Bah bah black sheep
http://www.newbalance.com/video-embed.php?width=640&height=360&videoID=v4d4c92e7ad818&iframe=true
That link above is for a NB video that I can’t load here in Iten.
Kenya Blog #5
Larry and I only have three more days in Kenya before we head to Belgium, the land of chocolate, beer and muddy cross-country races. I’m already planning my next trip back to Iten.
One thing that is different here than in Hamilton/Guelph is the amount of animals you see on any given run. And I’m not talking about giraffes, rhinos, elephants etc , I’m talking about ordinary animals such as chickens, cows, donkeys, sheep, dogs and goats. Iten and the surrounding area is rural and I realize I’m comparing apples to oranges when I contrast it to Hamilton. However, it is different here because the farm animals are not inclosed by fences, they’re out and about. At least a few times every run I have to make my way around cows and yesterday I even dodged a couple of chickens during my fartlek workout. Chickens just roam around all the paths through the villages, they’re not cooped up. There are wandering dogs with no owners in sight (no collars either) but so far I have yet to have one even bark at me, they always just mind their own business. The sheep and goats are usually tied up by rope around their ankles while they feed on grass in random areas. Donkeys are used to pull carts loaded with farm goods and can be seen on the roads.
Not fenced in, not tethered, just feeding on mango scraps by the road
Larry had a chicken beside him in a matatu.
By far the biggest moth I've ever seen.
I’ve put in about 160km each of the last two weeks with some workouts sprinkled in there. At this point I’m training to train so I’m just doing a little bit of everything, tempo, fartlek and strides. Tomorrow I’m going to jump into a track workout with a bunch of Kenyans. It may be a little early for me to be on the track but when in Rome… Once I get back to Canada I should be ready to start training for a specific race. I have the Belgian XC (Hannut) race lined up for the end of this week which I’m doing purely for fun with no expectations. Hannut will tell me what kind of shape I’m in. At that point I’ll make a decision for the NYC ½ marathon on March 20th. The NYC ½ always has a good field so I don’t want to go there unless I feel I can run under 63 minutes. If need be I’ll skip that race wait until mid-April to open up on the roads.
Sometimes I think I get a tan when I run but it always comes off in the shower...
A bunch of us took a tour of the famous St. Patrick’s High School here in Iten. One of the guys staying at the HATC is teaching there for 5 months and showed us around the all boys school which has produced such runners as Wilson Boit, Wilson Kipketer, Cornelius Chirchir and Wilberforce Talel, I had to write down Wilberforce, I love that name. In the cafeteria this dude was making the biggest batch of Ugali in a massive vat and stirring it with, what looked like, a row-boat oar. The kids in the class were very well-behaved and one kid, Moses, had the gusto to ask one of the English girls where she was from and how old she was. All the rest of the kids started to laugh at Moses. I didn’t bring my camera on the tour so I stole this pic from John Beattie’s facebook (a bunch of Brits and myself scattered in there).
Class at St Patrick's
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FLOAT ON 
When I was in Northern Ireland I was out for a run and I had to stop because a farmer had blocked the road with all of his cows, moving them from one field to another. Since I couldn’t really go anywhere, I helped him herd them on. There were dogs out there, too, but they weren’t friendly, they would bark and chase. Lots of sheep blocking the roads there, too, but they are smaller and easier to dodge/chase up mountains.
Sounds like you are having a good time. Maybe opening up in Montreal mid-April would be fun?
Pics are awesome…sounds like an amazing trip. Link above won’t work for me but I think I found the ad on youtube. (http://www.youtube.com/user/loverunningmore) ….like the ad!
See you soon!
cheers
Wesley Korir – St Clements, Ontario
I found it unfortunate that it’s hard to pick everyone out in the new NB commercial. It would be cool to call out the athlete personalities. The 890 Revlite launch this March 01 is going to be incredible – Let there be lightest!
Scoring big wins in the spring in Toronto at Harry’s Spring Run Off 8k and Sporting Life 10k would make big statements (and be a solid challenge). The Indianapolis 500 Mini-Marathon on May 07 could be a fun one. It’s an NB corporate event and last year went 62:51 for the win. Want a supported entry and trip?