Iten Road Races

Yesterday in Iten we had two road races, for the men a half marathon (although it ended up only being 18.6km) and for the women a 10km race. We had five guys and one girl from the camp running so lots of interest. The races started from different places and at different times, the men's race was starting down by the view point in Iten then running up a steep hill of maybe 2km into Iten town then working it's way down for about 8km towards Eldoret turning onto a dirt track then winding it's way back up into Iten and finishing on the Iten playing field.

By some unknown reason Ken was the lead vehicle for the men's race and I got to watch the entire race unfold from out of the sunroof. The start as usual was very disorganised and a bit of a free for all, but once they were running things went relatively smoothly. After about 3km a group of 10 had made a break from the rest of the runners led by my friend and former camp member Isaac, they passed 5km in 15minutes and 10km in 29.40! The second half of the race was nearly all up hill with a head wind and the group all of a sudden split very quickly, with about 4km to go another one of our runners, Edwin, made a break and quickly grew a lead of 50 – 100m, unfortunately for Edwin he had pushed too early and up one of the steep hills you could see him visibly tense up and start to struggle, he quickly was caught by the eventual winner but managed to hold on and finish in 4^th position, Isaac had a great run finishing in 6^th place, we also had a guy called Felix finish in 8^th so some good running for the Run-Fast team. In the women's 10km Sarah finished a very credible 12^th position just out of the money (top 10).

The prize giving again was a bit chaotic and when they called out the top ten to collect the prizes they didn't call Isaacs name, I took him to see the officials who informed him he had been disqualified for taking a short cut! How they decided this I don't know but I spoke to them and said I could prove with photos and videos that he was in the lead pack the whole way, luckily they thought I looked a trustworthy fellow and reinstated him in the results!

The eventual winner pulling away from Edwin

Today as always is long run today, for me it was 30km. I was cruising along nicely going at a pace close to my marathon pace when some random guy pulls up beside me in a full tracksuit and starts chatting, not good for my confidence! Luckily he went his own way and I could concentrate on my own running. Although the last 5km was very hilly I still managed to knock nearly 2 minutes off my best time so a good confidence booster with two weeks until my half marathon.

Nothing Special

Nothing special this week just been ploughing on with training. Probably my best track session on Tuesday, 15 x 600m. Windy 10km tempo run today was ok considering the wind and now I've only a few tough runs left until I start to ease off slightly for the half marathon on 13^th March. Next Tuesday the track session is 2 x 5000m, 2 x 1000m, this will be tough.

Tomorrow there are some races in Iten, for the women it is an uphill 10km and for the men at the moment it looks as though it's going to be a half marathon, half uphill, half downhill. I say at the moment as it has already changed about three times, first it was half from down in the valley, then 15km, then 12km from a different route, so we shall see.

I did find out today that in Edwin's race last week he beat the course record of Duncan Kibet (the second fastest marathon runner in history) and is current;y ranked 9^th in the world. I'm really sure now on the right course and with good competition he can go sub 60mins.

Edwin Kipyego smashes his pb in first race of the season

On Sunday 20^th February in the Riba-Roja Half Marathon in Spain Edwin Kipyego won in a new course record and personal best time of 61.25, nearly a 40 second improvement and a good sign that he will run a lot faster on a flat course with good competition. Edwins run has given everyone here at camp a lot of confidence that we can all go and run pb's when we race. More news on how the race unfolded when I find out.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of getting to know Mary Keitany and family. They live very close and are good friends with the camp coach Ken, and also Charles, Mary's husband is the brother of Raymond who is one of the guys that lives on the camp. After Mary ran the World Record for the Half Marathon on Friday she returned to Iten on Saturday, unfortunately as I was in Nairobi I was unable to join in the celebrations for her new world record, as Ken missed the celebrations as well he took me to her house where we had a celebratory drink with Mary and Charles. They were a really nice couple, very friendly and welcoming. Her next race is the London Marathon in April where it will be very interesting to see what time she can run.

Myself with Mary and Family

A tough hills session this morning followed by some breakfast and a quick rest before our second run of the day at 11.00a.m.

2011 Kenyan National Cross Country Championships

Saturday 20^th February 2011 started at 3.30a.m. standing in an ants nest waiting for my lift to Nairobi, once I realised what was biting my legs I soon moved to a better waiting spot. Ken was a little late arriving as he had been called out during the night to help a friend whose wife was sick, after less than 1 hours sleep he was about to drive the 400km to Nairobi so we could watch the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships. I was very tired myself after having run a tough 38km the day before and I soon fell asleep. I awoke to find us heading straight for an oncoming lorry as Ken had himself fallen asleep at the wheel, luckily my yelling woke him up and we escaped death by a whisker! After our close shave we stopped for breakfast and Ken was fine for the rest of the journey.

The Kenyan Nationals is probably the toughest cross country race in the world, the course was a flat but windy 2km loop, good for spectators. The women’s race was won by the world 10,000m champion Linet Masai who although only won by a few seconds looked fluent and relaxed for the whole race and I think if pushed had a lot left in reserve.

The men's 12km race was dominated by Geoffrey Mutai the 2.04? marathon runner, I really think this guy has got to be the best distance runner in the world at the moment, he won the race easily and if he can keep his form until the worlds I can't see anyone getting close to him. I think he has a slight quarrel with Athletics Kenya at the moment that might stop him doing the Worlds but hopefully this can be resolved quickly. It was a great race to watch but I'm glad I didn't race it as being in the middle of marathon training I would have been left for dead! Below is a video of Geoffery Mutai winning the senior mens race.

The journey home was long and although Ken was tired he showed no signs of falling asleep. Unfortunately on the road from Eldoret to Iten there had been a very bad accident in which a lorry carrying sand (weighing about 30 tonnes) was trying to overtake another lorry and totally wiped out a matatu, killing at least 12 people, it shows just how dangerous the roads out here can be.

A long day of about 11 hours in the car, but well worth as it's not often you get the chance to see and meet so many great runners. Today I'm off to meet Mary Keitany the new world record holder for the half marathon, more on that tomorrow.......

Now That's What I Call Service

A knock at my door at 5.40a.m. tells me it's time for my 38km long run. Lots of rain throughout the night means I'm going to have heavy shoes as the mud gets very sticky out here. It's only me doing the long run today and still at 6a.m. I have a pacemaker and a support car supplying water and 5km split times, sometimes it's not bad being a full time athlete.

I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday so was actually unsure I would make the full distance but as always I would give it my best shot. When we start it is still very dark and the only reason I don't twist my ankle in the first 10km is that my way is lit by the headlights of Kens car that is following close behind. I try and break the distance down into manageable chunks and it's not long until I have broken the half way mark and reached 20km, and to my surprise I still feel ok. After 26km we turn to the left and I realise that I know the rest of the route back and it is very hilly. I keep pushing on and after what feels like an eternity I hit 35km where Langat my pacemaker calls it a day, the hills have taken there toll on him it seems. Just two long hills left and I manage to pick up the pace and push on home in the final 3km. At the finish my legs still seem in one piece and the only damage I can see is a bit of “runners nipple”, so all in all a good days work.

Time for some well earned breakfast now and then some sleep. Very early start tomorrow for our trip to Nairobi for the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships.

Kiptum

One of the best things about life on camp is that we have a full time cook named Kiptum. Kiptum arrives at about 7a.m. every morning, seven days a week. First job is to prepare the tea for breakfast, this is not like the tea in England, in large pots he boils a mixture of about two thirds water with one third milk, to this is added loose tea leaves and a large amount of sugar. The athletes out here love their tea so Kiptum needs to make enough for about 40 cups. After Breakfast a lunch of rice and beans is prepared and then dinner usually of Ugali and cabbage stew or Sukuma Wiki. Kiptum has started a vegetable patch in camp so he doesn't have to buy so much stuff from the market and while he is not preparing our food he tends to this. He also is the general handyman around camp having recently made a nice shoe rack for mine and Edwin's “house”.



Kiptum

Kiptum has lived in the region all his life and his mother still lives a short drive down in the valley on a small shamba (farm).



Kiptum tending to his vegetables



Apart from his life on camp, Kiptums main hobby is volleyball in which he is the coach/manager of the local team. Last weekend saw them compete in a competition in Iten where they performed very admirably only losing to the eventual winners.

Volleyball tournament

Majani aka “The Evil Massage Man”

I thought the running here in Iten was hard but it is nothing compared to the pain caused by the hands of our masseur, Majani. I have had lots of massages in my time and I know a sports massage isn't supposed to be relaxing but none of them come close to the agony of Majanis' massages! He seems to take great pleasure in finding my sore spots and pummelling them until I can take no more, he even laughs when I start to scream! I do hope all the pain is worth it. One of the guys on camp hasn't had a massage for five weeks now as he can't take the pain, he keeps making excuses whenever it is his turn or he conveniently goes missing.

Majani trying to look innocent



I have a couple of relatively easy days now before a 38km run on Friday (won't be fun) and then off to Nairobi on Saturday to watch the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships.