Kenya’s high-altitude town of Iten has become a global training hub for elite and amateur runners.
Eliud Kipchoge, David Rudisha and Sir Mo Farah are some of the big names that have ruled the world of running and one thing they have in common is that the favourable training environment in Kenya largely contributed to their success.
Five-time Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge is still going strong and has been confirmed for the London Marathon next. It is such exceptional talent that has made thousands of runners, elite and amateur, from all around the world move to Iten, Kenya in search of greener pastures.
Iten lies at about 2,400 meters (8,000 feet) above sea level and it is no lie that the small town has produced some of the most formidable long-distance runners in the world.
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For instance, Ryan Mex of Malta told the Associated Press his main reason for travelling to Kenya was to try to see how far he could go with running. The semi-professional runner and coach explained that in Kenya, specifically Iten, it is easier to find a community that will accommodate his desires.
“I came to Kenya to feel this elite running community here. Next time I want to come with a larger group since we really like the training environment here. This is the best place in the world to come for a training camp,” Mex said.
Iten is home to more than 40,000 people and most of the runners opt to go there with the aim of working on horning their running skills.
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One of Germany’s top marathoners Amanal Petros also discovered Iten and has never looked back since then. He spends six months in Iten every year. Petros was born in Eritrea but prefers the surroundings in Kenya.
“I’ve trained in many places in the USA and Europe. Organizing a training partner in Europe is not easy. But in Iten, the home of champions, wherever you go you find a lot of athletes who can train with you,” Petros revealed.
On his part, Brother Colm O’Connell, a former headmaster at St. Patrick’s High School, who has also produced some of the greatest athletes has been there to witness the growth in Iten.
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“It was just a scattering of houses and a school called St. Patrick’s. That was really the starting point of what Iten eventually became, what we see today,” he revealed.
He revealed that since the sport became professional, Iten transformed greatly and now, there are many runners including those who go for fun and those chasing personal best times and gold medals at major championships.
Iten continues to host runners from all over the world, giving Kenyans an opportunity to showcase their hospitality while also giving rise to talent.
