Change of scene puts runner on right track

Competitor earns better standings, his family's respect and money entering races around the chinese mainland

After three years of hard training, Paul Chirchir, 26, is pleased with his running career. He finally has something to show for it thanks to his determination and the opportunities that China is presenting in long-distance competitions. The prize money is good, he says, and so is the exposure.

To date, he has participated in six overseas competition, five of them in China. In these competitions, he has managed to finish third or fourth. This has made him not only eligible for prize money, which has significantly improved his economic status back home, but also propelled him into a league of elite athletes.

It's no mean feat, considering the number of world-class marathoners hailing from East Africa.

But it hasn't all been rosy for him. The second of eight children, Chirchir had tried his luck in field competition to no avail. Stiff competition from African runners, in addition to organizers' emphasis on speed, made the competition tough.

But his drive motivated him to set his eyes on long-distance running. His decision earned sharp criticism from his family, who admonished him for abandoning agriculture, a family tradition in Mogotio, Baringo county, located in the Central Rift Valley, and instead taking up a pursuit without any guarantee of success.

"But this is where my passion lies," says the soft-spoken young man. "They have now come to terms with it. My achievements in China turned the tide."

It all started in 2008, when he completed secondary school and envisioned his future in athletics. He had discovered his passion during the latter years of his school life. It was nurtured by Koror High School's Barnabas Kitilit, a determined coach who helped him achieve admirable feats in national school competitions. This is the same coach who steered the national youth team into an exemplary performance in the just-concluded world championships in Cali, Colombia.

But once out of school, the young man had no guidance. Armed with determination and zeal to replicate the success of other Kenyan champions, he decided to follow a disciplined training program given to him while in school. Soon his determination caught the eye of a neighbor who was also a budding athlete.

"He advised me to relocate to the high-altitude area in Iten. Here, I found other aspiring runners who harbored similar dreams of participating in the global arena." Iten, on a high-altitude ridge in western Kenya, at an elevation of 2,400 meters near the Great Rift Valley, has gained a reputation for producing world-class distance runners.

In 2011, he entered track competition. Through his mentor, he registered to participate in the 5,000 meters in France and Belgium. "My performance was dismal. I realized I had an edge in endurance and not speed, and this is why I decided to invest in half marathons, which cover 21 kilometers."

He came back and put all his energies into training. For three years, his life revolved around a rigorous routine of terrain running to build endurance, track running to improve speed, and good nutrition to maintain his stamina.

But his resolve was not well received at home. His family raised their objections. Nothing was coming out of it, they said, urging him to return home and tend to the field and herds. His community is known to practice nomadic pastoralism, in which livestock are herded to find fresh pastures.

But he soldiered on. His break came in February 2014, when he was introduced to Chinese competitions. Through an agent and a Chinese manager who were impressed by his improved performance, he registered for the Helong International Half Marathon in Northeast China's Jilin province. He finished second.

Last October, he participated in the Nanning International Half Marathon. He again finished second.

Six months later, he finished fourth in the Lanling International Half Marathon, but improved marginally when he finished third in the Guiyang International Half Marathon in Southwest China's Guizhou province in early July. He won $10,000.

The competition has improved his standings. "Through competitions in China, I have competed with runners from Ethiopia, another hotbed for long-distance running in Africa. It has also exposed me to the range of opportunities available if I am committed," says Chirchir.

He believes he has a chance to build his future. With the earnings, he intends to buy land and cattle, a status symbol in his community. "My family owns about 48 hectares. This is not enough for all of us, and hence running will enable me to build and own my investments," he says.

His earnings have enabled him to maintain his humble home in Iten. "The only athletes who are housed in established camps are those who are either representing the nation in world competitions or are seasoned athletes," Chirchir says. About 7,000 athletes have found accommodation in the area.

"I consider this my work, and I take it very seriously. I admire the disciplined work ethic of the Chinese, and that is why I enjoy participating in city marathons organized there," he says.

He says he knows of Kenyans who are staying in hostels in Hong Kong, with easy access to marathons in China. "Staying in Hong Kong is moderately affordable to Africans. But athletes training in high-altitude areas back in Kenya continue to improve their competitive edge and this puts them ahead," he says. The body compensates for lower oxygen levels at high altitudes by producing more red blood cells to deliver oxygen to muscles.

He believes there are great investment opportunities in Iten. "Currently, athletes share public facilities that are not well-developed. Access to gyms and modern equipment is only possible in modern camps, but they attract fees that are sometimes steep for amateur athletes."

Moreover, he notes that suitable sporting attire such as tracksuits and racing shoes are expensive. "If these can be brought to athletes here at affordable prices, it will go a long way toward improving our maintenance expenses."

Athletes' careers are short-lived, a fact that Chirchir is cognizant of. But when his time comes to retire, he says, he hopes to have contributed to the community that has ultimately built him. "I want to put up a sports school here in Iten. I think serious and purposeful training should start early when the child has shown signs of interest. Right now, talent may be luckily noticed in schools, but most students who start in elementary schools give up, as the journey to success is difficult," he says.

To support these dreams, he has already signed up for additional competitions in China. He expects to up his game soon and start competing in full marathons, which encompass 42 km. "The money is better," he says.

lucymorangi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 08/07/2015 page7)