Kipchoge Collection features an all white shoe with a red stripe. Along the sides of the shoes, Kipchoge’s infamous No Human is Limited is written as well as his signature. On the inside of the left shoe you can find the quote:
“I BELIEVE IN A PHILOSOPHY WHEREBY YOU ARE CLIMBING A TREE AND REACHING FOR THE NEXT BRANCH. LET US FORGET OUR SUCCESSES OF THE PAST AND FOCUS ALL OUR EFFORTS ON THE FUTURE”
On the inside of the right shoe you can find the date and winning time of the race that inspired the collection:
12:52.79
August 31, 2003
Paris, France
The Eliud Kipchoge Collection is an ode to the Greatest of All Time.