DID YOU KNOW? THE SECRET BEHIND KENYAN'S LONG DISTANCE SUCCESS

Most of us are guilty of categorizing all Kenyans as good distance runners but the truth has to be told on this blog. NOT ALL KENYANS ARE GOOD DISTANCE RUNNERS! Descendants of the Kalenjin (a tribe in Kenya) make up 12% of the population but account for the vast majority of the country's distance runners.


The Kalenjin have been called by some "the running tribe." Since the mid-1960s, Kenyan men have earned the largest share of major honours in international athletics at distances from 800 meters to the marathon; the vast majority of these Kenyan running stars have been Kalenjin.

From 1980 on, about 40% of the top honours available to men in international athletics at these distances (Olympic medals, World Championships medals, and World Cross Country Championships honours) have been earned by Kalenjin. In recent years, Kenyan women have become a major presence in international athletics at the distances; most of these women are also Kalenjin.

Wilson Kipketer who holds the current indoor world records at the 1000 and 800 metres distance is of the Kalejnin tribe.

Even American Bernard Lagat who is a twelve time medalist in World Championships and Olympics including five gold medals hails from Nandi District, a sub-tribe of the Kalenjin people.

Well its not surprising, The Kalenjin are genetically made for distance running because they have proportionally long legs, light limbs and have evolved larger lungs from living at high altitude for centuries.