He blames the ear blockage and a cramp but that seems like a red herring to me. I don't think he was physically prepared to run fast yesterday and that's something I never thought I'd say about Kipchoge because he's nothing if not incredibly disciplined. I think his training was sub-par. I also think Kipchoge draws a lot of strength from his training partners. He was not in 2:02 shape and his tactics early on were evidence of that. He has raced with a lot more confidence than that in the past, pacers be damned. Blaming it on an ear problem and saying that it's just part of the sport was disappointing to hear. He's always been very humble and graceful but I think his mystique has grown so large with the "anything is possible" slogans that the brand has taken over the athlete and his actual training. I'm still a fan of Kipochoge and think he will be back but I was more disappointed with his post-race comments than I was about his performance.