PuraVida Sports

By Elias Makori at the Stade Charlety, Paris

In a global media webinar moderated by Jenna Golden, the Global Senior Director for Sports Marketing and Athlete Communications at US sportswear giants Nike, Faith Kipyegon this week set the tone for her Breaking4 attempt, most notably saying a successful dip under four minutes in the mile next Thursday would cement her legacy.

In the wide-ranging conversation, Kipyegon, 31, a Nike-contracted athlete, opened up on her life outside the sport, unwrapping her admiration for Shakira’s tunes in her pre-race routine, confessing her love for burgers and French fries as a post-race craving and noting that she would probably have been a teacher if she didn’t dive into track.

She also gave her initial thoughts about Nike’s special, bespoke one-piece running suit and prototype spikes that she will use for the challenge at the State Charlety, and why she holds the race venue close to her heart.

To dip under the iconic four-minute barrier, Kipyegon will have to shave off almost eight seconds off her current mile world record on four minutes, 7.64 seconds set at the Stade Louis II in Monaco on July 21, 2023.

Kenyans will be rooting for Kipyegon under the Safaricom-powered #Kenya4Faith rallying call during the challenge that will be streamed live on YouTube.

Safaricom are offering a 4GB bundle at 4 shillings to keep Kenyans glued on the triple Olympic champion’s race to glory.

The full interview:

J.G.: How do you prepare for the big moment?

F.K.: Being mentally strong and believing in everything I do… believing in the training, believing in waking up to inspire the next generation. Believing in everything that I have been from my younger times when I was running barefoot to where I am now has really given me that drive to still wake up and go for training and just be strong.

J.G.: Mentally, what is the most challenging part of the journey and where do you get that sense of belief and motivation from?

F.K.: There is a challenge in everything a person does. Like waking up early in the morning for us is a challenging part every time, and waking up before everyone wakes up and going for that run, dreaming like you want to achieve more in your career and to empower the next generation.

It’s a strong point to wake up and think of the next generation, but at the same time, the challenging part is to just wake up in the morning to give them hope.

J.G.: What time do you get up in the morning?

F.K.: I get up in the morning around 5.40am and then I go for my run around 6am.

J.G.: You have said what a man can do, a woman can also do. How has that mindset shaped your physical and mental approach to the challenge you are about to take on next week?

F.K.: It motivates me a lot to know that you cannot limit yourself. You have to dream and go for that dream and just believe in yourself that everything a man can do even a woman can do.

We all have the same dream, but we only have to wake up and get that dream as valid… 

It drives me to think that what a man can do, a woman can also do, and so this has really helped me to work hard in every training session, and I do this dreaming of what’s next in my career in mind.

J.G.: Has there been a specific workout that has given you confidence going into this attempt?

F.K.: I didn’t change much in terms of training. What my coach always gave me is the same workout I have been doing going into the Olympics or World Championships. 

But I think going into this race, the mindset is different, but the goal is the same: Dreaming of achieving what’s ahead of me and which is breaking 4.

And for the training, I would say I didn’t change much. I train as I always train, just believing in myself and what my coach always tells me that ‘you have to dream and just be patient for it.’

J.G.: What has been the best advice from Coach Patrick Sang that has resonated with this journey?

F.K.: My coach is like my father. He has been there for me since I joined him. 

Coach Patrick Sang has been always been telling me: ‘be patient and just focus, and you know when you train hard, you get things done.’

So, I believe in my coach and I believe in everything he normally tells me to do, including to be patient and just train for it, and that something will never come easy if you don’t train for it. You just have to train and just be patient for it.

J.G.: What features did you request specifically and what do you love about the footwear and the apparel that you are going to use next week?

F.K.: I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to Nike because Nike have been like part of my family in my career because since I joined Nike, the success has been huge for me.

And I also want to say a big ‘thank you’ for giving me this opportunity and believing in me, and that I’m the person to try and break this barrier. 

Being the one selected and being the one to be believed can do it really motivates me and I really appreciate.

I’m looking forward to this Breaking4 and looking forward to the uniform, the suit, the apparel… I’m really looking forward to using them next week.

J.G.: When you first tried on the suit, how did you feel?

F.K.: It felt so good. I was like, you know, the time I tried the bra and the suit was really beautiful, especially the look of it. 

The first time I touched it with my hands I was like ‘this is really beautiful’ and the time I put it on, it felt so great and so comfortable… it’s like you don’t have anything on your body… it’s like you have something but it’s very light… it feels so good and I’m looking forward to next week.

J.G.: Your daughter Alyn will be watching… What message do you want to send to your daughter and other young women?

F.K.: My message to young girls, especially the small ones like my daughter Alyn, is not to limit themselves. They have to dream and make their dreams valid because the next generation is looking up to us to show them the way and this is what I’m doing.

I think when Alyn is eight years or 10 years, she will know what I was doing… But at the moment she doesn’t understand what I’m going to do, but when she’s grown up a little bit, she will understand that I have inspired them a lot.

This is the journey of inspiring the next generation.

J.G.: Have you been feeling the support of your fellow Kenyans ahead of this event?

F.K.: Absolutely yes! I get positive messages from around the world and that I can do it and I’m the person to try. I get many positive messages and it motivates me a lot going into this challenge.

I know it will not be easy, but I’m going to try my best and we will see what the finish line offers and going into the bright future.

J.G.: What is the most challenging part of this race attempt for you?

F.K.: The challenging part is I’m going into this race to try and break the four minute barrier, which no woman has ever done… that’s the challenging part.

How will I run this race, the first lap, the second lap… it’s a circle but I just want to be myself, be positive and wait for next week and just enjoy the race.

J.G.: The stadium (Stade Charlety) is where you broke the 1,500m and 5,000m world records. Do you think there’s some good energy as you return to this specific track in Paris?

F.K.: Absolutely! I have positive memories of Paris, breaking the 5,000m world record and 1,500m world record there, and now we are going for the special one.

And so I think the track will offer good results next week and I hope to see my fans over there!

I know many Kenyans are there and my fans all over the world will be there, and I hope those who will not be there will be watching live and I hope to get big support and cheers towards the finish line and just enjoy and give them a good result.

J.G.: One person who will be there at the finish line is Eliud Kipchoge. What can you share about Eliud’s reaction to you taking this bold mission and has he shared any words of wisdom with you along the training journey, knowing that he was the first man to break the two-hour marathon barrier?

F.K.: It will be so, so great and lovely to see Eliud after the finish line. I will feel great if I get to the finish line and see it’s under four minutes… it will be historical because having someone like Eliud who has tried an attempt like this before at the finish line, and my family, and in front of all my fans that we have achieved what many people think is impossible… It will be really special for me.

Eliud inspired me a lot and I think these remaining days will be OK if I stay healthy and to just think of what will happen next week.

For me is just to focus myself and to see everyone there.

J.G.: How are you planning to celebrate – regardless the outcome?

F.K.: I don’t want to think about celebrating. I just want to think of what will happen at the finish line and then after that we will see what next.

J.G.: What’s your ritual before a big race, the night before?

F.K.: I pray to God. I always pray before going to bed and before going out for training, and also before racing because in everything, we put God first. I do pray a lot.

J.G.: What does Breaking4 mean to you personally and how does this connect with your legacy?

F.K.: Breaking4 will cement my legacy. It will give hope to the next generation as I said earlier, and for women to believe that we can expand our boundaries and dream big and just believe in ourselves that we can do it… 

It will cement my legacy and give hope to other women that everything is possible.

J.G.: Is there anything else that you do to prepare mentally? Do you read? Do you meditate? Do you do yoga? Anything you can share?

F.K.: I like watching funny movies. Funny movies make me laugh a little bit, and put tension a little bit away. You know when you watch funny things, you laugh and forget about thinking how the lapping will work.

So its funny movies I like watching and, maybe, music.

J.G.: What’s your favourite funny movie?

F.K.: Sometimes I watch Nigerian movies. Normally I like African movies, so I watch Nigerian movies.

J.G.: How will you bridge that seven-seconds gap to achieve under four minutes? What do you have to do?

F.K.: Oh my goodness! It’s a challenge! 

As we talked about, it’s a challenge whereby I have to think of how I will cross the 800-metre mark, how will I cross the 1,200, mark…

I just have to be myself and think of  how will I shed off those seven seconds… 

It’s a challenge and we are going for that challenge and that’s what we are up to next week.

I know you also think of those seven seconds. Everybody thinks about how to beat those seven seconds…

J.G.: You love purple… what does that colour mean to you, and does it symbolize anything?

F.K.: My favourite colour is purple and it symbolizes the love for my country. 

It’s a combination of many colours and if you look keenly, you will see it has Kenyan colours somewhere… 

There’s also green which symbolizes the next generation of the young kids like Alyn. 

It (apparel) has many symbols like the Nike swoosh and many colours and looks beautiful. It symbolizes many things.

J.G.: Are you going to do purple nails?

F.K.: I don’t know. We will see next week what will come up.

J.G.: What’s the biggest difference between your typical race kit compared to this suit? And the same with the footwear?

F.K.: The difference is the length of the short. The short with this suit is a little bit longer compared with the (normal) race uniform, the 2025 uniform like the golden kit, and at the same time, the material used in the suit is totally different compared to the one we are using in the Diamond League.

It feels so light and feels so comfortable, very friendly to the skin.

For me, there’s a lot of difference between the (Diamond League) uniforms and the uniforms I’m using next week. 

We have never used it and we are going to experience it for the first time.

For me everything well be new: The uniform will be new, the set-up of the race will be new… many things will be new and that’s why I have to take the challenge and try my best.

J.G.: What about the footwear?

F.K.: In terms of spikes, I tried them on in Xiamen and they feel totally different compared to ‘Victory’ which I’m used to, especially in the Diamond League.

So, it’s a fast shoe and the colours are really beautiful. The purple colour.

I hope everything will be good next week.

J.G.: Anything you want to share before we wrap up?

F.K.: I just want to say thank you to the Nike team because of giving me this opportunity to try and see we what the finish line will offer next week.

It feels so motivated to be chosen. 

Taking up the challenge has been so motivating for me and I’m looking forward to next week and to seeing you all there.

J.G.: Thank you!

ENDS