Tuesday Track Training – Eldoret

I will do a full report on my 2 weeks in Kenya later but I do need to make a special note of this morning’s session.

A one hour drive from Iten to Eldoret brought us to this unassuming stop which suggests that a building site lies within : In fact it is where some of the world’s finest athletes train.

Inside lies a rather worn out tartan track and a part built athletics stadium. On Tuesday mornings the elite of Kenyan athletes come for group interval training and one of the groups is that of Eliud Kipchoge. We watched on as these groups thundered round at frightening speed – I believe at 65 second laps.

In the video, Eliud Kipchoge (He is the 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon champion, and holds the world record in the marathon with a time of 2:01:39 set at the 2018 Berlin Marathon) is in blue top and in the first group of runners. They all look so effortless and smooth.

After they’d finished their training I broke off my session to get a photo of Eliud and for him to sign my running vest. Both he and his coaching team were totally approachable putting up with many requests for photos and signed vests, shoes etc.. A fine example of how stars should behave.