Rainy weather in Eldoret affects runners’ training
Due to the rainy conditions, there had not been a suitable all-weather track facility for these athletes to train on in Eldoret over the previous weeks. This was in April 2013. Kenyan athletes were preparing for the World Championships that were to happen in Moscow from the 10th to the 18th of August that year.
Most had to wait for the track at the University of Eldoret (Chepkoilel) to dry out so they could train on it around midday, when it was less muddy. Other athletes preferred to do their speed workouts on rough roads instead, as they could easily find a section that was better than the tracks around there, though it was often hard to measure distances accurately on these roads.
According to Google Maps, I lived only 11km from the University of Eldoret’s track, and most of my training group members lived even closer. On Tuesday, I called one group member to ask about the meeting time, and he replied that they were considering delaying it by an hour, from the usual start time, to give the track some time to improve.
It took me about 50 minutes to jog to the track, so I left my phone at home and started jogging to arrive earlier than everyone else. When I got there, almost half the group—unaware of the delay—was already present.
Also, a group of marathon runners sometimes waited for us to begin running on the track to help dry it out before starting their own workouts. On that particular day, we were not in a rush, so they began their session of 1km repetitions at 2:45 minutes per rep, with 200m jogs for recovery. With so many shoes repeatedly stepping on the track, it gradually dried out, and we were fortunate to begin our training when conditions had improved.
Not all group members showed up that day. Later, I discovered a missed call from the same athlete I had contacted earlier—he had tried to let me know they had decided to do a fartlek on the road instead.
Those of us who arrived completed 400m repetitions. To show that even top athletes were affected by these conditions, David Rudisha and Job Kinyor turned up during our session and did a few 300m workouts.
I was sure Rudisha was cautious not to run at full effort, as the University of Eldoret’s track was slippery and anyone could easily skid and fall. I would have liked to time him, but we were busy with our own program, and they finished before we had the chance, even though they started later.
Lack of an all-weather track forces runners to change their training programs
Thursday’s speed workout was the most affected of all. Out of the usual 40 athletes, only five of us showed up. It had rained all night, and the sky was still cloudy and drizzling slightly around 10:30 am as I set out for the track.
It was uncertain what the weather would do next, so I took some money along in case I needed to catch a ride back if it started to pour before I arrived. Fortunately, the weather began to clear after a while. At the track, two foreign athletes were doing 200m repetitions on one side, running back and forth to avoid the muddier sections. After waiting, we also decided to alternate 200m and 150m intervals—ten times—on the same side of the field.
Contrary to expectations, it turned out to be one of the best workouts I could remember. My colleagues agreed, but I felt it was especially good for me because I was the only long-distance runner in the group, and keeping up was something I had not experienced in a long time.
I still recall getting out of the vehicle after the workout, and for a moment my legs refused to move. I could only laugh at myself, knowing I had trained to my limit. I could not help but feel sorry for more than 80% of other Kenyan athletes who likely missed their speed work that day due to the lack of a suitable track.
No one could be blamed for the rainy conditions and muddy roads that were affecting the country, but the need for a well-drained all-weather track in Eldoret—one that would allow athletes to train year-round—was long overdue.