Home of champions

East Africa's world-class runners are honing their craft in China

At the crack of dawn every Monday, about 100 men and women brave the chill and meet in Iten, Kenya, on a high-altitude ridge about 370 kilometers northwest of Nairobi. The harsh morning wind easily penetrates their training gear, but the adrenaline rush shields them as they prepare to run up to 42 km.

This is the life that many youths here have signed on for. They come because the area boasts of having produced an abundance of champion long-distance runners. Runners here train every day, even though most lack coaches and managers to register them in competitions abroad.

A Kenyan athlete wins at an international marathon in Chongqing on March 22.

Kenyan runner Kipserem Mariue is the first to reach the finishing line at an international marathon in Guiyang, Guizhou province, on July 5.

Chinese and African runners at an international marathon in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province. Photos provided to China Daily

Apart from Monday's distance training, on other days they concentrate on speed in the field or building muscle with weights.

Speed is key. With the marathon world record set at just over two hours - an amazing 2:02:57 - by Berlin Marathon champion David Kimetto, managers recruit athletes using this benchmark. It is not an easy feat.

Second, the World Marathon Majors, a series consisting of six of the most renowned marathons in the world, namely Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo and London, limit the number of entrants by setting high targets. This leaves out many amateur runners.

But the picture is quickly changing as China opens its doors to take in these athletes.

"China is a game-changer," says Phillip Kiprono, a local coach and athlete coordinator living in Eldoret, about 45 minutes drive from Iten. Over the years he has helped more than 100 Kenyan athletes compete in different city marathons in China. "The prize money is better than what most European marathons offer, and second, the benchmark is lower and hence allows more budding athletes to compete."

Kiprono has been in the industry for some 20 years as an athlete and coach. He says an increasing number of local athletes are warming to the prospects China offers.

"Long-distance running is no longer a hobby but a ticket out of poverty for most of these athletes. They hail from poor backgrounds and every day witness their friends and neighbors go from rags to riches overnight when they compete in city marathons abroad," he says.

So they show up at dawn on Mondays for grueling training. Kiprono and other coaches follow them slowly using a pickup truck to monitor their speed and endurance. "Those who are overcome with fatigue take a rest in the back of the car," he says, adding that improved speed and determination make an athlete a likely candidate for recruitment.

Unlike competitive races in which athletes are required to clock no more than 2 mins 50 secs per kilometer, during training they take it slower, up to 3 mins 50 secs per kilometer.

Kiprono's professional background is not athletics - he graduated as a train stationmaster from the Railway Training Institute in Nairobi. But his passion for running kept interfering with his duties and he was among the first employees laid off by Kenya Railways when it privatized part of its operations in 2006. That did not deter him, and he started rigorous training and making contacts when he competed in Israel. It was there in 2011 that he met a Chinese coach who introduced him to marathons in China.

He says China has been more welcoming to young African athletes than other global cities. The Chinese manager arranged for 12 athletes who had clocked good times to travel to China. Over six months, they participated in marathons in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou. The athletes were paid an appearance fee on top of the prize money.

They had to cut their stay short, however, because their performance had deteriorated. "China's weather is humid and this lowers the body's endurance. The athletes had to come back to train in Iten, where the altitude is high," Kiprono says.

Iten sits at an elevation of 2,400 meters above sea level near the Great Rift Valley in western Kenya. The air is thin, and to compensate for this the body produces extra red blood cells, which boosts endurance.

The town, in Elgeyo Marakwet county, has become the cradle of runners. It is estimated that about one-fourth of the inhabitants are athletes. Some are born here, while others have moved in to take advantage of the terrain and competition from seasoned runners.

Paul Chirchir moved about 179 km to Iten from Nakuru, the fourth-largest city in Kenya. Inhabitants there are nomadic pastoralists and cattle define one's economic status.

He watches other athletes training at Kamarin stadium, the only field available for athletes in town. An all-weather track, a first, is under construction nearby, funded by Lornah Kiplagat, the Netherlands' world famous long-distance runner. She also owns a modern training camp equipped with a gym and other facilities. Visiting foreign athletes board there.

Chirchir says the best local runners, who have managed to catch a foreign manager's eye, have their food and training expenses provided.

One of an athlete's biggest expenses is maintaining a good diet. "It builds stamina and also reduces time taken for muscle recovery. We eat about three or four times a day depending on the training program. Performance deteriorates without good nutrition."

Gear is another challenge. "Running shoes cost about $66. Many cannot afford this," he says.

Despite the challenges and spartan lifestyle, the athletes keep their spirits high. "China has become a good destination for Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes," Chirchir says. "They allow more of us to compete there, unlike the Europe competitions, where only elites go."

He says that China's prize money is a strong incentive. "Besides, money is awarded to about 15 top finishers, so one is guaranteed to leave with something if not the jackpot," he says.

China hosts about 100 events a year. The most popular are half marathons, which cover 21 km, and full marathons, which total about 42 km. "Even the small races pay good money, and that is where our young athletes benefit. The competition also offers them an opportunity to build their reputation back home since competition in long-distance is very stiff," he says.

Kiprono, his coach, agrees. "Making the national team is tough because those automatically considered are athletes who have attained superior times in competitions prior to national championships."

Athletics Kenya, the government sporting agency, recently announced three runners to represent Kenya at the IAAF World Championships set for Aug 22 to 30 at the National Stadium in Beijing. The International Association of Athletics Federations is the world governing body for track and field athletics.

In the men's marathon is Dennis Kimetto, current world record holder; Wilson Kipsang, previous record holder; and Mark Korir, Paris marathon champion.

On Sept 28, Kimetto became the first man to run under 2 hrs 3 mins. He ousted Kipsang, whose record of 2:03:23 during the 2013 Berlin Marathon held for a year. Mark Korir's personal best stands at 2:05:49.

Naming the team is an arduous task for Athletics Kenya, officials say. "Our athletes train hard, and that is what sets them apart from others," says David Okeyo, Athletics Kenya vice-president. "And that is why they are excelling in China, where the climate is humid, making it a little challenging for long-distance running."

He is happy that more chances are now open for Kenyans in China. This not only gives more opportunity to budding athletes to make their name, but also it is an opportunity to make a living.

Kenya's unemployment rate stands at 25 percent, according to a United Nations report. Some youths are unable to get a post-secondary education, while many graduates take a long time to secure employment. The situation has been blamed for an increase in extremism, leading to insecurity in the country.

"Although competition is still a little low in China, I believe with the inclusion of Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes, it will improve," says a national marathon team coach who gave his name as Koech. "We have seen our athletes go there and be treated very well. I haven't heard of any complaints," he says.

He notes that Chinese women runners have visited Iten in the recent past to train. "This shows that we are not the only ones benefiting. They, too, are interested in training here with us. It is a win-win situation."

According to Elias Makori, the regional editor for North Rift of Nation Media Group, Kenya pricked China's interest in long-distance running when the late Samuel Wanjiru won the Olympics marathon in 2008 in Beijing. "And there was an interest in knowing how Kenyan athletes train. They now come to Iten accompanied by their Italian coach, Renato Canova. But many of them could not adapt because the conditions are tough," says Makori, an award-winning journalist who closely follows the sport.

The food, the altitude and the weather are different from China, he says. "And training in Iten needs a lot of perseverance because life is so basic and most camps lack modern amenities."

One needs to sacrifice a lot to train in Iten, "but those who have trained here, such as double Olympic champion from Britain Mo Farah, have achieved success."

The Qatari national team often sets up camp in Iten, he notes, and he predicts increased interest, especially as Kenya is set to host the 2017 World Championships in Nairobi. "The city is at a low altitude, so I am sure most teams will prefer training in Iten. It needs heavy investment in modern camps and holiday venues for young athletes."

Makori says athlete exchanges would increase Chinese endurance when it comes to long-distance and even give Kenyans a run for their money in city marathons. "I think these marathons are good for competition. China pays well and more amateur Kenyan athletes are happy."

Kiprono says one snag has developed with new visa applications being used by the Chinese embassy in Kenya. Lines are long, and there is a fear some athletes may not be able to reach their races in time, he says.

Incentives from such races are so attractive that many athletes are not keen to make the national team, Makori says. "Most of these championships coincide with road races such as Beijing, Shanghai and Berlin. It takes a runner three months for muscle recovery in order to compete again. They don't want that," he says.

One unfortunate side effect of the increased demand and dynamism of the industry has been cases of doping. Makori concedes that this has tainted Kenya's image and blames it on young athletes' ignorance. But it is being overplayed, Makori says, and Athletics Kenya needs to rein in the situation before it worsens. "We need local managers, as most of them are foreigners. This is a little disturbing."

Athletics Kenya CEO Isaac Mwangi downplays the scandals. "Looking at world statistics in terms of doping cases, ours is negligible. Russia, Canada, Belgium, France have had cases, and I don't understand why Kenya is being put under a microscope."

He says the agency is working hard to curb doping. "Athletics is big in Kenya and the government is very keen on maintaining its good image. We have created the Kenya Anti-Doping Agency, which has the mandate to arrest agents and close down outlets selling banned substances." He says they have worked closely with China in strengthening the agency.

"Sports has become commercial and people want to make money. There are many stakeholders, and ongoing studies on how to boost human performance are everywhere. The continued interaction of Kenyan athletes with the world has increased their vulnerabilities. Technology is also influencing their decisions," says Mwangi.

"Sports is pure and it should remain that way. Doping taints the sport, and we would not like to do this."

lucymorangi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 08/07/2015 page1)