Kenya has always been revered for its fantastic terrain that builds the most perfect conditions when it comes to training for long distance races.
The more evident places are mostly the breathtaking Rift-Valley highlands that have produced Kenya's top athletes who have effortlessly dominated the running scene. Teamkenya.co.ke breaks down the best places in the country suited for marathon training.
Iten:
Any discussion of training in Kenya has to start with Iten. It’s the preferred choice for many because of the large community of runners and range of accommodation choices.
There are the low cost single rooms with outside pit latrines and shared bathrooms, guest houses that provide a bit more comfort, and comfortable choices like the Kerio View Hotel and Lornah’s High Altitude Training Centre for those who can afford them.
Kapsait:
During rainy days, it is almost impossible to train in Iten because the roads get so muddy, and many established camps at times have to use vehicles to carry their athletes to other areas for training.
In Kapsait, which is situated at a much higher altitude, rainy conditions do not affect training much because the type of soil offers better natural drainage. So if you’re training in March or November, this is a great choice to avoid the rainy season spoiling your runs.
There is the Kapsait Nike Athletics Training Camp which can offer everything you will need to stay there. Or, you may choose to rent a house near to the training camp and join the athletes every morning for training.
Kaptagat:
Berlin and London marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, 2:03 marathoner Emmanuel Mutai, and world cross country and half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor all train in Kaptagat.
And if that’s not enough of an endorsement, many of the top sports management groups including Pace Sports Management, Global Sports Management, and Dr. Rosa and Associati also have their camps in Kaptagat.
Places to stay in Kaptagat include the Naiberi River Campsite and Resort, the Kaptagat Hotel and the Elegarini Resort.
Kapseret:
Situated between Eldoret and Mosoriot, Kapseret has flat and soft ground courses that are ideal for track runners. Being only about 10km from either Eldoret or Mosoriot, the athletes training here have the option to go for their track workouts in either of the places.
Most athletes here live in their own homes or in rented houses rather than in a training camp. If you prefer, you can also stay in Eldoret and easily find transport out to Kapseret every day.
Mosoriot:
Mosoriot is a small town situated between Kapsabet and Eldoret. The training routes around here go through hills and valleys and have resulted in producing some of the best marathon runners in the world that include Martin Lel, the three time London Marathon champion and Robert Cheruiyot, the multiple Boston Marathon champion.
Mosoriot Teachers College provides a good track for athletes to train here and the track athletes who have used this track to catapult them to the top of the world include Jairus Birech and Conseslus Kipruto, the 3000m steeplechase runners who both managed to win the IAAF Diamond League trophies.