Overlooking Kenya’s Great Rift Valley at 7,900 feet above sea level, it’s just after 7 am, and 22-year-old Geoffrey Cheromei and his Kenyan teammates are in the middle of a 20-kilometer progression run on rocky, red-dirt roads in the rural town of Iten, the dirt from their collective foot strikes creating a small dust storm around them.
Geoffrey and the others run twice per day in used, worn-out shoes on these challenging roads, with little food to eat and no electricity or running water at home, dreaming of racing in America and Europe so they can win prize money and escape poverty.
The Kenyan running epicenter of Iten is like a monastery, with running at the center of everything. “Something good at end always difficult at beginning,” one of the athletes says. Geoffrey, with PBs of 14:08 5K and 30:24 10K, both at high altitude, is a member of Nguvu Running, named after the Swahili word for "strength."
Another member of the group is Eddah Jepkosgei. She is a single mother of two kids, the product of rape by her ex-boyfriend. Violence toward female athletes is common in Kenya.
Eddah grew up the middle child of 11 children in a small Kenyan village, and started running when she was 15 because her sister told her she could change her life and the lives of others.
Several years ago, she won a few marathons in Europe and has a marathon PB of 2:31. She made enough money from winning those races to sustain life for her and her baby, but her boyfriend stole her money.
After living for several years in a wood and tin shed in rural Kenya with no bathroom, no kitchen, and no running water, she took a big risk and emigrated to Canada, leaving her family and son behind. Then she found out she was pregnant again by her ex-boyfriend.
Now she lives in Toronto with her 1-year-old son, trying to figure out life in North America. She misses her other son in Kenya. Since having her new baby, she hasn’t been able to run because she can’t afford childcare.
“You have to be strong,” Eddah says. “If you are strong, you can go far.”
As founder and coach of Nguvu Running, I'm raising money for Geoffrey, Eddah, and the others so they can change their lives through running. If you’d like to help, please consider donating. Asante (thanks)!