“I think you might want to use the Zebra-crossing a little further ahead,” while attending the 2016 Ottawa Marathon, a random Canadian citizen had offered advice after seeing me waiting for traffic to slow down so I could run across the street to a shop to buy a charging adapter for my laptop.

It was my first time in Ottawa, Canada, in 2016. It was also my first time seeing working traffic lights. I still remember how the locals there seemed happy and excited to greet foreigners in their city.

After interacting with other Canadians, especially those involved in organising the race, the volunteers who assisted with everything from race bib collections to the marathon itself, and fellow runners, I developed fond memories of the people in Ottawa. They hold a special place in my heart, which is why I am offering free online coaching to any runner preparing to run the Ottawa Marathon on 25th May.

Walking around with the 2017 Ottawa Marathon champion

I thought I was alone in my observations, but I got the chance to return the following year, and the winner, Eliud Kiptanui, told me he had visited many other countries and cities to race, but never felt as welcomed and appreciated by the locals as he did in Ottawa.

A marathon fan once told me that a high number of marathon runners, after finishing a race, do not care much to know the name of the runner who won the marathon. I respect the fan’s opinion. However, I think I gained a new perspective that weekend on why it may appear that way and why it might not be as it seems.

It is possible that many marathon runners, approaching the finish line minutes or hours after the victory ceremony, may not know the name of the winner, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to know. Perhaps all they want at that time in the world is just something to eat and the quickest way to get back to their homes to rest.

I did not plan to walk around the city of Ottawa with the newly crowned champion, but it happened in a way that is too coincidental to believe, yet I will tell the story anyway. It seems that everything happens for a reason.

At around 4 PM, I grew tired of being alone in my hotel room at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel, a hotel that was a sponsor of the race and hosted elite runners, and so decided to come out and see if I could find some company. I was just in time to stop Nicholas Bor, who also had nowhere in particular to go, just as he was about to enter the lift.

Eliud Kiptanui also came out of his room, found us standing, and asked if there was anywhere interesting we were heading to. So, the three of us decided to leave the hotel and walk around the city.

Earlier, after the marathon, we (Kenyan athletes and one coach, Joseph Cheromei) had finished having lunch with the staff of Kenya’s High Commission to Canada, including the High Commissioner himself, and most athletes went to their rooms to rest.

And now as we walked around, we would see that most of the people in the streets had participated in the marathon too, judging from the way they dragged their legs and had race backpacks. It was hard for us to hide our identity as Kenyan runners, and many people would ask to take a picture with us. Not many would recognise Kiptanui as the winner of the big race, and I was enjoying myself seeing how they reacted whenever I or Bor pointed out to them that they were not taking a picture with a random elite athlete from Kenya, but the newly crowned 2017 Ottawa marathon champion himself.

Having travelled around many cities around the world for races, both Kiptanui and Bor found the general public on the Ottawa streets to be so kind, cheerful and very welcoming. Another thing they observed is that Kenyans living in Canada also appear more stable than some they would find in other countries. Most people requested to take pictures with us, and we were happy to oblige.

Kiptanui is a very humble athlete who cares deeply about how others feel. One little boy asked to take a picture with him just after the podium celebrations, and not only did he agree to do that, but he went two extra miles by giving the boy the flowers and the head crown! The ten-year-old boy, Devlin Taillon, has an interesting connection with Kenya, is an excellent fan of Kenyan athletes and is also a young aspiring runner. I met the boy later that evening with his mother and saw how happy he was, and how much the flowers truly meant to him.

In the end, I learned that marathon fans love elite marathon runners as much as the elites are happy when they meet and interact with them.