How the Young Kenyan Athletes are Training
Iten Athletics training camp, December 1998
Training program for St. Patrick High School, Kenya – the “birthplace” of runners such as Charles & Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Peter Rono, Matthew Birir, Helen Kimaiyo, Wilson Kipketer, Japhet Kimutai, Sally Barsosio, Rose Cheruiyot, Joseph Tengelei, Benson Koech, David Kiptoo, Lydia Cheromei and Julius Chelule. (age 14-18 year)
(complied by Joseph Ngure and Brother Colm O’Connell)
By Marius Bakken 2000
| Mon : | am (men) 8-9 km and stretching am (women) 6-7 km and stretchingpm (men) Long run 45-60 minutes (12-14 km)+excercises pm (women) Long run 45-60 minutes (10-12 km)+exercises |
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| Tue : | am (men) 8 km 27-30 minutes am (women) 6 km 25 minutes pm (men/women) 10 munutes w/up,Fartlek for 60-75 minutes – 2 minutes hard/3 minutes easy or 3 minutes hard, 2 minutes easy+exercises |
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| Wed : | am (men) 9 km pace endurance 60 % and flexibility am (women) 7 km pace endurance 60 % and flexibility pm (men/women) Circuit training 4×2 min each, 3×2 min each. Then 100 meteres striding plus long strides for 45 minutes |
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| Thu : | am (men/women) Long slow 60 minutes over mixed terrainpm (men/women) 15 min. runs. Then diagonal drills for 30-35 minutes, 10 minutes dynamics | |
| Fri : | am (men) 8 km easy 30 % am (women) 6 km easy 30 % plus dynamicspm (men/women) Hill reps. 120-200 meters x 14 at 60 % pace. |
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| Sat : | am (men/women) striding for 40 minutes over 100-120 metrespm (men/women) Competition or speed play over 1-1 mins. or 500 meters | |
| Sun : | am (men) easy 8 km am (women) easy 6 kmpm (men/women) active rest |
Comment by Marius : St. Patrick High School is located about 35 minutes drive from Eldoret (2150 meters altitude) and is around 2500 meters above sea level. It is very hilly and all training is done on soft red cinder. If you look at the training program, from the experience I have had when visiting Iten training camp – and the talks Frank Evertsen has had with O’Colm (O’Colm has also visited Frank in Norway) – all long runs, except the one labeled “easy 30 %” and “the long slow run in terrain”, is AT running. Even for these very young ones.
Twice a week before the real racing season starts (spring) the athletes go down to around 1000 meters (in the Valley only 20 minutes drive) to do speed work. So “high-low” training has hit Kenya as well..
It is also interesting that the home of 800 meter runners like Wilson Kipketer and Kimutai emphasizes speed work so much. Lots of drills and striding – even as main workouts. That might be one of the reasons why Kenyas top 800 meter runners come from St.Patrick. If you look at the program, they run 13 sessions and one “active rest” at very young age – and at high speed.
The “fartlek” on Tuesday I observed in 1999 and it was VO2 max training. So in one week, they have 2 Vo2 max sessions (Tuesday and Saturday) 2-3 speed sessions (Wednesday and Thursday, plus partly Saturday morning) and one speed endurance session (hill reps on Friday). This comes in addition to the 4 AT sessions/week (the “long runs”) and two easy runs (am Friday and am Thursday……even though I would suggest that this last one does not go very easy at the end. So there you have it :the Kenyan training at a young age. AT training, speed and Vo2 max sessions, and competitions year around almost. Try it on 14 year old Norwegians or Americans and let them enjoy – tt 2500 meters altitude!
St. Patrick High School (almuni) All time 800 m. bests
1. Wilson Kipketer – 1:41.83 (96) / 1:46.5 in (90)
2. Benson Koech – 1:43.17 (94) / 1:44.77 World Jun in 92 – School Record
3. David Kiptoo – 1:43.38 (96) / 21.5, 47.5 & 52.4H in 1985
4. Mike Boit – 1:43.57 (76) / 1:48.7 in 1969
5. Joseph Tengelei – 1:43.57 (95) / 46.8 in 1988
6. Cosmos Sielei – 1:45.38 (73) / 3:56.2 for 1500m in 1969
7. Japheth Kimutai – 1:45.4 (96) No. 2 on school list with 96 time
8. Kipkoech Cheruiyot – 1:46.46 (86) / 1:47.8 in 1984
9. Peter Rono – 1:46.66 (88) / 3:39.2 for 1500m in 1985