Scientific Possibility of a 2-Hour Marathon

Guest: Michael Joyner, MD, Exercise Physiologist, Mayo Clinic Running a mile in under four minutes was an impossible feat—until it wasn’t. Once Roger Bannister became the first to eke out a mile in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds back in 1954, an even faster mile quickly became the norm. Now, a group of Nike-sponsored runners are trying to break the two-hour threshold for a marathon. The world record currently stands at two hours and 57 seconds. Last month, the reigning Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge came 24 seconds short of breaking the 2-hour barrier. That was after years of training and research and special shoe development by Nike. So, can it be done? And what more would it take?