What Would Be the Fastest Possible Marathon Time with Unlimited Doping?
The current official men's marathon world record is 2:00:35, set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023 during the Chicago Marathon. This astonishing time pushed the limits of human endurance, training science, and race strategy — all without the use of banned substances. But what would happen if we removed every restriction? If athletes could use any drug, hormone, or enhancement — regardless of legality or ethics — how much faster could a human run the marathon?
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To explore this speculative scenario, we must first examine the physiological systems that limit marathon performance. These include cardiovascular capacity (especially VO₂ max), muscular endurance, metabolic efficiency, lactate threshold, and thermoregulation. All of these systems are interconnected and constrained by human biology — and traditionally, improvements come through training, nutrition, rest, and legal supplements.
Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) such as erythropoietin (EPO), anabolic steroids, stimulants, and newer interventions like gene therapy or myostatin inhibitors can radically alter these parameters. EPO increases red blood cell count, improving oxygen delivery by up to 20%. An athlete on EPO could maintain a higher percentage of their VO₂ max for longer, drastically extending endurance.
Stimulants such as amphetamines and modafinil can reduce the perception of fatigue and pain. This means an athlete could ignore the body's natural signals to slow down. Beta-blockers and beta-2 agonists might improve respiratory function and cardiovascular control, especially under stress. Meanwhile, anabolic steroids could boost recovery, strength, and muscle resilience, allowing runners to train harder and reduce injuries during high-mileage periods.
One speculative area is the integration of multiple PEDs into a perfectly timed and dosed “stack,” customized to an individual’s genetics and physiology. With advanced biomonitoring, such an athlete could theoretically operate at near-maximal physiological efficiency for over 26 miles. That could push finishing times toward the 1:45–1:50 range.
There’s an unofficial milestone worth noting here: Eliud Kipchoge’s famous sub-two-hour marathon — 1:59:40 — achieved during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 2019. While it wasn’t recognized as a world record due to the use of rotating pacemakers, a pace car with a laser, and the absence of open competition, it showed what’s possible with legal optimization. Importantly, Kipchoge did not use any banned substances. However, the controlled conditions highlight how removing natural race chaos can significantly affect outcomes. It serves as a scientific benchmark — and a glimpse into what might be achievable with further “assistance.”
Now imagine if Kipchoge had also been allowed to use PEDs. If his already optimal physiology were enhanced with EPO and a stimulant regimen, it’s conceivable he could have run even faster — perhaps 1:55 or below. The implications are staggering.
Another frontier is gene doping, an area of extreme ethical and scientific concern. Scientists have explored modifying genes like EPOR (which affects red blood cell production) or ACTN3 (related to fast-twitch muscle fiber efficiency). If these genes were “switched on” or optimized in elite athletes, they could experience lifelong enhancements without the need for repeat dosing — and the improvements could, in theory, be passed on genetically.
Cryotherapy, oxygen chambers, intravascular oxygen carriers, mitochondrial biogenesis enhancers — these too might play roles in a future dystopian or transhumanist sports culture. With biohacking and AI-guided training programs, an entire new type of athlete could emerge — one less bound by the natural cycles of fatigue and recovery.
However, such possibilities are not without serious risks. High doses of EPO can lead to dangerously thick blood, increasing the risk of thrombosis. Long-term steroid use damages the liver, heart, and endocrine system. Neurological changes from stimulant use may result in addiction, psychosis, or long-term cognitive decline. There’s a reason these substances are banned: not just for fairness, but for health.
Additionally, there is biomechanical reality. Even if the cardiovascular system could handle a 1:45 marathon, could bones, joints, and tendons withstand the stress? Marathoning at those speeds — nearly 4-minute miles — requires perfect efficiency and durable connective tissue. Without surgical interventions or exoskeleton aids, the risk of rupture or breakdown is high.
Let’s not forget the psychological edge of doping. Athletes on certain substances experience a profound sense of invincibility, clarity, and drive. This altered state of mind could be the difference between breaking down at mile 23 or pushing through to a record time. Mental stamina, in a race of attrition like the marathon, is just as vital as physical ability.
Interestingly, some studies suggest that a select few humans may naturally possess VO₂ max values of 90 ml/kg/min or more. Combined with elite training and perhaps subtle, hard-to-detect enhancements, these athletes already toe the line of what’s possible. The "super responders" — genetically blessed individuals — may already operate near the edge of what pharmacology could artificially replicate in the average athlete.
In the theoretical no-limits scenario, we’re not just talking about a faster runner — we’re imagining a different species of athlete. One part human, one part science experiment. And that brings us to the philosophical question: at what point does sport stop being about humanity and become a laboratory exercise?
Ultimately, while the idea of a 1:45 marathon is thrilling, it’s not just about numbers. It forces us to confront what we value in athletic performance: natural excellence or engineered perfection? Achievement or spectacle? It's a debate that cuts to the core of sport, ethics, and even identity.
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