Eliud Kipchoge Had an Unexpected Hand in His Record-Setting Runs

At the five-kilometer mark, or just over three miles into the race, it was Schulke’s time to shine. As a group of six front-runners approached at over 13 miles per hour, Schulke, in his neon pink-and-yellow outfit, crouched down and stretched out his arm. “Bottle Claus! Never has so much fuss been made about a man giving a drink to another man,” a commentator on live television said.

After the bottle pass, Schulke hopped on his bicycle and pedaled to his next stop five kilometers away, weaving through pace cars and camera crews. Over the course of the next 12 aid stations, Kipchoge’s lead grew, and so did Schulke’s fandom.

“A lot of spectators were shouting, ‘Bottle Claus, Bottle Claus,’ when I was passing on the road,” Schulke said. With every successful handoff, his fist pumps rose higher into the air.

Schulke made his final pass at 40 kilometers, nearly 25 miles through the race, and watched Kipchoge disappear around the corner. “I had no idea if he was going to break the record because he seemed to be losing a little speed,” Schulke said. For the next six minutes, he stood at the final aid station awaiting word on the official time.

2:01:09. Thirty seconds faster than the last time Schulke handed Kipchoge bottles in Berlin.

Mission accomplished.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/sports/eliud-kipchoge-bottle-claus.html