Kenyan track star Faith Kipyegon’s historic attempt to break a four-minute mile

The GIST: Kenyan track star Faith Kipyegon is attempting to do what no woman has ever done before: run a mile in under four minutes. Here’s what you need to know about her boundary-pushing and potentially historic race before tuning in to Nike’s YouTube channel tomorrow at 1:15 p.m. ET. Let’s lace ’em up.

💨 Why Kipyegon?: Defying the odds is almost second nature for the middle-distance star. The girl who grew up running barefoot in Kenya currently holds the world record for the mile (4:07.64) and the 1500m (3:49.04), an event that she’s also won three Olympic golds in.

• By studying her world record mile from July 2023, scientists determined Kipyegon is capable of running a 3:59.37 mile…if the conditions are perfect.

🧪 What sets this race apart: Kipyegon’s attempt is all about pushing the limits, so she’ll run in optimized conditions that minimize human error. Kipyegon will follow a Wavelight automated pace-setting system around the track to keep her on target and will also race behind and in front of human pacers, reducing wind resistance.

• To maximize speed and further limit drag, Nike is providing Kipyegon with a custom fly suit along with “super spikes” built specifically for the event. Look good, feel good, run fast, right?

👀 Zooming out: With all of these technological advantages, Kipyegon won’t be eligible for a world record, but that’s hardly the point. “Breaking four” is the pinnacle of achievement in track — and now, one of the world’s greatest middle-distance runners is 7.64 seconds from setting a new standard for what women can achieve. Goosebumps.