On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti The 'how' behind the sub-two hour marathon
May 5, 2026
Alex Hutchinson, sports science writer and author of Endure, explains advances in shoes, fueling, and lab studies. Robert Johnson, co-founder of Let’s Run and former college distance coach, breaks down race tactics and testing protocols. They discuss super-shoe tech, hydrogel fueling, the London race’s decisive miles, and what made sub-two possible.
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Two Athletes Broke The Sub-Two Barrier
- Two men, Sebastian Sawe and Yomif Kajelcha, legally ran sub-two-hour marathons at the 2026 London Marathon, averaging ~4:34 per mile.
- Sawe finished 1:59:30 and Kajelcha 1:59:41, making it a historic head-to-head finish.
Kiplimo Lost Contact While The Two Kept Accelerating
- Jacob Kiplimo fell off the lead around hour 1:35 while Sawe and Kajelcha kept accelerating into the final miles.
- Broadcasters described mile-24 pacing as astonishingly fast, briefly showing 4:12 pace on the clock.
Late Race Surge Produced Unbelievable Closing Pace
- The two leaders surged late and were visibly relaxed while running extremely fast closing miles.
- Kajelcha made his marathon debut and stayed neck-and-neck with Sawe until the final stages.