Joshua Cheptegei’s Valencia debut marathon on December 3, did not live up to many people’s expectations after finishing in 37th place, clocking 2:08:59. 

It is not the position that left his enthusiasts disappointed and devastated but rather the shape in which he crossed the finishing line. Cheptegei could barely run like his legs were exhausted. 

He was later whisked away to an inside room as per what we watched on Television. We will make so much of what happened on Sunday but there is positivity in Joshua Cheptegei’s Valencia marathon debut story. 

Firstly, he managed to finish his race regardless of how he felt during the race, yet he could have decided to give up along the way especially when he dropped in 60:35 having the lead the group.

Secondly, Cheptegei showed the world his mental strength that he could cope with whatever had not gone right during the race and make it to the very end. 

Many runners would decide not to embarrass themselves in that particular moment knowing that the whole world was watching. 

Unpleasant Moments like the 2017 World Cross Championships where Cheptegei was leading then lost his momentum and started limping eventually finishing last have made him arguably the best long-distance runner in the world. 

Nonetheless, Valencia will be another lesson for Joshua Cheptegei.

Real work needs to be done

Joshua Cheptegei set the bar too high for himself since becoming the 5,000m and 10,000m world record holder. 

Such an unprecedented feat leaves fans wanting more and that mounts pressure on Cheptegei.

Well, he has often said, he does not let people’s expectations and pressure get to him but fans always have an influence on athletes when it comes to performances. 

After Valencia, the reigning 5000m Olympic champion will ask himself lots of questions, especially on what needs to be done to win the next marathon or if this 42km race is his kind of thing.

Joshua Cheptegei pulled off the 5,000m race at the World Athletics championships in Budapest, Hungary in August 2023 due to a foot injury. There were similar concerns before the Valencia marathon that he had not fully recovered. 

It is commonly perceived that marathon runners are different from other long-distance runners. They must have the perfect set of genes, the right body, exceptional physiology, and the bandwidth to endure all conditions. 

If that is the case, Cheptegei has to pay so much attention to his recovery if he is to continue competing.