Eliud Kipchoge, London, April 26, 2015 

On April 27, Eliud Kipchoge will return to the start line in London in a bid to add an unprecedented fifth win in front of Buckingham Palace, 10 years and a day since he recorded his first. 

It was on The Mall where Kipchoge bolstered a growing reputation as the best in the business following a victorious Majors debut in Chicago in October 2014.  

In a race that featured one of the strongest fields in history, Kipchoge surged ahead in the final miles to claim his maiden London title in a time of 2:04:42. 

Kipchoge was up against defending champion Wilson Kipsang, world record holder Dennis Kimetto, and past London winner Emmanuel Mutai, Kenyan titans with far larger reputations in the distance than the former 3,000m steeplechaser. 

But Kipchoge exuded a calmness that later became his trademark, staying within striking distance as the elite runners battled through the early stages. 

By the 35-kilometer mark, only four runners remained in contention – Kipchoge, Kipsang, Kimetto, and Stanley Biwott. As they approached the final few kilometers, Kipchoge made his decisive move, breaking away with a powerful surge that neither Kipsang nor Biwott could answer. Kipchoge crossed the finish line with his trademark smile, securing a five-second victory over Kipsang (2:04:47). 

It signaled the beginning of his marathon dominance that saw him scoop three more London crowns, five Berlin victories (twice in world records), first place in Tokyo, two Olympic gold medals in the marathon and that famous time trial in Vienna where he broke the two-hour barrier. 

The masterclass in patience and execution we saw a decade ago became his trademark. The thin smile in the late miles a sure sign that the rest of the field was in trouble.  

For every great sportsperson, the march of time becomes their greatest enemy.  

Disappointments in Boston in 2023 and last year in Tokyo and at the Paris Olympics have perhaps indicated that we don’t have much longer to enjoy this generational talent. 

And so, if this is to be his last London appearance, it bookends a decade we will all remember as the Eliud Kipchoge era.