GOAT’s playlist! Eliud Kipchoge discloses what he enjoys listening to, and it’s a surprise choice

GOAT’s playlist! Eliud Kipchoge discloses what he enjoys listening to, and it’s a surprise choice

Joel Omotto 09:30 - 22.09.2024

Eliud Kipchoge has revealed his surprising playlist which he admits helps him push beyond the limits during preparations for his races.

Two-time Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge has revealed his love for pop and country music which he admits makes his training effortless.

The 15-time marathon winner spends countless hours in training and he says listening to good music makes it a bit easy given how brutal it can be on the body and mind.

It is for this reason that Kipchoge prefers soothing music and his playlist includes some surprising choices.

“I am a big, big fan of Kelly Clarkson,” Kipchoge said in an interview with Runner’s World.

“I listen to all the music of Kelly Clarkson. The first song goes, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. That’s what gets me running. I still push on and push on, because I have discovered that running cannot kill me – it makes me stronger.”

Besides Clarkson’s hit Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You), Kipchoge, who is an ambassador for leading electronics brand Shokz, also enjoys tunes from country music legend Kenny Rogers, with his 1979 hit Coward of the County, being his favourite.

“I’ve been motivated more because I can listen to the music which motivates me. That’s the only way in which I can run fast. I can finish the run in a happy way, you know – and at the end of the day, you really feel that you are energetic.”

The marathon legend has numerous accolades on his CV as besides winning 15 marathons, 11 World Marathon Majors, he is also the first man to run a marathon under two hours during his INEOS 1:59 Challenge that was executed under controlled conditions in October 2019.

Kipchoge has, however, seen his powers wane in the last one year, finishing sixth at the 2023 Boston marathon before recovering to win in Berlin, but 2024 has been more difficult with a 10th place finish in Tokyo after which he dropped out of the race at the Paris Olympics at the 31km mark.