Elite runner leading Hamburg Marathon fumbles bottle, goes back to get it

Last weekend at the Haspa Hamburg Marathon in Germany, Abraham Kiptoo of Kenya was leading the race when he fumbled his hydration bottle at a water station. Instead of moving on, Kiptoo turned around and ran back to get it, while being passed by 10 or so runners.

We aren’t sure how much time this would’ve cost Kiptoo, but a sudden change in movement can certainly affect your rhythm and cadence. Kiptoo ended up finishing the race eighth, in a personal best time of 2:06:59. Cyprian Kotut of Kenya won the marathon in a course record time of 2:04:47, in a thrilling sprint victory over compatriot Stephen Kissa (2:04:48), whose time set a Ugandan national record.

On the other hand, Kiptoo obviously knows how important hydration is for optimal performance. Who’s to say he didn’t gain back what he lost, by making sure he salvaged his bottle? If you can constantly maintain your hydration, it will optimize your performance and might help you avoid a trip to the medical tent. It’s important to balance how much fluid your body loses through sweat and how much fluid you drink during a hard effort like a marathon or long run.

The incident happened between 25 and 30 km into the marathon, a point in the race where hydration is particularly important as your body becomes fatigued. Usually, at larger marathons, water/aid stations are available every two to four kilometres.

Although the young 23-year-old Kiptoo lost time, he managed to catch back up to the lead pack, to only drop off around the 35 km marker, as Kissa and Kotut surged on.

Kiptoo is an elite runner who trains with Eliud Kipchoge and Geoffrey Kamwaror of the Ineos NN Running Team based in Iten, Kenya.

posted Saturday April 30th
by Running Magazine