Image courtesy pexels.com with Albert Kiptoo Yator From Kenya, Yomif Kejelcha from Ethiopia and Phillip Kipyeko from Uganda running hard.(Not sure of the race)
Today in the ABC's of Running, K is for Kenya
No one is saying that if you don’t come from Kenya you have no hope in becoming an amazing middle and long distance running. The world has had some amazing runners who don’t come from Kenya. The reason why Kenya is significant is because in recent years it has consistently produced high numbers of world leading middle distance and long distance runners.
The East African nation sits with its coastline on the Indian Ocean and has just under 50 million in population. The landscape includes savannah, lakelands, mountain highlands and of course the dramatic Rift Valley. So what are the reasons behind the country's success. Is it environmental, biological, do they have great coaches or is it a mixture of all.
Environmental
A lot of the top runners from Kenya come from the Rift Valley which is mostly rural with no real industry except for farming. When someone from this part of Kenya thinks about what they want to do with their lives, it's either farming or becoming a world class runner. This usually gives them a strong work ethic that they seem to bring with them into their running. One other thing to note is most children will run to school, barefoot for five to ten kilometres every day. This also ensures even the youngest runners have proper running economy and mechanics.
One important environmental factor is the top runners being produced by Kenya also grew up at high altitude. Their environment and upbringing also means they are not exposed to a western diet leading to very healthy, fit and lean young people
Genetic Factors
Despite much debate and research there has not been any isolation of a specific gene or genetic factor which would highlight any advantage runners from Kenya would have.
Training Secrets
People who have viewed their training note there are no gels, sports drinks, any real coaches, trainers or sports scientists. The one thing to note is that they train hard, and are highly motivated. In training, Kenyans will run a half marathon before breakfast.
Summing It All Up
The result of their upbringing with a combined work ethic and motivation to become a great runner as a way of ensuring they have a comfortable life all come together to raise very lean fit individuals with high VO2Max values that most of us would only dream of.
As the country develops and the prevalence of processed food, desk job, cars and public transport increases so too has there been an increase in diabetes. This is mostly in the urban cities and still not an issue in the rural areas.
If you missed my earlier posts, you can see them at the following link:
@run.vince.run/the-abc-s-of-running-the-letter-a
@run.vince.run/running-abc-s-b-is-for-bq
@run.vince.run/the-running-abc-s-c-is-for
@run.vince.run/d-is-for-doms-in-the-running-abc-s
@run.vince.run/running-abc-s-e-is-for-epoc
@run.vince.run/continuing-our-running-abc-s-f-is-for-fartlek
@run.vince.run/g-is-for-glutes-in-the-running-abc-s
@run.vince.run/in-our-running-abc-s-h-is-for-heart-rate-zone
@run.vince.run/in-the-abc-s-of-running-i-is-for-interval-training
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