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Kenyans in Lubbock


Stephanie Lowe
September 24, 2007

Four-time NCAA National Champion and All-American, Sally Kipyego, is used to handling a busy schedule. Kipyego, 21, from Marakwat, Kenya, is a cross country and distance track runner for Texas Tech University, where she is a nursing major.

Kipyego is one of many Kenyan runners who attend college in the United States. When she transferred to Texas Tech from South Plains College in 2006, Kipyego joined fellow Kenyans All-American Irene Kimaiyo, from Nairobi and manager Chepleting Boit, from Eldoret.

Kipyego, Kimaiyo and Boit all started running in primary school, but did not compete until high school. Kimaiyo's high school did not have a very good track program, so she also played field hockey, basketball and soccer. In Kenya, school can be expensive. Many families struggle to afford tuition for their children and boys are usually favored over girls if they cannot afford to send all children. Most of the children run to and from school and are training, but they don't even know it.

“You do not realize how much you are running.” Kipyego said.

Running and walking for transportation is common in rural parts of Kenya. There is public transportation available closer to larger cities, including buses, trains and a smaller bus called a matatu. The matatu is a popular way to travel, but Kimaiyo said you have to “walk for a long time to catch it.”

When not running or attending school, Boit said most of the day is spent working. Typical duties for women include fetching water, gathering firewood, cooking and cleaning.

“Chores come first,” Boit explains.

Kimaiyo was the first person in her family to run and her family did not understand why she did it.

“It’s hard for your family members to accept your running,” Kimaiyo said.

Boit said this is the typical attitude of most non-runners in Kenya. People are generally more supportive in the U.S.

Ever since Kipchoge “Kip” Keino’s performance in the 1968 Olympic Games, Kenyan athletes have become a dominant force in competitive distance running, but only recently have Kenyan women had the opportunity to train and race along with the men.

Kimaiyo believes there is more emphasis on boys than girls in Kenya. However, things are changing now that more Kenyan women have turned to training seriously. The High Altitude Training Centre, founded in 1999 by elite athlete Lornah Kiplagat with the help of Keino, is a facility exclusively for women. The HATC is located in Iten, where Kimaiyo said most Kenyan professional runners train. The goal of the HATC is to give female runners a chance to train seriously and develop into world-class athletes. It is surrounded by hundreds of miles of dirt roads and has a 400-meter track. The center also has rooms for the athletes to live or stay in, a dining facility and an exercise room. Still, many women move abroad for better educational and financial opportunities. Kimaiyo points out that most Kenyans are motivated to run for money more than for general fitness like in the U.S.

The women who come to the U.S. to run in college want an education as well. Earlier this year, fans speculated whether or not Kipyego would remain on Texas Tech’s team or turn pro once she was accepted into the nursing program. However, arrangements were made so that she can still practice along with her rigorous school schedule. Kipyego wants to finish school before she runs professionally. She said her plans depend on opportunities that come along. Right now, she is unsure if she will return to Kenya once she is finished at Texas Tech.

“I love Lubbock and would like to stay here,” Kipyego said, “but it depends on what happens after I graduate.”

Kipyego believes she is successful because she is patient with her running. She said it is easy for athletes to give up when they do not immediately see results.

“It’s not a one day thing,” Kipyego explains. “If you keep going, you will get there.”

Kipyego will aim to reclaim her national title this cross country season in Terra Haute, Indiana, on November 19, and win another Big 12 title on October 26, in Lubbock, Texas.




The photo on the top of the page of Sally, Chep, and Irene was taken by Photographer Christina Money. The other 3 Photos of Kenya and the Lornah Kiplagat High Altitude Training Centre thanks to Weldon Johnson of letsrun.com.

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#13
Anonymous Coward   October 29, 2007 at 11:17pm
Hey Irene, if you see this could you send me an email at and maybe we could chat because I'm going there in December and considering my options on where to stay.
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#12
Irene   September 30, 2007 at 11:26am
I actually trained at the HATC, Iten for about three months before I came to the US, its a great place.
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#11
Jim   September 25, 2007 at 11:13am
Steph,
Great article......
Jim --- Fort Worth Running Co.
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#10
Dick   September 25, 2007 at 3:05am
Good article. It will be interesting to follow the running careers of Kipyego and the others. I'll be rooting for them.
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#9
Mstr Enigma   September 24, 2007 at 8:03pm
Steph, do you know who the most famous HATC alumnae are? (I'm assuming that they probably have a few already, since they opened in 1999.)
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#8
Anonymous Coward   September 24, 2007 at 5:05pm
robert, you have the tact of a sixth grader.
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#7
Cindy Parksoneil   September 24, 2007 at 3:17pm
I enjoyed this article. I look forward to the NCAA championship to see if Sally can repeat!
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#6
Mark From Flotrack   September 24, 2007 at 2:29pm
My bad on the editing. Sorry Steph.
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#5
Andrew   September 24, 2007 at 2:25pm
And while the HATC is for young, female Kenyan runners, visitors of all genders and colors are welcome to stay and train at the center (which in turn helps to fund the program). I'm going for a week in January (at $30 a day for room and board you can't beat the price). Just contact Lornah's husband Pieter (his contact info is on her website) and he will put you in touch with Abraham, the manager of HATC.
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#4
Cheryl   September 24, 2007 at 7:32am
Great job sis!
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#3
Stephanie Lowe   September 24, 2007 at 7:22am
Robert, I think those were editing mistakes.
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#2
Robert   September 24, 2007 at 3:26am
You need to learn how to properly use punctuation marks. This looks like the work of my 6th grade daughter.
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#1
Cara Hawkins   September 24, 2007 at 2:27am
Very good article..
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