While I've long wanted him to run Boston and NY to see if he can win a not totally flat marathon, I think this is a logical move. There were rumblings this spring he was going to go to Sydney which would have been hugely disappointing to me as it would be just a money grab right?
And I'm not too disappointed by him not going to NYC. HIs lack of wins in NYC and Boston is still a significant hole in his resume. It's like Peter Sampras' French Open hole. Most majors aren't on clay but the French Open is on clay and Sampras never came close to winning it. Most majors aren't hilly but NYC and Boston are and Kipchoge has never come close to winning them. But he's only tried cone.
After his beatdown in Boston, NYC may have been too big of a risk. If he falters on the hills, he'd be left off the Olympic team. Well I guess that's not true as he could still prove himself in London as he's run a spring marathon and then the Olympics in both 2016 and 2021.But at age 39 might it be best to skip the spring marathon in 2024 and try to do Olympics/NYC. Or is it better to stick to your normal routine?
Ok the more I think about it, I am a little bit disappointed he's not doing NYC but it doesn't feel as bad as I just was going to be really disappointed if he did Sydney over NYC. Because even if NYC had gone badly, he could have gone to London to try to get on the Olympic team. But then again, the Olympics are earlier in 2024 than they were in 2016 and 2021 so the turnaround is a tiny bit shorter (8 days). In 2016, he ran London on April 24 and the Olympics on August 21. In 2024, London is on April 21 and the Olympic marathon is on August 10. To turnaround that quickly at age 39 isn't easy.
At least this way, he returns to his bread and butter of rabbitted races and has no excuses if he doesn't make it to Paris 2024. It might give him two options to make it to Paris. If he rocks Berlin, he could skip the spring marathon and just do the Olympics/NYC. If he struggles in Berlin, he can try to do London to get back in the selectors good graces.
Here's a hypothetical. If he runs well in Berlin but does poorly in London, is there any chance he gets left off?
There is another thread about him battling Kiptum for the WR in Berlin. I think Kipchoge to Berlin means that Kiptum almost certainly won't end up in Berlin.