Running with the Kenyans: Passion, Adventure, and the Secrets of the Fastest People on Earth

If you want to learn how to play beautiful football, go to Brazil. If you want to see top level basketball games, go to the US. If you want to master table tennis, go to China. And if you want to learn about running from the best of the best? Go to Kenya.This book reads like a running journal for the author Adharanand Finn - an editor at the Guardian and a freelance journalist writing for the Guardian, the Independent, and Runner’s World magazine - who is clearly obsessed with running. Like really obsessed, obsessed. Which makes it a thrilling read in the way he describes the races and the preparations that surround them.And in this book Finn tells the story about when he went to live and train for 6 months in what considered as the Mecca for the sport of running: Iten, Kenya.Now, I still can’t get pass the fact that Finn never clarify his full intention of going to Iten. That as far as the book tells us he is there, bringing along his wife and small kids, in a personal capacity and not to write a coverage for any media outlet. But in the end of the day this minor detail doesn't really matter, because the story of his time at Iten are invaluable and refreshing, and we get to see what’s life looks like over there.Charmingly, everyone he bump into in Iten seems to be a runner. And not just an ordinary one but the winner of this marathon, gold medalist in that olympics, the record breakers of this and that categories. Even that one instance when Finn mistakenly called the wrong number to reach out to a 2:04:00 marathoner, only to discover that the wrong person he called ran a 2:05:00 marathon.In Iten, there are around 1000 full-time athletes in a town with a population of just 4000 people. The gathering places are full with athletes, not just Kenyan runners but also British, European, and other world class athletes. Moreover, seeing a pack of runners in the streets is a normal scene in Iten. And while there are many competing running clubs there, including one that Finn eventually created, every Thursday morning they all gather together and have a fartlek session. It’s such a nice environment to be in.Ultimately, this book answers THE big question in the running world: What makes Kenyans different from the rest of the world? The most stand out thing I noticed about the depiction of Iten is the poverty. It is a humble place with humble means, where children have no other choice than to go to school by running miles away from their village, barefooted, in a high altitude (2400 meters / 7900 ft. above sea level), on a hilly landscape, as a normal daily activity.While running barefooted force us to adjust our body to a proper form of running, which is analyzed extensively in the book, running long distance to school every day in a difficult altitude means these children built their aerobic capacity from such an early age, which, according to a coach in Iten, Renato Canova, “[t]o build your aerobic house, to have enough of an endurance base to run long distances, takes about ten years.” Hence, he then elaborates, “by the time a Kenyan is sixteen, he has built his house.”Being a relatively under-developed place also plays an advantage to their success in this simplest and most common sport, where Kenyans live an incredibly active childhood by playing outdoors, eat a simple diet of ugali that is low fat but carbohydrate-rich (good fuel for running), have plenty of time to rest and recover (not much distractions), and have limited options of role models outside the successes of the athletics, which explains why running becomes the sole focus and dedication for plenty of aspiring youngsters. And while there are plenty of success stories coming out from Iten, these successful athletes mostly still live the same simple life afterwards to keep their edge, while those who succumbed to the lifestyle of the riches they quickly lost their edge.Curiously, however, most Kenyan top runners come from 1 ethic group, the Kalenjin. They are a group of nine closely related tribes that inhabit the high-altitude Rift Valley region (where Iten is). The book took a great length at analyzing the many possibilities of why this is. But long story short, it has nothing to do with genes but instead their harsh environment and upbringing, specifically for the boys through the brutal adolescents ceremony, would make all other challenges look easy in comparison.And thus, as it turns out there is no special superhuman genes or talent that are “blessed” upon the Kenyan runners. But instead, the incredible capabilities that they have are a result of years of training and development in a challenging environment, whether they were intentional or not. Everything is trainable, as they say, and I guess that is why there are so many foreign runners now resided in Iten, to emulate the training environment of the greats.Furthermore, Finn has a certain eloquence in his style of writing, where all the names he write about in the book can come to life and warm our hearts. In fact, the more I read on the more that characters such as Brother Colm, Godfrey Kiprotich, Charlie Baker, Beatrice, Chris Cheboiboch, Mama Kibet, Anders, Shadrack, Philip, Tom Payn, David Barmasai, Japhet, and many more, have somehow become like a familiar old friend.And a little google search shows that thanks to this book, a bunch of readers were moved to set up a GoFundMe campaign to pay for Japhet’s airfares for a number of races around Europe. And I felt a sense of friendly pride when discovering that 2 years after the events in the book he, Japhet Koech, eventually won the 2nd place at the Edinburgh Marathon in 2014.All in all, this is not a book about running techniques, or tricks and tips, per se. But this is more of a story about life as a pro runner, about why and how the best people in the game are training and live their lives. And while this book have a relaxed but serious tone, every once in a while Finn jotted down stories that are simply out of this world. Like that one marathon race in Lewa Safari where runners run alongside zebras, and the organizer needs to use a helicopter to scare away lions and place a shooter, just in case, so that runners in the path of the race won’t get eaten.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Finn sets out to Kenya with his family to discover and to learn what makes the Kenyans the best runners in the world (later on in the book the Ethiopians managed to beat the Kenyans however). And in the process perhaps he could be a better and faster runner himself.I love running myself so it’s very interesting for me to read the insights of the way the Kenyans train, eat and live. They train not just to cross the finish line but to win prize money which would help them ease out of poverty. There’s discussion about barefoot running, genetics superiority (no it’s not), diet, altitude training, extremely strong commitment, as well as the red mud tracks full of stones as well as hilly they mostly run on that collectively and possibly contribute to their success. There’s no secret nor one simple answer as to why they are the fastest. But they train with the goal of getting chosen to race overseas and win, ultimately for prize money. Running is a way of getting out of tough life stricken with poverty.Finn has a very good way of describing the characters although I tend to get confused who is who again because there are numerous! The author also noted that the Kenyan runners never state their true age, instead they declare a younger age than their official age.If you love running you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did.

In "Running with the Kenyans", the author describes his 6 month adventures living in Kenya, trying to discover the secrets that make the country the top producer of the best long distance runners in the world. The author starts his inquiry by exploring the idea of barefoot running, largely influenced by the classic book "Born to Run". Actually, one of the few things I didn't like in the book is the insistence of the author in this subject. Gradually, by analysing his own training progress and interviewing several of the best coaches and runners of all times, the author concludes there is no single secret Kenyans success, but instead a complex set of factors for that. He then elaborates a list of the main ingredients of that make the Kenyans the best runners in the world. In his journey, the author moves with his family, including small children, to Kenya, travel throughout the country, put together a running Team, knows some legendary runners and coaches, run in the track with the pros, run and half and the famous Lewa marathon. It is really impressive his courage. The presence of the author's family with him in Kenya makes this book more human and makes it memorable. Besides, it is well written and very easy to read. If you like running, this book is worth reading.

Awesome read and insight into the Kenyan running culture, makes me smile thinking how so many people imagine there is a secret recipe for success. Kenyan simplicity is so refreshing….shoe rotations, energy returns, zones, super compensation…..really makes me feel that the joy of running, a natural connection has become high-jacked by You Tube influencers, big brands and to a certain degree Western sport science.Fools gold awaits people who try and prospect running excellence by reading any book on Kenyan success, the author does a fantastic job in taking us on a journey and refreshingly l genuinely feel ends up wanting to give more than take.

Quite enjoyed this book probably more so than the more popular Born to Run. Finn is relatable having a running history like many club runners and his story humble and inspiring. Provides a good and interesting history of the culture of Kenyan running and an insight into how things at the front of a western race aren't quite as rosey as it may appear to us mortals. I didn't find many tangible takeaways about what makes them notoriously great runners beyond they work hard but an enjoyable read that should be on all runners bookshelf.

I ran every day for 25 years more or less....usually 10k but the occasional half marathon. Running was never easy for me....wrong build I think....too heavy. But I enjoyed it.So I enjoyed this book from a runners perspective. The author set out to discover why the Kenyans are better than anyone else at marathon running. He doesn't do this.....there is no real answer but several theories. Instead he reveals an insight into the life of a Kenyan runner perhaps unseen before. Their poverty and way of life, their diet, the esteem of runners in their culture, their diet. It all makes you think.Finally, having visited Kenya myself I could relate to this book as an ex runner knowing the terrain these runners train on.A well written book.....but only of interest I feel to those with a real interest in the sport.

I wasn't sure about this book before I started it, as I am about as far from being a runner as it is possible to be!However, I needn't have worried, as it was fascinating. The author wanted to know - as does most of the world - what makes the Kenyans such great distance athletes, so he decides to go and live amongst them.The book is written mainly from his own viewpoint; he wants to see if he can improve his own performance by training and living their way.Ultimately, he does improve; he learns a lot about what they do, and how they do it, and what it is that motivates them. I won't spoil the conclusions, but safe to say there is no one 'secret' for him to discover.Overall, a very readable book; part serious investigation, part travelogue.

I had already read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and was inspired by it. This book has a very different feel to it which is also inspiring. Finn is a gentle family man and takes us into his family life whilst living in Kenya where he is learning the secrets of the Kenyan runners. His dedication to running is obvious and his respect for the Kenyan runners shines out. He takes us through some painful and moving moments in his quest to run faster. I have grown up watching the African runners and marvelling at their talent. I will never watch them in the same way again thanks to Finn. I now know more about them as people and their lives in Kenya, their simple grandeur and I love them all. Thank you Finn keep on running. X