NAIROBI, Kenya – Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge is shifting his focus from breaking records to inspiring a global running community, announcing an ambitious plan to compete in seven marathons on seven continents. The announcement came on Sunday, November 2, 2025, just hours after the celebrated Kenyan athlete finished 17th in the New York City Marathon, his slowest marathon performance to date.

Kipchoge, who will turn 41 on Tuesday, November 5, completed the prestigious race in 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 36 seconds. This performance marked the conclusion of his quest to compete in all Abbott World Marathon Majors, earning him the coveted Six Star medal. However, the result also fueled speculation about his potential retirement from elite-level competition.

Addressing these questions, Kipchoge framed the new venture not as an end to his career, but as a significant evolution. “For the last 22 years, my life has been pushing the limits... concentrating on the winning... concentrating purely on breaking records,” Kipchoge stated on Sunday. “But now I say it's not a retirement, but a transition to running for a purpose. And this purpose is the purpose to serve humanity.”

A New Chapter: The World Tour

Dubbed the “Eliud Kipchoge World Tour,” the two-year project aims to raise funds for his foundation, which supports educational and environmental initiatives. “This unprecedented two-year journey will take (Kipchoge) across the world to compete in marathons on all seven continents, while continuing to race at the elite level,” his management team confirmed in a statement released on November 2. The tour will include established races, including the challenging Antarctica Marathon.

“I want to continue to push myself to run at my best but I also want to inspire, give back, and remind everyone that no human is limited,” Kipchoge said. This new mission marks a pivot for the athlete widely considered the greatest marathoner of all time, whose career includes two Olympic gold medals and the historic sub-two-hour marathon in Vienna in 2019.

Contextualizing Recent Performances

The New York race was Kipchoge's third marathon in 2025, following less-than-dominant finishes earlier in the year. According to race records, he placed sixth at the London Marathon in April with a time of 2:05:25 and ninth at the Sydney Marathon on August 31, clocking 2:08:31. His 17th-place finish in New York was both the lowest and the slowest of his 13-year marathon career.

Born on November 5, 1984, Kipchoge has maintained an unparalleled level of excellence for nearly two decades. His career includes 11 World Marathon Major victories and holding the official world record from 2018 to 2023. While his recent results signify a departure from his era of near-invincibility, his new global tour underscores a continued commitment to the sport, albeit with a different set of goals.

The World Marathon Majors Landscape

Kipchoge's completion of the six original World Marathon Majors (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York) is a significant milestone. The series recently expanded to include the Sydney Marathon in 2025, making it a seven-race circuit. Kipchoge's participation in both Sydney and New York this year highlights this transition in the sport's premier series. His new seven-continent quest further extends his global running footprint beyond the established major races, promising to bring his inspirational message to new audiences worldwide and reinforcing his status as a global ambassador for running.