Eliud Kipchoge is said to be so humble a man that he could walk along the streets of Eldoret town without eliciting a glance or greeting.
The marathoner hailing from Kapsisywa made his debut in the books of world records standing tall among other record-holders like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins who are the first men to walk on the moon.
When Eliud completed his secondary school education at Kaptel Boys High School in Nandi County, he tried his hand in business.
Eliud worked as a shopkeeper, butcher, and milkman in his rural hometown. It's in his line of work as a milkman that the young Eliud stumbled into his athletic talent.
One day, as Eliud cycled across the rugged Kapsisywa terrain to deliver milk, something tragic happened.
The bicycle broke down. On the carrier sat 150 litres of milk which had to be delivered before the perishable product went bad.
What Eliud did not know was that the unseen incident which occurred about five kilometres to the milk depot would alter the direction of his life forever.
Acting on instinct, Eliud decided to dash to his friend Daniel's home and borrow a bicycle before the milk went bad.
"That was the day Eliud's talent rose. He broke in one hell of a run. Those who saw him tearing through the tough terrain knew he had the capacity to run in a marathon. They told him to go for it and he did," John Kiptum informed The Standard.
Eliud is a devoted Roman Catholic, an avid reader and an athletic whose intellect sets him apart.
