• Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home IAAF

Wilson Kiprop goes back to his roots, by Justin Lagat

Larry Ederby Larry Eder
July 12, 2013
0
0 0
0
SHARES
3
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

IMG_20130610_094055_0.jpg

The Wilson Kiprop Training group, June 2013, photo by Justin Lagat

In this piece by Justin Lagat, he writes about Wilson Kiprop returning to a simpler time and place in his training, focused on making the world record for the half marathon his….


WILSON KIPROP GOES BACK TO HIS ROOTS, by Justin Lagat
Wilson Kiprop, World Half Marathon Champion and African 10,000m Champion, lost his grandfather, who had been battling with asthma, this past weekend on 16th June (Fathers’ Day). My condolences go to him and his family. He has had to miss training for a few days to be with family and friends and to arrange for the funeral. I hope he will be back again in shape to qualify and represent Kenya in Moscow during the national trials scheduled for next week.
At the Uasin Gishu County track and field championships that happened a few weeks ago in Eldoret, I observed that most of the top three finishers in the long distance events came from Kapseret, an area situated 15km from Eldoret town and surrounding the Eldoret International Airport. One of them was Wilson Kiprop. His training mates would follow closely to finish in impressive positions. We met later on during that day of the championships and he told me about his new training base and plans about the new training camp he is establishing at Kapseret and I promised to give him a visit to check on him and his new group.
I was so impressed by this camp, when I visited him about a week ago, to an extent that, right now as I write this article, I have already moved in and joined it! One thing that baffled me is that the members were only seven at the time of my visit, but they got mentioned many times at the county championships, while other camps that had more than 200 athletes in them could hardly get an athlete in the top three positions. Everything here also seems to cost half what it costs in the other training destinations around Eldoret and the weather and routes are the best. 
When he issued me with a printed copy of this month’s training program, I could not help noticing that it was more of a half marathon training program than a 10,000m, of which he replied that while he will be seeking to run the 10,000m at the World Championships, his main focus at the moment is the World Half Marathon Championships slated for March next year. He is also hoping that all his training mates will all post impressive times when they go out to run road races early next year. He said he is determined to ensure that every member in the group gets in the right shape at that time to an extent that winning a race will not be a matter of crapshoots, but a sure venture.
I was welcomed into the group with a 25km long run on a very tough hilly course this Monday which started with a 33 minute downhill course, and as we kept descending, my worries kept increasing as this only meant one thing; a long ascend back to camp. The other part of the course became hills and valleys before finally reaching the last part which was a constant hard climb of about 30 minutes. 
Even after seeing the finish line at some distance ahead as we ran in a single file, I had doubts of reaching there. Thoughts of quitting or stopping for a minute before resuming the run kept coming to my mind. With only 50 meters to the finish, where the first three athletes were already there holding their knees as they bent over to recover, my legs could not move anymore and I finished the distance by walking! The time was 1hr 32 minutes. I swore I was not going to run the evening run again, but the guys were able to convince me and we went again for a 40 minute easy run at 4pm.
Wilson Kiprop visited me later that evening and as we spoke, I learned much more about why he is so passionate about ensuring that the new camp here becomes the best in the world. He told me that this is the exact place where he began to rise from nothing, as he would train at dawn then go to the airport at 8am to look for any casual work he could find. Sometimes he could carry building blocks around, fetch water in a wheelbarrow, cut timber, plane wood, etc. Despite all this, he would still go for an evening run before retiring to his “rocket” (an abandoned house at some woods near the airport) for the night. His training here began to bear fruits from 2008 up to 2010 when he reached the pinnacle of his career by winning the World Half Marathon Championships.
Since the time he shifted his training base to Iten, later in 2010, he began seeing a lot of disappointing performances with many injuries to go with them. As he said this, I could not help but remember Priscah Jeptoo, the London Marathon winner, telling me the same last year when I interviewed her for RunBlogRun. Well, it gives me courage to also say it myself that Iten was never the best place for me too while I was there in 2011.
For now, he wants to move back to the place that made him succeed in his life. He says he is not going to be coached again by Renato Canova. If he could train here with the hardships he had and then rise to become a world champion, how much will he be able to accomplish now that he has enough experience, a squad to train together, sponsorship from adidas, and full time to train? I can only wait to see what will happen.

                               “The Rocket”, photo by Justin Lagat

IMG_20130618_180419_0.jpg

RelatedPosts

This Day in Track & Field, June 14, Morgan Taylor sets WR at 400m hurdles (1924), Asafa Powell breaks WR (1997), HJ showdown at adidas Track Classic (2014)! by Walt Murphy

Morning after Thoughts on Bislett

Warholm, Duplantis, Alfred, Bol and Bolt in Stockholm (Previews of the Bauhaus Stockholm)

Author

  • Larry Eder

    Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

    View all posts
Previous Post

Collins again sub 10, Weir the top mark, 20.01, Blake as guest, Idowu out of WC, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

Next Post

Despite Missing Medalists, Key distance match-ups still expected at U.K. champs, by Chris Lotsbom, RRW, used with permission, note by LarryEder

Larry Eder

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

Similar Post

The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell, Working on the Little Imperfections, (from the Archives, January 6, 2008)
Athletics history

This Day in Track & Field, June 14, Morgan Taylor sets WR at 400m hurdles (1924), Asafa Powell breaks WR (1997), HJ showdown at adidas Track Classic (2014)! by Walt Murphy

June 15, 2025
Morning after Thoughts on Bislett
Diamond League

Morning after Thoughts on Bislett

June 15, 2025
Kipyegon & Hassan battle again, Ealey throws for Gold (Budapest23 Day 8 Review)
Diamond League

Warholm, Duplantis, Alfred, Bol and Bolt in Stockholm (Previews of the Bauhaus Stockholm)

June 15, 2025
Six take-aways from the Golden Gala (Golden Gala Roma 2025)
Diamond League

Bromell’s 9.84 in Rome Reminds Us Why We Still Believe

June 15, 2025
Oslo Bislett Games Bislett Stadion, Oslo (NOR), 11-12 June 2025, courtesy of World Athletics Results
Diamond League

Warholm 32.67 WB, great mile and 5000 m at 2025 Oslo Bislett Games

June 15, 2025
At the HOKA Festival of Miles, High Schoolers Rewrote the Script on What’s Possible
Track & Field

At the HOKA Festival of Miles, High Schoolers Rewrote the Script on What’s Possible

June 15, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to RunBlogRun's Global News Feed

Wake up to RunBlogRun’s news in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you informed about the Sport you love.

*we hate spam as much as you do

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

April 5, 2023
2023 Nike Pre Classic: Two Amazing Days of Track & Field!

Noah Lyles, The Clock Doesn’t Lie

March 7, 2024
Grand Slam Track’s Kingston Slam Comes to a Close with 12 Slam Champions

2025 Spring Racing/Training Program, April 11, 2025, week 4, day 5, fourth week of year, Friday is an easy day!

April 12, 2025
USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

February 6, 2025
Mondo Duplantis and the Jump that made him the greatest of all time

Mondo Duplantis and the Jump that made him the greatest of all time

8
What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

7
My Five Biggest Takeaways from the Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon, by Oliver Hinson

My Five Biggest Takeaways from the Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon, by Oliver Hinson

7
Asafa Powell, Considering Longevity in Sprinting

The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell

5
The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell, Working on the Little Imperfections, (from the Archives, January 6, 2008)

This Day in Track & Field, June 14, Morgan Taylor sets WR at 400m hurdles (1924), Asafa Powell breaks WR (1997), HJ showdown at adidas Track Classic (2014)! by Walt Murphy

June 15, 2025
Morning after Thoughts on Bislett

Morning after Thoughts on Bislett

June 15, 2025
Kipyegon & Hassan battle again, Ealey throws for Gold (Budapest23 Day 8 Review)

Warholm, Duplantis, Alfred, Bol and Bolt in Stockholm (Previews of the Bauhaus Stockholm)

June 15, 2025
Six take-aways from the Golden Gala (Golden Gala Roma 2025)

Bromell’s 9.84 in Rome Reminds Us Why We Still Believe

June 15, 2025

Popular Stories

  • Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

    Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Noah Lyles, The Clock Doesn’t Lie

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 2025 Spring Racing/Training Program, April 11, 2025, week 4, day 5, fourth week of year, Friday is an easy day!

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • An epic pole vault competition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell, Working on the Little Imperfections, (from the Archives, January 6, 2008)
Athletics history

This Day in Track & Field, June 14, Morgan Taylor sets WR at 400m hurdles (1924), Asafa Powell breaks WR (1997), HJ showdown at adidas Track Classic (2014)! by Walt Murphy

June 15, 2025
Morning after Thoughts on Bislett
Diamond League

Morning after Thoughts on Bislett

June 15, 2025
Kipyegon & Hassan battle again, Ealey throws for Gold (Budapest23 Day 8 Review)
Diamond League

Warholm, Duplantis, Alfred, Bol and Bolt in Stockholm (Previews of the Bauhaus Stockholm)

June 15, 2025
Six take-aways from the Golden Gala (Golden Gala Roma 2025)
Diamond League

Bromell’s 9.84 in Rome Reminds Us Why We Still Believe

June 15, 2025

Recent Tweets

Next Post

Despite Missing Medalists, Key distance match-ups still expected at U.K. champs, by Chris Lotsbom, RRW, used with permission, note by LarryEder

runblogrun

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. @runblogrun

Browse by Category

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Select a password for yourself. (minimum length of 8)

Paste here the user biography.

Provide here the twitter screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the instagram screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the facebook profile URL. i.e. http://www.facebook.com/RunBlogRun

Provide here the linkedin profile URL. i.e. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-eder-5497253

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved