When one thinks of Kenya, several images might come to mind: the vast savannahs of the Maasai Mara, the majestic Mount Kenya, or perhaps the rhythmic beats of African drums. However, for many around the world, Kenya is also synonymous with one particular form of athleticism which is running.
Kenya has consistently produced some of the world’s most dominant and celebrated long-distance runners. But what lies behind this incredible prowess? Let’s dive into the spirit of Kenyan running.
- Famous Kenyan marathon runners
- Kenyans running tradition
- Kenyan running drills
- Kenyan runners diet
- Kenyan runners physique(Why are Kenyan runners so thin?)
Here is a list of some prominent Kenyan marathoners
Eliud Kipchoge: Widely regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, Kipchoge is the world record holder for the men’s marathon and has won numerous major marathons, Berlin and London Marathon.
Mary Keitany: She has won the New York City Marathon four, London marathon 3 times and has set several world records in the women’s-only marathon.
Brigid Kosgey: She won the 2018 and 2019 Chicago Marathons, the 2019 and 2020 London Marathons and the 2021 Tokyo Marathon.
Vivian Cheruiyot: (Olympic Champion, World Champion, Commonwealth Champion, African Champion, DL Winner, London Marathon winner) won her first Kenyan Championships in 1999 when she was 15 years old.
Paul Tergat: former professional long distance runner. He became the first Kenyan man to set the world record in the marathon in 2003, with a time of 2:04:55, and is regarded as one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all time.
Kelvin Kiptum: Kelvin Kiptum Cheruiyot is a Kenyan long-distance runner and the marathon world record holder. He is the only person in history to run the marathon under two hours and one minute in a record-eligible race
Catherine Ndereba: Known as the “Marathon Queen”, Ndereba has won the Boston Marathon multiple times and has held world records in the marathon.
Geoffrey Mutai: He has won several major marathons, including the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon.
Rita Jeptoo: She is a multiple-time winner of the Boston Marathon and has set course records in several major marathons.
Florence Kiplagat: She has won major marathons like the Chicago Marathon and has held world records in the half marathon.
The list can go on and on but lets end it here for now.
Kenyans running tradition
For many Kenyan children especially in public primary schools, running is not just a sport but a culture. From Going to school in the early mornings(over 1Kilometres away) to Growing up in rural areas where shoes might be a luxury, children are often introduced to running without the cushioning and support of modern footwear.
Kenyan children learn to place their feet carefully on the ground so as they don’t get hurt, they learn to land gently, lightly and gliding rather than pounding it
They develop a natural stride, landing softly on the forefoot or midfoot, a technique that minimizes impact and maximizes efficiency. This natural form, which many now recognize as the hallmark of efficient running, has its roots in the barefoot tradition culture.
Kenya’s high-altitude plateaus, particularly in regions like the Rift Valley, offer the ideal conditions for training. At such altitudes, the air is thinner, which forces the body to produce more red blood cells to carry oxygen, a vital factor in endurance running. This natural adaptation gives Kenyan athletes a distinct advantage when competing at lower altitudes.
Kenyan running drills
Kenyan runners training at Rift valley Iten area are mostly seen training in the early morning and evenings. Their sessions include;
- Long runs
- Fartlek’s
- Track sessions
- Core sessions
- Slow runs
When training in the morning you will always see school children going to school and even others joining the runs as they head to school. Hundreds of runners will attend local group training runs on the sprawling roads outside of Iten area, tracks and fields belonging to the public or universities & colleges and tarmac roads/forests. The long runs start slow, but gradually get much faster and nearly all of the runners maintain the elite-level pace.
Kenyan runners can also train at training camps in Iten area or stay at one of the many accommodations in town that provide runners with everything they need to be successful, including incredible food centered on the Kenyan staples of ugali (cornmeal swallow) and chapati (unleavened flatbread).
Kenyan runners’ diet
Kenyan food is always fresh, organic, and comes from the neighboring farms. Kenyan runners’ diet consists mostly of simple and natural foods to fuel their bodies.
- Breakfast: Tea (with whole milk and sugar in it), bread, boiled eggs and pancakes made mostly from whole grain wheat flour.
- Lunch: rice, potatoes, beans (mostly kidney beans), spaghetti, pumpkins and green grams.
- Supper/Dinner: Include ugali, green vegetables, fresh milk, sour milk (mursik) and meat.
Most Kenyan runners always have a daily rendezvous at 5pm to drink a cup of porridge (millet, water and sugar) and hang out as the day was finishing.
Kenyan runners physique(Why are Kenyan runners so thin?)
The main Reason why most Kenyan runners are thin is because most Kenyan runners are Kalenjin’s. The build of the Kalenjin body that is pretty unique and that gives them their running talent. This is what I believe, based on the research I have read and by using my eyes and knowledge.
Kalenjin’s have extremely narrow hips, which is known to be a positive factor for distance running, since it helps the running mechanics/style. They have relatively long and thin legs, which is also helpful in distance running. The extremely thin lower leg, increases the efficiency of running, since it’s easier to ‘swing’ a thin leg than to swing a heavy leg.
While The foods consumed by Kenyan runners consist of mostly carbs, they alone cannot make one lean and strong. Kenyans are used to hard and perhaps harsh living conditions from their childhood. Most of the athletes used to walk long distances to and from their primary schools I think this is one of the main reason they are built that way.