A Training Day in Kaptagat

It’s not every morning you get out of bed and go for a run, half-expecting to see a world champion or two. Plus, an Olympic silver medalist.

Justin Lagat took me out of Eldoret to Kaptagat township. Just past the town, there’s a dirt road that appears to missing a sign that reads “Watch Out – Olympians at Training.” The lack of a sing might just signal a sense that the people here expect to dominate in the distance events but, for a foreigner, it’s an eye-popping eye-opener when literally some of the best runners in the world rush by.

Rush is my word, not theirs. They were doing easy mileage at a relatively high rate of speed.

After Justin and I got our runs in, Justin doing the out lap, and me pulling the return, we went and visited friends of his. These were all young men still training to break into the running world as paid professionals. As with most individuals dedicated to a specific vision, they work, live, sleep to make that vision a reality.

They live a very Spartan existence, sleeping in small rooms, cooking for themselves on a kerosene stove. Still, they’re remarkably kind, offering the odd American a cup of tea despite the fact they likely don’t have a pair of shillings to rub together.

Twice a day, they go on training runs, except for the days where they add a third run into the mix. These young men certainly understand how to work hard.

Helping them along the way is Wilson Kiprop who sponsors this particular group of young men. It’s not the sort of thing that you see highlighted in his Wikipedia article, but he, along with quite a few other champion runners, work hard to bring opportunities to the next generation. It would be nice if these activities were as celebrated as their athletic achievements.

On to Eldoret

New Year’s Day is an eventful holiday in Kenya. The families travel back to their traditional homes to celebrate the day. In my case, I ended up joining a gentleman I met on the plane over. We touched base after we got settled, and Njuguna invited me to join him and his wife, Celia, on a trip into the Central Highlands. He promised me a potluck and a chance for me to learn a bit about the Kikuyu lands.

Roast goat, chapata, a Kenyan version of cole slaw, beans, potatoes, and more.

Njuguna was actually serious when he mentioned that it would be a potluck. At every house that we visited, the families offered us food. It is part of the cultural pattern throughout Kenya, where they treated guests as family, feeding them and offering tea.

Celia came to my rescue. She had taught her European students a phrase, ne meh she ba, (spelling phonetically here, folks. Could well have a different proper spelling.) The phrase means “I am now full.” I suspect that phrase, along with ‘thank you very much’—assante sana,—are going to be in my permanent repertoire. Po le, too. I’m sorry. It actually has a wide and varied meaning from I’m sorry I stepped on your foot to I’m sorry your car has a flat tire. The range of expression of this one word will appeal to my youngest daughter.

Kenyan gatherings, at least this one, are quiet relative to a comparable American party. I liked the difference as I’ve never been much for trying to shout over a group.

The next day, Saturday, marked my trip to Eldoret. Immediate impression – absolute relief at the breezes and the drop in humidity. Also, my allergies are fading which is great. Still a bit of a sniffle but that is fading fast.

Justin met me at the airport, and he drove us to his home, where I’ll be staying. He and his wife have been most welcoming, though I think they worry over me. They shouldn’t as I’m pretty adaptable. After settling in, Justin took me on a walk, pointing out the houses of Olympic gold medalists and other notaries. The views are expansive and I plan on getting out during dawn and dusk to capture some of the images. That will remain a work in progress for now but once I get them, I’ll put them up.

After the walk, we had dinner - traditional food that was very tasty, with Kenyan tea, and then sat talking. For Justin and I, it was a lot of about writing. Running periodically enters into the conversation, too. There are a couple of major races coming up, so I'll have a chance to watch outstanding runners as they go head to head.

Update: Sunday morning. Went for a four mile-ish run/walk with Justin. Still can process enough oxygen but that is something that time will take care of. The terrain reminds me a lot of home. Took a goodly number of pictures along the way.

Today, we’re headed out to Kapkeringon Village to visit Justin’s family.

Yes the gaps are big enough to fall through.

Justin Lagat, looking stylish.