This is presentation of what I experienced when I spent 2 weeks in a training camp held at the High Altitude Training Centre in Iten Kenya :
Iten 2400m high atop the Rift Valley in Kenya is one of the homes of Kenyan long distance running. In this you see –
- The ‘pacers’, local runners who accompanied us so we didn’t get lost & a view of the camp grounds
- The food provided – all local with no dairy (butter or cheese)
- Early morning training run : In Kenya runners train in large groups typically with an early morning 6.30 am run and a late afternoon run.
- The famous Thursday Fartlek at Tiren Road where groups would all joinh together to run Fartlek from 6km to 10km or more over rolling the red earth roads
- Tuesday TRack session in Eldoret, the County Town. This track is a typical kenyan government project which is not finished due to th efailure of governemnt to provide all the promised funds. Its so heavily used the track is now worn out. But it is very busy : There were 200 runners there including Eliud Kipchoge who you can see in action and then later taking time for selfies & au
- Track Drills by Collins Kibet, a successful US Collegiate 800m runner & brother of Sylvia Kibet, winner of several Olympic medals.
- Tour of St Patricks High School which produced many champions under the guidance of Brother Colm. The athletics training camp is no longer an integral part of the school, with the school now having 4 times the number of pupils than before. Brother Colm has retired from his role at the school but still lives in the grounds.
- Ian Kiprono who now leads the Athletics ‘school’ attached to ST Patricks answers the question ‘that 3 pieces of advice would you give to runner’. Eat, Sleep, Run……
- Meet Sylvia Kibet, Olympic medallist…
- Everyday Pictures : Kenya kids were always happy smiling and greeting us with ‘ Hi – how are you’. Sheep and cattle grazed everywhere on tracks, grass verges at the side of roads.
- Last night there we all had dinner together with our pacers and special guest Brother Colm.