In her first road 10K, she won in 29:46, hit 5K in 14:59, and then closed in 14:48, immediately placing herself in rare territory for someone debuting at the distance.
Faith Kipyegon showed up in Monaco, ran her first road 10K, won it, and clocked 29:46. World Athletics noted it puts her 14th on the women’s all-time road 10K list, which is a crazy place to land for your first try at a distance you have never raced on the roads.
She hit halfway in 14:59, then came back with a 14:48 second half. That’s something we often see with veteran road racers, not from someone who it was their first stab at a road 10k. She finished alongside her training partner and pacemaker Bernard Soi, who won the men’s race.
It points to the race being organized and intentional, not a last-minute decision to jump into a road race.
This was also her first race since she won the women’s mile at Athlos New York last fall, which was a very different kind of setting. That was a track race, late in the season, built around speed and spectacle. Monaco was the opposite.
This was her stepping into the world of road racing and seeing how her fitness and track racing instincts translate to road racing.
On the track, everything is predictable. You know where you are every lap. You know how the surface feels and you get constant feedback. On the roads, you don’t get any of that. You have to manage effort and you have to stay calm when the race starts getting uncomfortable earlier than expected. The terrain, turns, and elevation can play to someones strengths or weaknesses.
Kipyegon handled that well.
Opening in 14:59 and closing in 14:48 shows she didn't take the race out too hard or fast...she stayed smooth. A lot of runners can hit a fast first 5k when they feel good. Far fewer can stay organized when they begin feeling fatigued. She stayed patient, stayed smooth, and finished the job.
Kipyegon told World Athletics her goal was to test herself on the roads and that she plans to do more road events in the coming months. lenty of track stars try one road race, win it, post a photo, and go right back to their normal season. Kipyegon wanted information, to learn and see what this side of the sport actually feels like.
That’s why fans immediately start asking about the marathon. Her stepping on the roads feels like the beginning of something she’s genuinely curious about.
She appeared to be wearing unreleased Nike Alphafly 4 prototypes. From photos and race footage, they looked similar in stack height to the Alphafly 3, but it also seemed like Nike may be moving away from the signature visible Air pods in the midsole. That’s a pretty big design shift for a shoe that has been built around that look since day one.
After the race, she posted on Instagram that she was grateful for the debut and already looking forward to more road races, with a thank you to the organizers and supporters.
Yes, that’s standard athlete PR language but paired with her comments about doing more road events, it lines up with the idea that this was a first step, not a one-off.
This race also fits into a longer pattern she has been hinting at for years, which is the idea of eventually doing more on the roads.
She has openly admired Eliud Kipchoge’s success in the marathon. She has watched rivals like Sifan Hassan and Hellen Obiri move into major marathon wins and Olympic medals while still being part of the track events.
If you are Kipyegon and you have already accomplished what she has in the 1500, it makes sense that you start thinking about what else you want to build. The next logical step is more 10Ks or a half marathon.
Her Monaco debut suggested she has more in the tank. Landing 14th all-time in your first road 10K is a sign that the aerobic strength is there but it doesn’t mean a marathon is imminent. Many say the last 10k is where the marathon really begins.
If Faith Kipyegon keeps showing up on the roads, she'll likely only continue to approve and we will see her in the marathon eventually.
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