Ryan Hall’s Kenya Blog, Part 2: In Sammy's Shadow

Published by NYRR on September 23, 2013

Ryan Hall and his wife, Sara, are spending the month of September training at Lornah Kiplagat’s High Altitude Training Center in Iten, Kenya, from which Ryan will be sending periodic reports as he prepares to compete in the ING New York City Marathon on November 3.

Whenever Sara and I travel to a new place, we always try to experience the local life and blend in with the native culture. As a Mzungo, it is very difficult to fit in with typical life here in Kenya but in the last week Sara and I have definitely experienced the typical Kenyan runners lifestyle. 

For the past week we have been staying with Ruth, a 2:26 marathon runner, in Nyahururu, Kenya. We originally came here to visit an orphanage that is affiliated with our church in Redding, called Heroes of the Nation, but after spending the day at Heroes we decided to stay for a week to check out the hidden gem of Nyahururu. I didn't know anything about Nyahururu before we arrived, so I was surprised when I learned that Ruth's house is less than a half mile from the late Sammy Wanjiru's home, where his wife and two kids still live. 

I have since learned that while Iten is the well-known training hotbed of elite runners in Kenya, Nyahururu is home to many, many world beaters, such as Sammy. The people here have been extremely welcoming to us. Every evening we share a long meal at a new home and by the time we leave the home we feel as if we are family. Some of my favorite memories from my time here in Kenya have come from these meals.