Social media has a new obsession this week: a rumored one-mile race between marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge and viral fitness influencer Ashton Hall.
It started with an Instagram post from @runlater, claiming that Kipchoge, two-time Olympic champion and former world record holder, is stepping down in distance to race Hall over a mile in August. The race is supposedly happening in Oregon, Illinois (yes, that is a real place), and the internet, predictably, lost its mind.
The matchup is framed as an endurance-vs.-speed showdown.
According to the post, Hall recently closed a workout with a “4:06” after 10×1K at threshold pace and has form metrics so impressive they sound like they came from a sci-fi lab: 198 cadence, 94% symmetry, zero vertical bounce, and, oddly, “lactate levels that drop the faster he runs.”
The comment section didn’t buy it.
“Ashton Hall isn’t running a 4:06 in the mile lol. 😂 1,000m maybe…,” one person wrote.
Another added, “maybe the 1k, but not a mile”
One of the most repeated reactions: “Tell me this is satire.”
Even those who weren’t outright mocking the claim still questioned the numbers. Many doubted that Hall, best known for short, aesthetic sprint clips online, has ever run a sub-4:10 mile, let alone closed a workout in 4:06.
So, what’s going on here? And could there actually be a race?
Who Is Ashton Hall?
Ashton Hall is, above all else, a product of the modern fitness era. A former running back at Alcorn State University, Hall reinvented himself during the pandemic as a motivational fitness creator. His early morning routines, weighted vest runs, and slow-motion sprint videos have earned him millions of followers.
What he doesn’t have, at least publicly, is a resume of competitive middle distance racing. There’s no official mile time listed anywhere, and his most visible athletic outings recently have been sprint showdowns with fellow internet personality IShowSpeed. Hall lost both races.
Still, his fans point to his training montages, impressive physique, and sheer commitment as reasons to believe he could be more than just an influencer. The problem? There’s a big difference between being Instagram-fast and track fast.
What About Kipchoge?
Kipchoge doesn’t need much introduction. The 40-year-old Kenyan is widely regarded as the greatest marathoner in history. He’s a two-time Olympic gold marathon medalist (2016, 2021), the former world record holder at the distance (2:01:09), and the only human to run 26.2 miles in under two hours, even if it was under controlled, non-record-eligible conditions.
Kipchoge’s focus has always been long-term and deliberate. He races just a few marathons per year, and his 2025 schedule already includes the Sydney Marathon on August 31, which was announced publicly back in March.
That alone casts serious doubt on the idea that he’s going to travel to smalltown Illinois around the same time to race a one-off mile against an internet sprinter. Preparing for a world-class marathon and preparing for a tactical mile are two entirely different universes.
So, Is the Race Real?
In short: it doesn’t look like it.
There’s no official confirmation from Kipchoge, his management team, or any event organizers. The only source of the rumor is a single social media post, filled with questionable claims and met with widespread ridicule.
Even if the post was made in good faith, the logistics don’t line up. Kipchoge’s focus is clearly on Sydney. And while Ashton Hall’s fans may genuinely want to see him test himself over a longer distance, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Kipchoge agrees to a low-profile exhibition race just weeks before one of his final career marathons.
At best, this may be a content stunt or a misinterpreted training session turned into a hype piece. At worst, it’s a straight-up fabrication.
