He wasn't planning on doing it right there and then but with only one mile to go, elite Kiwi runner Jake Robertson thought of his girlfriend Magdalyne Masai, waiting for him at the finish line.
In that final mile, hot on the heels of marathon winner Mo Harah, he thought about their relationship and everything they'd lived through. It was then he decided that this was the moment: he was literally steps away from crossing the finish line and asking for her hand in marriage.
The New Zealand runner, twin brother of fellow elite runner Zane Robertson, moved to Kenya from Hamilton six years ago to improve his running. That is where he met his love.
"I was thinking about how our six years together had allowed us to become who we are today. If she has any flaws, I can't see them," he told Runner's World magazine, after popping the question.