For the Record

On a rainy Sunday morning in 2018, I completed the Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:18:55, qualifying for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. Twenty seconds ahead of me, Brigid Kosgei of Kenya won the women’s race. After she crossed the finish line, she put her hands on her hips, turned around, and watched me fulfill a dream I’d had since I was in high school. I’ll never forget it.

A year later, on the same course, Kosgei smashed the women’s world record, running 2:14:04. This time I was the one watching, as I sat glued to my television in Toronto. I followed her historic race with awe, but many others around the world watched it with incredulity.

Within minutes of Kosgei’s finish, the running community’s snarky corner of the internet erupted with skepticism. Clearly, she was doping and had missed drug tests back in Kenya. Clearly, she couldn’t have run that fast without the Vaporfly Next% (Nike’s controversial shoe, which I also wear). And clearly, the...