RBR Interview: Stefani L. Weiss, Documentary film maker of WinCatherine, by Larry Eder

Catherine Ndereba, 2009 ASICS London 10k, photo by PhotoRun.net.

Stefani L. Weiss is a documentary film maker. Her labor of love is a film called WinCatherine. WinCatherine is a documentary film about Catherine Ndereba, arguably, the greatest women marathon racer of all times.

Stefani L. Weiss has followed Catherine for fourteen years, Her film, a labor of love, needs support from our sport. In order to finish the film, Stefani needs to raise more money. Read the interview and note the link listed at the bottom to support this worthy cause.

RBR, 1: Why did you do this? Developing a film such as Wincatherine is a thankless task, what about the
story that convinced you that it needed to be done?

Stefani L. Weiss: When I first met Catherine almost 14 years ago, I didn’t
know much about her other than she was a runner who was really good. I would
hear about her winning various road races, hear about her having a baby, yet
didn’t really “know” her all that well. Once I got to know her, the first thing
I was struck by was how committed she is to her faith; I had never met anyone
that committed to the point where she gives God all the credit for her talent
and success. She truly believes that God has given her this talent and it is
her responsibility to use it to give back to others. Catherine is never
disappointed if she doesn’t win a race and is genuinely happy for the person
who does; she accepts that as being God’s plan for the day. At the time I was a
typical “soccer mom” and it was so refreshing to see that even though someone
is a great competitor, it wasn’t all
about the win.

The more I learned about Catherine and where she came from,
the more I became fascinated with her. Not only that she is a great athlete,
but when I started learning about what she had to overcome to get to where she
is today I was amazed. There is a big misconception that all Kenyans run; this
is not true. The area where Catherine came from was not known for running, in
fact, the tribe she is from is known for being business people. In addition,
women were expected to only raise children and run the household; they did not
work outside the home and certainly did not have careers. But Catherine did not
let these conventions stop her from doing what she loved. She didn’t even know
that there were professional runners anywhere in the world when she was growing
up; she just wanted to run. And she was teased by her classmates all the way up
through high school but never once let that stop her from doing what she loved
to do. I was teased as a child as were my own children and know how hard it is
to put that aside. Catherine never let what others said about her stop her from
doing what she wanted. I know how cruel kids can be and it’s no fun being
teased; Catherine relates so well to children and I know that her story will allow
them to identify with what she went through and see that they too can move past
it. I also know how children look to sports figures as role models and many of
these athletes do not truly live their lives “off the playing field” in
exemplary ways. Catherine lives her life in private exactly the way we see her
in public. I wanted to bring Catherine’s story to the world to show that we do
not have to let what others say about us define who we are, to show that with
faith, hard work and determination we can accomplish our dreams and to let more
people know about this woman so they too can be inspired.

RBR, 2: The nine minute piece you
provided showed that Catherine is really a trail blazer, tell us about that?

Stefani L. Weiss: Catherine has become a role model
to many Kenyan girls and women for defying the conventions of a male dominated
society. Her family has been instrumental in supporting her along the way and
did not pressure her to conform to the traditional role of Kenyan women which
was to raise children and run the household. She and her husband, Anthony,
stand as role models for the modern Kenyan couple as well. It was certainly not
the norm for a wife to work outside the home and especially not to leave a baby
behind with her husband for several months each year so she could train in the
US and pursue a career. It takes a special man to withstand public disapproval
and Anthony has had the courage to support Catherine every step of her career.
Together they have paved the way for many other Kenyan couples.

RBR, 3:Can you give us an example of how she is viewed in her
country?

 Stefani L. Weiss: Catherine
is considered a national hero yet athletes in Kenya are not revered the way our
athletes are in the US. Our athletes here are put on a pedestal and celebrated.
Up until just a few years ago, the Kenyan athletes were barely recognized by
the Kenyan government or the media. It is only in recent years that the
athletes are receiving more recognition. In past years much of this could be
attributed to the lack of modern communication means. While there are still areas
where people do not know of her because they have no way to learn of her
triumphs, she is widely known and recognized in most areas and is considered a
celebrity. Catherine is a well respected woman known for giving back to her
community, for her commitment to God and for being a great role model to women.

RBR, 4: How are women athletes treated in Kenya?

Stefani L. Weiss: It seems as if the female athletes
in Kenya are now receiving more equal treatment these days. I have heard
stories, however, of a time when even though the girls were training alongside
the men at training camps, the men still expected the women to serve them.

RBR, 5: If you could tell RBR readers anything about the project, what would you
say?

Stefani L. Weiss: I would ask people to support the
project because it is the first film of its kind; an inside look into the life
of an elite Kenyan athlete. It does not just
focus on Catherine’s athletic achievements; those have all been well
documented. The film gives us a look at the inside world of arguably the
greatest female distance runner to date. We meet Catherine’s family, learn what
obstacles she faces, how she overcomes them, what sacrifices she has made and
what her plans are for the future. The film will appeal to a broad range of
audiences who will all be inspired it different ways. I’d also like to show
that not all stories that come from Africa are about oppression and gloom; that
there are also beautiful stories of courage and triumph.

For more on the film, please check out www.WinCatherine.com.

For more on the sport, please check out www.runningnetwork.com.