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Running with the Kenyans: Passion, Adventure, and the Secrets of the Fastest People on Earth
“A dusty road stretches into the distance like a pencil line across the arid landscape. Lions, rhino, and buffalo roam the plains on either side. But I haven’t come to Kenya to spot wildlife. I’ve come to run.”
Whether running is your recreation, your religion, or just a spectator sport, Adharanand Finn’s incredible journey to the elite training camps of Kenya will captivate and inspire you. Part travelogue, part memoir, this mesmerizing quest to uncover the secrets of the world’s greatest runners—and put them to the test—combines practical advice, a fresh look at barefoot running, and hard-won spiritual insights.
As a boy growing up in the English countryside, Adharanand Finn was a natural runner. While other kids struggled, he breezed through schoolyard races, imagining he was one of his heroes: the Kenyan long-distance runners exploding into prominence as Olympic and world champions. But as he grew up, pursued a career in journalism, married and had children, those childhood dreams slipped away—until suddenly, in his mid-thirties, Finn realized he might have only one chance left to see how far his talents could take him.
Uprooting his family of five, including three small children, Finn traveled to Iten, a small, chaotic town in the Rift Valley province of Kenya—a mecca for long-distance runners thanks to its high altitude, endless running paths, and some of the top training schools in the world. Finn would run side by side with Olympic champions, young hopefuls, and barefoot schoolchildren . . . not to mention the exotic—and sometimes dangerous—wildlife for which Kenya is famous.
Here, too, he would meet a cast of colorful characters, including his unflappable guide, Godfrey Kiprotich, a former half marathon champion; Christopher Cheboiboch, one of the fastest men ever to run the New York City Marathon; and Japhet, a poor, bucktoothed boy with unsuspected reservoirs of courage and raw speed. Amid the daily challenges of training and of raising a family abroad, Finn would learn invaluable lessons about running—and about life.
Running with the Kenyans is more than one man’s pursuit of a lifelong dream. It’s a fascinating portrait of a magical country—and an extraordinary people seemingly born to run.
Whether running is your recreation, your religion, or just a spectator sport, Adharanand Finn’s incredible journey to the elite training camps of Kenya will captivate and inspire you. Part travelogue, part memoir, this mesmerizing quest to uncover the secrets of the world’s greatest runners—and put them to the test—combines practical advice, a fresh look at barefoot running, and hard-won spiritual insights.
As a boy growing up in the English countryside, Adharanand Finn was a natural runner. While other kids struggled, he breezed through schoolyard races, imagining he was one of his heroes: the Kenyan long-distance runners exploding into prominence as Olympic and world champions. But as he grew up, pursued a career in journalism, married and had children, those childhood dreams slipped away—until suddenly, in his mid-thirties, Finn realized he might have only one chance left to see how far his talents could take him.
Uprooting his family of five, including three small children, Finn traveled to Iten, a small, chaotic town in the Rift Valley province of Kenya—a mecca for long-distance runners thanks to its high altitude, endless running paths, and some of the top training schools in the world. Finn would run side by side with Olympic champions, young hopefuls, and barefoot schoolchildren . . . not to mention the exotic—and sometimes dangerous—wildlife for which Kenya is famous.
Here, too, he would meet a cast of colorful characters, including his unflappable guide, Godfrey Kiprotich, a former half marathon champion; Christopher Cheboiboch, one of the fastest men ever to run the New York City Marathon; and Japhet, a poor, bucktoothed boy with unsuspected reservoirs of courage and raw speed. Amid the daily challenges of training and of raising a family abroad, Finn would learn invaluable lessons about running—and about life.
Running with the Kenyans is more than one man’s pursuit of a lifelong dream. It’s a fascinating portrait of a magical country—and an extraordinary people seemingly born to run.
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First published January 1, 2010
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About the author
Adharanand Finn
21 books267 followersAdharanand Finn is the author of Running with the Kenyans, which was the Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year, won Best New Writer at the British Sports Book Awards, and shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book Award. He is an editor at the Guardian and a freelance journalist. He is also a former junior cross-country runner and now competes for Torbay AC in Devon, where he and his family usually live.
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July 4, 2012
Finn uproots his (extremely supportive) wife and kids from their home in England and moves to Kenya to...well, it's not totally clear. He wants to see if he can run better, even starting in midlife. And at least nominally, he wants to learn what makes Kenyans such good runners. So he goes to live in Kenya for a few months, and runs with some Kenyans.
And that's more or less my issue with the book, insofar as I have an issue. It isn't that Finn doesn't acknowledge his privilege. He does, sort of. He seems full of admiration for the Kenyans he trains with and befriends. Most are from poor rural backgrounds, and he sees the hardship and privation they endure. There may not be much that he, as an individual, can do about that. But it's a little weird to read a book that dwells in the middle of this kind of inequity and poverty, without ever questioning the larger structures behind it. Finn's not interested in those things, or at least not writing about them here. This is a book about running. But really, can you write a book about how hardship makes good runners, without questioning at least a little the systems that perpetuate the hardship?
So this is complicated. I was interested in Finn's story, in the way that runners are forever interested in the minutiae of running. A non-runner would probably die of boredom--or not pick this book up in the first place. It is what it says on the tin. But over the course of the whole book I started to feel like the book's point of view was so narrow, its focus so unrelentingly on Finn and his situation--his training, his family, his experiences, even his car and meals and muscle twinges--that it read more like a diary than anything else.
I just finished reading The Blue Sweater, which is Jacqueline Novogratz's story of struggling to establish microfinance operations in developing countries. I think Novogratz is kind of a standout case, but her take on people living in poverty is just so different from Finn's. Finn, in describing the home of a house-proud Kenyan runner, points out the shabbiness and odd placement of the furniture. He's too experienced a journalist to pass comment, but this is what he sees, and what he chooses to report.
Novogratz never once describes the people she works with in any way that undermines them, or points out the gap between their material ambitions and the things we take for granted in the West. Over and over, she comments on people's appearances, clothes, personal mannerisms--and everything she says feels sincerely appreciative. She's not a Pollyanna--she reports being robbed, and in one horrible incident almost abducted--but she seems simply to have a talent for seeing people in their own terms, instead of applying her own. I don't get the impression Finn shares that talent. And since he's imposed himself on these people's lives for his own sake, and for relatively trivial reasons, it all feels just a bit icky to me.
It's especially strange that after the final marathon race at Lewa, the event the whole book builds up to, the focus closes in on Finn's own (difficult) race experience and pretty much forgoes everything else. There's no more philosophizing about the Kenyan "secret" to running--which is a pretty thin thread in the book to start with. It's just a journal of Finn's marathon. Followed by a startlingly abrupt ending, in which his Kenyan running partners all leave in a van, and he muses that he may never see any of them again.
Oh, there's an epilogue. It's Finn triumphantly setting a PR at the NYC marathon. So I guess we know what the book was really about, after all.
And that's more or less my issue with the book, insofar as I have an issue. It isn't that Finn doesn't acknowledge his privilege. He does, sort of. He seems full of admiration for the Kenyans he trains with and befriends. Most are from poor rural backgrounds, and he sees the hardship and privation they endure. There may not be much that he, as an individual, can do about that. But it's a little weird to read a book that dwells in the middle of this kind of inequity and poverty, without ever questioning the larger structures behind it. Finn's not interested in those things, or at least not writing about them here. This is a book about running. But really, can you write a book about how hardship makes good runners, without questioning at least a little the systems that perpetuate the hardship?
So this is complicated. I was interested in Finn's story, in the way that runners are forever interested in the minutiae of running. A non-runner would probably die of boredom--or not pick this book up in the first place. It is what it says on the tin. But over the course of the whole book I started to feel like the book's point of view was so narrow, its focus so unrelentingly on Finn and his situation--his training, his family, his experiences, even his car and meals and muscle twinges--that it read more like a diary than anything else.
I just finished reading The Blue Sweater, which is Jacqueline Novogratz's story of struggling to establish microfinance operations in developing countries. I think Novogratz is kind of a standout case, but her take on people living in poverty is just so different from Finn's. Finn, in describing the home of a house-proud Kenyan runner, points out the shabbiness and odd placement of the furniture. He's too experienced a journalist to pass comment, but this is what he sees, and what he chooses to report.
Novogratz never once describes the people she works with in any way that undermines them, or points out the gap between their material ambitions and the things we take for granted in the West. Over and over, she comments on people's appearances, clothes, personal mannerisms--and everything she says feels sincerely appreciative. She's not a Pollyanna--she reports being robbed, and in one horrible incident almost abducted--but she seems simply to have a talent for seeing people in their own terms, instead of applying her own. I don't get the impression Finn shares that talent. And since he's imposed himself on these people's lives for his own sake, and for relatively trivial reasons, it all feels just a bit icky to me.
It's especially strange that after the final marathon race at Lewa, the event the whole book builds up to, the focus closes in on Finn's own (difficult) race experience and pretty much forgoes everything else. There's no more philosophizing about the Kenyan "secret" to running--which is a pretty thin thread in the book to start with. It's just a journal of Finn's marathon. Followed by a startlingly abrupt ending, in which his Kenyan running partners all leave in a van, and he muses that he may never see any of them again.
Oh, there's an epilogue. It's Finn triumphantly setting a PR at the NYC marathon. So I guess we know what the book was really about, after all.
July 14, 2014
I'm not quite sure what to make of this. It says it's the running secrets of the fastest people on earth. It says it's the memoir of someone who wanted to see how good a runner he could be. It's a travelogue of Kenya. Well, it's sort of all of those, but not really any of them.
For starters, there are no secrets revealed. It's all pretty obvious: Kenyans are fast because they run a lot as children, miles day in day out as part of their lives. They live and run at altitude. They eat a lot of carbs, eat a low fat diet, and rest a lot. They are often barefoot so they evolve a natural running style that is more fluid and less injury prone than us western plodders. Well, yeah, but I don't call these "secrets". More like common sense that is well known to even the average runner.
As for the memoir of an above-average recreational runner who wanted to see how good he could be - yes, it is this, but while Finn improved (of course he did), on the surface, it seems to be the improvement that anyone would get if they ran more, ate better, and ran at altitude with faster people.
The travelogue part was more interesting, but I was somewhat put off by the Great White Man approach. To be fair, I think this was unintentional, but it imparted an "us and them" feel to the book, and to Finn's experiences in Kenya.
What I did enjoy were the descriptions of some of his runs. The pitter-patter of feet running together. Harsh breath. Being out there, running fluidly. The joy of it all. These passages were wonderful, and elevated the book to three stars for me. As a runner (on hiatus), I can read and enjoy passages about running, about training, about forefoot strikes, and running shoes. Non runners will probably find their eyes glazing over.
Overall, while there was quite a bit to enjoy, I felt it suffered from a lack of purpose and direction. It tried to be too many things: personal sports story, travelogue, factual book, memoir, and as a result it never really succeeded in any of them.
For starters, there are no secrets revealed. It's all pretty obvious: Kenyans are fast because they run a lot as children, miles day in day out as part of their lives. They live and run at altitude. They eat a lot of carbs, eat a low fat diet, and rest a lot. They are often barefoot so they evolve a natural running style that is more fluid and less injury prone than us western plodders. Well, yeah, but I don't call these "secrets". More like common sense that is well known to even the average runner.
As for the memoir of an above-average recreational runner who wanted to see how good he could be - yes, it is this, but while Finn improved (of course he did), on the surface, it seems to be the improvement that anyone would get if they ran more, ate better, and ran at altitude with faster people.
The travelogue part was more interesting, but I was somewhat put off by the Great White Man approach. To be fair, I think this was unintentional, but it imparted an "us and them" feel to the book, and to Finn's experiences in Kenya.
What I did enjoy were the descriptions of some of his runs. The pitter-patter of feet running together. Harsh breath. Being out there, running fluidly. The joy of it all. These passages were wonderful, and elevated the book to three stars for me. As a runner (on hiatus), I can read and enjoy passages about running, about training, about forefoot strikes, and running shoes. Non runners will probably find their eyes glazing over.
Overall, while there was quite a bit to enjoy, I felt it suffered from a lack of purpose and direction. It tried to be too many things: personal sports story, travelogue, factual book, memoir, and as a result it never really succeeded in any of them.
February 5, 2018
I finished this in a day, like literally. This book is just, amazing. The author brought me into his journey to Kenya, where he lived there for six months to learn and train with Kenyan runners, and to find out what are the secrets to be the best runner in the world. The writing flows easily, the plot seamless, the stories affective. Non too melancholic, I did shed a tear or two reading the last chapter, highlighting his running goal; the Lewa Marathon. I urge runners to read this, I mean even I who don't do marathons are affected by the story, so you can imagine if a runner reads this. They'll be even more pumped-up!
June 2, 2012
It's the most tantalizing title since Born to Run, and along the same lines: a Westerner, intent on learning the secrets of a culture truly "born to run," goes and lives among this foreign people temporarily, partly to see if some of their secret sauce can help his own running, but partly just to see, well, what it's like, and what that secret is. Along the way, he meets some true characters, subjects himself (and his family--in Finn's case, family includes three small children) to culture shock...and brings the whole thing to a satisfying climax in the form of a big race (this one with lions).
Since this is a review, I'll cut to the chase: those of you who think there's one key element to explain the Kenyans' dominance of distance running will be disappointed. But Finn does a fantastic job identifying the combination of factors that have made them so unbeatable for so many years. He touches on all of these factors in detail throughout the narrative, and near the end of the book, he summarizes:
"For six months, I've been piecing together the puzzle of why Kenyans are such good runners. In the end there was no elixir, no running gene, no training secret that you could neatly package up and present with flashing lights and fireworks. Nothing that Nike could replicate and market as the latest running fad. No, it was too complex, yet too simple, for that. It was everything, and nothing. I list the secrets in my head: the tough, active childhood, the barefoot running, the altitude, the diet, the role models, the simple approach to training, the running camps, the focus and dedication, the desire to succeed, to change their lives, the expectation that they can win, the mental toughness, the lack of alternatives, the abundance of trails to train on, the time spent resting, the running to school, the all-pervasive running culture, the reverence for running."
A few paragraphs later he writes:
"I've immersed myself in the world of Kenyan runners, living and training with them, sharing their commitment, and following their almost monastic lifestyles, in the hope that some of their magic would rub off on me. Hopefully it has, but in truth, at thirty-seven, after years of living an easy, Western lifestyle, and without anything driving me other than the joy of running and the desire to use my talent, I never stood a chance."
It's a humbling message.
As always, though, actions speak louder than words. There's a lot of hope here, too, for those willing to adopt some Kenyan style in their training. In the wake of his experience, Finn finishes as the first Westerner in the hot and dusty Lewa Marathon, his first, in three hours and 20 minutes. After his return to the West, he takes three minutes off his pre-Kenya half-marathon personal best. And four months after that Kenyan marathon debut, he runs the New York Marathon in two hours 55 minutes exactly.
The book wasn't as funny or smoothly written as Born to Run (a book I loved and recommend to everyone). But it felt more true to me in its "shades of grey" characterization of these extraordinary runners and the reasons for their success. I liked his unpretentious descriptions of what it was really like to run behind a group of Kenyans, and I was particularly impressed with his blunt critique of his own commitment to his beloved sport after a disappointing half-marathon part-way through his African sojourn.
Since finishing this book tonight, I've found myself Googling "ugali"...and I think I might take a walk up my street. Barefoot.
Since this is a review, I'll cut to the chase: those of you who think there's one key element to explain the Kenyans' dominance of distance running will be disappointed. But Finn does a fantastic job identifying the combination of factors that have made them so unbeatable for so many years. He touches on all of these factors in detail throughout the narrative, and near the end of the book, he summarizes:
"For six months, I've been piecing together the puzzle of why Kenyans are such good runners. In the end there was no elixir, no running gene, no training secret that you could neatly package up and present with flashing lights and fireworks. Nothing that Nike could replicate and market as the latest running fad. No, it was too complex, yet too simple, for that. It was everything, and nothing. I list the secrets in my head: the tough, active childhood, the barefoot running, the altitude, the diet, the role models, the simple approach to training, the running camps, the focus and dedication, the desire to succeed, to change their lives, the expectation that they can win, the mental toughness, the lack of alternatives, the abundance of trails to train on, the time spent resting, the running to school, the all-pervasive running culture, the reverence for running."
A few paragraphs later he writes:
"I've immersed myself in the world of Kenyan runners, living and training with them, sharing their commitment, and following their almost monastic lifestyles, in the hope that some of their magic would rub off on me. Hopefully it has, but in truth, at thirty-seven, after years of living an easy, Western lifestyle, and without anything driving me other than the joy of running and the desire to use my talent, I never stood a chance."
It's a humbling message.
As always, though, actions speak louder than words. There's a lot of hope here, too, for those willing to adopt some Kenyan style in their training. In the wake of his experience, Finn finishes as the first Westerner in the hot and dusty Lewa Marathon, his first, in three hours and 20 minutes. After his return to the West, he takes three minutes off his pre-Kenya half-marathon personal best. And four months after that Kenyan marathon debut, he runs the New York Marathon in two hours 55 minutes exactly.
The book wasn't as funny or smoothly written as Born to Run (a book I loved and recommend to everyone). But it felt more true to me in its "shades of grey" characterization of these extraordinary runners and the reasons for their success. I liked his unpretentious descriptions of what it was really like to run behind a group of Kenyans, and I was particularly impressed with his blunt critique of his own commitment to his beloved sport after a disappointing half-marathon part-way through his African sojourn.
Since finishing this book tonight, I've found myself Googling "ugali"...and I think I might take a walk up my street. Barefoot.
May 19, 2012
I must confess the reason I loved reading this book is not that I'm a runner, a former runner, a fan of running, although the sport has been of interest for many years. And not because Finn has written an enjoyable, interesting, self-effacing journey-of-discovery tale filled with unique observations and fascinating facts; a good read, to be sure.
No, the main reason I loved this book is its portrayal and descriptions of Iten, the town on the Rift Valley Escarpment that is the main setting and a locus for serious long-distance runners from around the world.
You see, I lived very near Iten when it was just a sleepy district center before becoming the marathoner's mecca.
How wonderful to read the town has grown with a number of training camps, the Kerio View Hotel (just in the planning stages back in my day), and yet remains recognizable despite all the growth. It seems the old Kapteren Show Grounds (where I first met my wife) has become a village center of its own, going by the name Kapshow.
Even the venerable Brother Colm O'Connell is there, still coaching and mentoring young runners, at the legendary St. Patrick's Boarding School. Just as he was all those years ago when I had the honor of meeting him and sharing a meal with him. The track and field team from the school where I taught (Kipsoen Harambee School) would compete at St. Patrick's.
So, a reminiscence for me but still a recommended book for runners, those who enjoy a real-life adventure, and a grassroots glimpse into another culture.
No, the main reason I loved this book is its portrayal and descriptions of Iten, the town on the Rift Valley Escarpment that is the main setting and a locus for serious long-distance runners from around the world.
You see, I lived very near Iten when it was just a sleepy district center before becoming the marathoner's mecca.
How wonderful to read the town has grown with a number of training camps, the Kerio View Hotel (just in the planning stages back in my day), and yet remains recognizable despite all the growth. It seems the old Kapteren Show Grounds (where I first met my wife) has become a village center of its own, going by the name Kapshow.
Even the venerable Brother Colm O'Connell is there, still coaching and mentoring young runners, at the legendary St. Patrick's Boarding School. Just as he was all those years ago when I had the honor of meeting him and sharing a meal with him. The track and field team from the school where I taught (Kipsoen Harambee School) would compete at St. Patrick's.
So, a reminiscence for me but still a recommended book for runners, those who enjoy a real-life adventure, and a grassroots glimpse into another culture.
May 26, 2020
Finn, and his wife and two children, move to Kenya so he can train for a marathon. What will he learn about running, and about Kenyan running culture? How fast will he get? This makes for a fun combination of a travel book and a running book.
I would have liked it more, though, if Finn had been a more serious runner, and didn't play stupid quite so much. For example, coming into it he claims to think that all Kenyan runners run barefoot all the time, which he would have seen was false from any photograph or any of the hundreds of running magazine articles on Kenyan runners. He's a runner, but he only runs every few days, taking off weeks or months at a time. When he moves to Kenya, he's only running up to 3 miles at a time. Maybe this was deliberate sandbagging so his improvement in Kenya would be more dramatic? But no, he keeps this schedule up even after moving his whole family to Kenya! He also deliberately runs stupidly, possibly so the book has more drama? He refuses to wear a watch, for example, in training or races, unlike everyone else, and makes any number of other dumb mistakes. Since there's no new information in this book (and what there is is of questionable accuracy), these details make the project annoying to any serious runner.
> One woman tells me, as we sit on the grass, that she thinks running is like getting drunk in reverse. With drinking, it feels great at first, but then you start feeling awful. With running, you feel awful at first, but then, after you finish, you feel great.
> After the race in Eldoret, I decide I need to ratchet up my training. I'm still in my old mindset, training every other day, treating running as a side activity.
> "I'm going running," I say. "Why?" she asks. It's a good question, but right now, just before a run, is not the best moment to try to answer it. Right before you head out running, it can be hard to remember exactly why you're doing it. You often have to override a nagging sense of futility, lacing up your shoes, telling yourself that no matter how unlikely it seems right now, after you finish you will be glad you went. It's only afterward that it makes sense, although even then it's hard to rationalize why. You just feel right. After a run, you feel at one with the world, as though some unspecified, innate need has been fulfilled.
> I must be the only runner here without a watch. Before I came to Kenya, I had naively imagined everyone racing along without a thought for anything as controlling and analytical as a stopwatch.
> in the West we're stuck on a conveyor belt going the wrong way. In 1975, for example, thirty-four marathons were run in under 2 hours 20 minutes by American runners, twenty-three by British runners, and none by Kenyan runners. By 2005, however, there were 22 sub-2:20 marathon performances by Americans, 12 by Britons, and a staggering 490 by Kenyans.
> "Thirty-eight kilometers. We leave at five in the morning." "Yeah, sure. Sounds good." Sounds terrifying, is what I mean. That's almost twenty-four miles. I've never run more than thirteen miles before.
> The cook passes a tray with a mound of ugali on it through the window from the adjoining kitchen, then a pot of sukuma wiki , which is basically stewed kale
> A daily diet of run, eat, sleep, run. In Iten alone there are around one thousand full-time athletes living like this—in a town with a population of just four thousand people [Wikipedia says the population is over 42,000]
> At three miles I begin to wonder how fast I'm running. I made a late decision not to wear a watch. Anders thought I was mad, but I've done every training run without one, and the Kenyan runners at the Kimbia camp didn't think it was a problem. Just run how you feel, they said.
> The long, straight lines cutting across the parched landscape seem to stretch on farther than before. The gentle wind and the soft pat, pat, pat of my feet are the only sounds. I swing a few glances behind me, but there is no one as far as I can see. Just the long path already traveled, empty, as though I'm the last runner on earth. I have an energy gel in my back pocket. I had planned to take it at eighteen miles, but now, at fifteen miles, it's all I can think about
> As I round the last corner, the beautiful, arched finish rises up to meet me. The clock ticks on to 3 hours 20 minutes. And then I'm there. I've done it.
I would have liked it more, though, if Finn had been a more serious runner, and didn't play stupid quite so much. For example, coming into it he claims to think that all Kenyan runners run barefoot all the time, which he would have seen was false from any photograph or any of the hundreds of running magazine articles on Kenyan runners. He's a runner, but he only runs every few days, taking off weeks or months at a time. When he moves to Kenya, he's only running up to 3 miles at a time. Maybe this was deliberate sandbagging so his improvement in Kenya would be more dramatic? But no, he keeps this schedule up even after moving his whole family to Kenya! He also deliberately runs stupidly, possibly so the book has more drama? He refuses to wear a watch, for example, in training or races, unlike everyone else, and makes any number of other dumb mistakes. Since there's no new information in this book (and what there is is of questionable accuracy), these details make the project annoying to any serious runner.
> One woman tells me, as we sit on the grass, that she thinks running is like getting drunk in reverse. With drinking, it feels great at first, but then you start feeling awful. With running, you feel awful at first, but then, after you finish, you feel great.
> After the race in Eldoret, I decide I need to ratchet up my training. I'm still in my old mindset, training every other day, treating running as a side activity.
> "I'm going running," I say. "Why?" she asks. It's a good question, but right now, just before a run, is not the best moment to try to answer it. Right before you head out running, it can be hard to remember exactly why you're doing it. You often have to override a nagging sense of futility, lacing up your shoes, telling yourself that no matter how unlikely it seems right now, after you finish you will be glad you went. It's only afterward that it makes sense, although even then it's hard to rationalize why. You just feel right. After a run, you feel at one with the world, as though some unspecified, innate need has been fulfilled.
> I must be the only runner here without a watch. Before I came to Kenya, I had naively imagined everyone racing along without a thought for anything as controlling and analytical as a stopwatch.
> in the West we're stuck on a conveyor belt going the wrong way. In 1975, for example, thirty-four marathons were run in under 2 hours 20 minutes by American runners, twenty-three by British runners, and none by Kenyan runners. By 2005, however, there were 22 sub-2:20 marathon performances by Americans, 12 by Britons, and a staggering 490 by Kenyans.
> "Thirty-eight kilometers. We leave at five in the morning." "Yeah, sure. Sounds good." Sounds terrifying, is what I mean. That's almost twenty-four miles. I've never run more than thirteen miles before.
> The cook passes a tray with a mound of ugali on it through the window from the adjoining kitchen, then a pot of sukuma wiki , which is basically stewed kale
> A daily diet of run, eat, sleep, run. In Iten alone there are around one thousand full-time athletes living like this—in a town with a population of just four thousand people [Wikipedia says the population is over 42,000]
> At three miles I begin to wonder how fast I'm running. I made a late decision not to wear a watch. Anders thought I was mad, but I've done every training run without one, and the Kenyan runners at the Kimbia camp didn't think it was a problem. Just run how you feel, they said.
> The long, straight lines cutting across the parched landscape seem to stretch on farther than before. The gentle wind and the soft pat, pat, pat of my feet are the only sounds. I swing a few glances behind me, but there is no one as far as I can see. Just the long path already traveled, empty, as though I'm the last runner on earth. I have an energy gel in my back pocket. I had planned to take it at eighteen miles, but now, at fifteen miles, it's all I can think about
> As I round the last corner, the beautiful, arched finish rises up to meet me. The clock ticks on to 3 hours 20 minutes. And then I'm there. I've done it.
December 3, 2013
If you're looking here for the secret of the Kenyan runner you may be disappointed. But if you are interested to see how some Kenyans, who are runners, live in a small community while training for the big win, then you may enjoy this book. Much like a voyeur, the reader is given a glimpse into life in Kenya for a runner while the author trains amongst them and attempts to tap into their secret for winning race after race after race. I presume it's a good gig for an author if you can get it so kudos to Finn.
December 20, 2020
Two and a half stars, but I rounded up to three.
I was expecting the author to dig a little more deeply into answering his questions (and mine) about what makes Kenyans such outstanding runners. At one point he probes into research others have already done to debunk the idea that they are genetically predisposed to dominating the sport, thank goodness. The secret seems to be a combination of factors, including diet, the childhood propensity to running often and running long distances (yes, without shoes), to hardship with running being perhaps the best way to improve one's standard of living (and one's family's standard as well), and the opportunity to dedicate one's life entirely to training. I felt that stretching this out over an entire book wasn't necessary. Or, it could have been necessary Finn had explained in more detail how applying these things to his own life and running changed him and his racing.
Instead, the book meandered around the training and focused quite a bit on the novelty of living in Kenya for a few months with his family. I felt like the author sort of acknowledged his privileged life, especially living among people with a different standard for quality of life, but I don't think he ever came to a full realization. He sort of helped other runners by paying their entrance fee for a marathon, and one of them won a considerable sum of money, but I felt that if he could afford to take a few months to live in Kenya and train, then he probably could have done more than that to help his fellow runners, especially since he asked quite a bit of them in return--i.e. interviews and tagging along with them.
What it comes down to is I didn't find a good focus to the book, and I ended up speeding through quite a bit just to finish it. I think there are better running books out there.
I was expecting the author to dig a little more deeply into answering his questions (and mine) about what makes Kenyans such outstanding runners. At one point he probes into research others have already done to debunk the idea that they are genetically predisposed to dominating the sport, thank goodness. The secret seems to be a combination of factors, including diet, the childhood propensity to running often and running long distances (yes, without shoes), to hardship with running being perhaps the best way to improve one's standard of living (and one's family's standard as well), and the opportunity to dedicate one's life entirely to training. I felt that stretching this out over an entire book wasn't necessary. Or, it could have been necessary Finn had explained in more detail how applying these things to his own life and running changed him and his racing.
Instead, the book meandered around the training and focused quite a bit on the novelty of living in Kenya for a few months with his family. I felt like the author sort of acknowledged his privileged life, especially living among people with a different standard for quality of life, but I don't think he ever came to a full realization. He sort of helped other runners by paying their entrance fee for a marathon, and one of them won a considerable sum of money, but I felt that if he could afford to take a few months to live in Kenya and train, then he probably could have done more than that to help his fellow runners, especially since he asked quite a bit of them in return--i.e. interviews and tagging along with them.
What it comes down to is I didn't find a good focus to the book, and I ended up speeding through quite a bit just to finish it. I think there are better running books out there.
October 30, 2021
October 2021: Running with the Kenyans
This is a story of a sport journalist who is also a runner, moved to Iten, Kenya for 6 months to learn the Kenyans secrets of running, and winning long-distance races.
Some points that I picked up from this:
- eat right
- start young
- rest is important
- genetic advantage- not scientifically proven
I enjoy this book and the Kenyans stories motivate me and remind me to be grateful.
🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
It is quite ambitious to run like a Kenyan for a newbie like me who hated physical activity and never was an athlete. But I'm glad to commit myself to this new hobby which was initially a reason to drag myself out of the house after a long lockdown.
Now I have something on the bookshelf to signal me to go running (in my case, walking😉)
This is a story of a sport journalist who is also a runner, moved to Iten, Kenya for 6 months to learn the Kenyans secrets of running, and winning long-distance races.
Some points that I picked up from this:
- eat right
- start young
- rest is important
- genetic advantage- not scientifically proven
I enjoy this book and the Kenyans stories motivate me and remind me to be grateful.
🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
It is quite ambitious to run like a Kenyan for a newbie like me who hated physical activity and never was an athlete. But I'm glad to commit myself to this new hobby which was initially a reason to drag myself out of the house after a long lockdown.
Now I have something on the bookshelf to signal me to go running (in my case, walking😉)
March 29, 2024
Genuinely very insightful. You’ve gotta appreciate the dedication to pack up your entire (young) family for a 6-month trip to Kenya. Insane that pretty much the entire village was some kind of running champion in some event or other, at some time or other.
Turns out the 'secrets' to Kenyan running success is extreme dedication, a healthy diet and a complete shut out of distractions, either by choice or necessity.
Turns out the 'secrets' to Kenyan running success is extreme dedication, a healthy diet and a complete shut out of distractions, either by choice or necessity.
September 25, 2025
7/10 stars! I was not expecting to like this book. It was a book club choice that I wasn’t keen to read, and was secretly pleased when I found out I was going to be away for the meet-up and therefore decided I wouldn’t read it. However when the date was changed I reluctantly started to read it.
I hate running and I’m in no way interested in reading about it, but for some reason I found the author’s story interesting (his name confused me- spoiler, his hippie Irish parents gave him a Sanskrit name!). It was a very easy, enjoyable read about a topic I'd never given much thought about. I'd like to give his wife a high-five for accompanying him on a wild ride in Kenya for 6 months with 3 young children! I found reading about the theories and the reality of 'barefoot running' and finding out about the athlete community in Iten very engaging. I still don't like running, but I did enjoy this book.
I hate running and I’m in no way interested in reading about it, but for some reason I found the author’s story interesting (his name confused me- spoiler, his hippie Irish parents gave him a Sanskrit name!). It was a very easy, enjoyable read about a topic I'd never given much thought about. I'd like to give his wife a high-five for accompanying him on a wild ride in Kenya for 6 months with 3 young children! I found reading about the theories and the reality of 'barefoot running' and finding out about the athlete community in Iten very engaging. I still don't like running, but I did enjoy this book.
March 7, 2025
A great memoir is one where the protagonist neither glorifies the good parts nor hides the bad—and this book delivers exactly that.
Finn narrates his journey in Kenya with honesty, uncovering the many factors that contribute to the dominance of Kenyan runners: climate, altitude, poverty, and, most importantly, their mindset. Running isn't a casual hobby for them—it’s a dedicated pursuit, much like any other specialized skill that requires relentless focus and practice. Success isn't guaranteed, and for many, the payoff depends on opportunity and perseverance.
By the end, it’s clear that there’s no single secret to their success. As new competitors emerge, the question shifts—not *what* makes the Kenyans unbeatable, but who has the drive to run like them?
Finn narrates his journey in Kenya with honesty, uncovering the many factors that contribute to the dominance of Kenyan runners: climate, altitude, poverty, and, most importantly, their mindset. Running isn't a casual hobby for them—it’s a dedicated pursuit, much like any other specialized skill that requires relentless focus and practice. Success isn't guaranteed, and for many, the payoff depends on opportunity and perseverance.
By the end, it’s clear that there’s no single secret to their success. As new competitors emerge, the question shifts—not *what* makes the Kenyans unbeatable, but who has the drive to run like them?
April 3, 2019
A very enjoyable story in the life of. If you are looking for an in depth training analysis on how the kenyan's train, then this book is not for you. The book follows the story of a runner that moved to kenya to improve his marathon time, and by doing so, go's through a lot of up's and down's like all us runners so often do. The story was very enjoyable, and would recommend for any other runner out there.
October 18, 2022
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book despite it taking nearly three months to finish..
The story building up to be there and training was interesting to see the transition to western running. But after that I was really struggling to finish this and almost gave up. That was till the last few chapters I really enjoyed and I stayed awake to finish it.
I enjoyed the Japanese runners book as this referred to this book a lot so I am glad to of read them both.
The story building up to be there and training was interesting to see the transition to western running. But after that I was really struggling to finish this and almost gave up. That was till the last few chapters I really enjoyed and I stayed awake to finish it.
I enjoyed the Japanese runners book as this referred to this book a lot so I am glad to of read them both.
February 24, 2021
Spoiler the clue is in the title. It's a book about running the Kenyan way. Good book
May 21, 2023
Didn’t age well.
July 25, 2018
A fun and interesting look at the Kenyans from an outsider’s perspective. If you are looking for an easy read about the subject, this is a good starting place for you. However, if you are looking for any details, training secrets, etc., you may be disappointed.
June 6, 2012
It's no "Born to Run," but it was still quite good. This is a nonfiction book about why Kenyans are beating the pants off the rest of us in basically all running events (be they short sprint-distance races, or marathons). It's part travelogue and part running book, which is key, I think; even as a runner myself, I think books *purely* about just running and nothing else are kind of boring, so including the aspects about life in Kenya and travel through Kenya make this a much better book.
SPOILER: So does he answer the question? No, but that's because there is no definitive answer... there are a number of factors contributing to the Kenyans' mind-boggling running success. Barefoot running, training camps where the athletes JUST train and rest (they don't have other jobs), the tendency for kids to run back and forth to school (they need to go home for lunch, and there are no school buses. Plus homes are spread apart and the school is never close to where you live), a hardscrabble life (which just forces you to be more active in general), the altitude, and probably some other factors I'm forgetting all contribute. However, these factors are common in many other African nations, so why does Kenya in particular stand out? That probably has to do with the fact that excellence tends to build on itself and it has a snowballing effect: the more success and the more great runners there are from Kenya, the more the Kenyan running culture grows (more role models, etc.).
I would have liked to see the author at least come to some conclusions though, even though there really is no definitive answer. It would have been nice, I think, for him to include a final conclusion statement where he tells us what he really thinks the "secret" is (even if the secret is that there is no secret). He certainly does that throughout the book, but I thought it would have been better addressed at the end.
SPOILER: So does he answer the question? No, but that's because there is no definitive answer... there are a number of factors contributing to the Kenyans' mind-boggling running success. Barefoot running, training camps where the athletes JUST train and rest (they don't have other jobs), the tendency for kids to run back and forth to school (they need to go home for lunch, and there are no school buses. Plus homes are spread apart and the school is never close to where you live), a hardscrabble life (which just forces you to be more active in general), the altitude, and probably some other factors I'm forgetting all contribute. However, these factors are common in many other African nations, so why does Kenya in particular stand out? That probably has to do with the fact that excellence tends to build on itself and it has a snowballing effect: the more success and the more great runners there are from Kenya, the more the Kenyan running culture grows (more role models, etc.).
I would have liked to see the author at least come to some conclusions though, even though there really is no definitive answer. It would have been nice, I think, for him to include a final conclusion statement where he tells us what he really thinks the "secret" is (even if the secret is that there is no secret). He certainly does that throughout the book, but I thought it would have been better addressed at the end.
July 10, 2012
Surprise, surprise, it turns out there is no simple secret to why the Kenyans are such dominant racers. At least not one that a middle aged white guy from England can find beyond the fact that all the successful racers come from poor, rural backgrounds and are driven mainly by financial reasons. They push themselves up the hills because the prize money can change their lives. That and eating a food called ugali all the time. Finn moves his family to a town called Iten where there are 1,000 runners in a town with a population of 4,000. He wants to figure out what makes the Kenyans so fast and apply it to his own running, to see if he can run like the Kenyans. Most of the book is descriptions of him going to training camps or races and then just listing all the champions who are there. Oh, this guy won the London Marathon last year and this lady is the world champion in the 1,500 meters. I don't know if he's not a good journalist but he never really gets deeper than that with the Kenyans so it was hard for me to keep people straight. He seems to be the latest in a long line of Westerners who have come to this town seeking the secret to running and I didn't think he made a convincing case for why his story is unique or different. And there is something distasteful to me about him making money off a book about the Kenyans when they are the ones who really need this money. So I thought it was ok, he had some good explanations for why we Westerners run but the rest of the book was skippable. If you're looking for a running, book read Born to Run instead, it's a much more interesting and better researched book.
August 7, 2012
Last month I ran a big 15K near my hometown. It's a race that, despite taking place in a small city in the middle of nowhere (upstate NY), is locally notorious for being dominated by Kenyan runners every year. And during the last week, I've been watching East African runners consistently leading the pack of every distance race in the London Olympics. So when I spotted this book at the library, my curiosity was piqued: why are Kenyan runners so talented?
Having already read Christopher McDougall's "Born To Run", the premise of this story was familiar to me: Western journalist/runner travels to foreign land to learn the secrets of a culture that seems to be preternaturally superior at running. It also covers some of the same ground in the exploration of barefoot running. But it's Finn's immersion in Kenyan culture and daily life (he moves his wife and three kids to Kenya with him while he trains with Kenyan runners for 6 months) that sets this book apart. It turns out that there's no simple answer to why Kenya seems to produce so many top runners, but that their talent is shaped by many factors that are a natural part of their daily lives, factors that are largely absent in western nations. I found it a fascinating look at a culture that is so different from mine in so many ways, and of course, as a runner I enjoyed reading about the races, and was just in awe of the accomplishments of some of the runners featured in the book.
Having already read Christopher McDougall's "Born To Run", the premise of this story was familiar to me: Western journalist/runner travels to foreign land to learn the secrets of a culture that seems to be preternaturally superior at running. It also covers some of the same ground in the exploration of barefoot running. But it's Finn's immersion in Kenyan culture and daily life (he moves his wife and three kids to Kenya with him while he trains with Kenyan runners for 6 months) that sets this book apart. It turns out that there's no simple answer to why Kenya seems to produce so many top runners, but that their talent is shaped by many factors that are a natural part of their daily lives, factors that are largely absent in western nations. I found it a fascinating look at a culture that is so different from mine in so many ways, and of course, as a runner I enjoyed reading about the races, and was just in awe of the accomplishments of some of the runners featured in the book.
February 5, 2019
This is a book about a white man who travels to Africa and whose goals do not include improving the lives of the people there. It is this absence of a savior-complex in the author that makes "Running with the Kenyans" an honest and refreshing read. Kenyans are so inherently good at running—at least in the eyes of the author Finn Adharanand—that even the most advanced technology in the world is not going to make them better. Unlike some white coaches before him, Finn goes to Iten, a small village in Kenya that is home to possibly the highest concentration of elite distance runners in the world, simply to learn the their secrets in hopes of improving his own amateaur running ability. He integrates himself into Kenya’s running culture with without passing judgement, and I found the careful observations of village life during his integration process the most enjoyable part of the book. Unfortunately Finn is not a great writer, and I think he could have expanded some chapters and skipped-over some of the details regarding his training regime (spoiler alert: it’s just running), but the short chapters, perhaps, at times too short, make for a fun and quick read.
February 13, 2019
This book was disappointing. I was searching for good running books but read the blurb and thought I would leave this one. However I came across the book in a $5 discount store so had to give it a try! I was excited at first to learn all about Kenyan running and the lifestyle of Kenyan athletes. However this wish was not satisfied. Instead the author is an unfit runner who decides to take a trip to Kenya and get faster (he is not up to Kenyan standards). Throughout the 300 pages of this novel the author decides to talk about his 3 children and what they ate today, felt today and their experience of daily Kenyan life rather than describing the life of the athletes as I had hoped. The book improves in the last 80 pages as he describes his final marathon in Kenya and decides to actually talk about the Kenyan running.
So if you are looking to read a book about the life of Kenyan runners do not be fooled by the title of this book. 2/5
So if you are looking to read a book about the life of Kenyan runners do not be fooled by the title of this book. 2/5
May 17, 2013
I'm not a runner (yet?), but I thought this was an excellent book. If it weren't for the Goodreads giveaways, I probably never would have picked up this book, assuming I wouldn't understand it. It's completely accessible, part non-fiction running book and part memoir.
I got so involved with the "characters" in the story that, for the first time ever, I excitedly read the Acknowledgements section to see what else was said about them.
I got so involved with the "characters" in the story that, for the first time ever, I excitedly read the Acknowledgements section to see what else was said about them.
May 7, 2015
Another book where the review has disappeared. Also the shelves and the rating. But the book was still there.... Who is fucking around with the database that this is happening? GR or Librarians or Amazon imports?
It was a long review too. But so long ago I doubt anyone would remember it. I certainly don't.
It was a long review too. But so long ago I doubt anyone would remember it. I certainly don't.
July 6, 2013
I strongly suspect Finn's fruitless search for the secret of speed was really a front for doing his boyish running thing and getting a book out of it into the bargain. I'm not knocking it because it was an interesting read. I never sensed any depth in the relationships he made with Kenyans but I admired Brother Colm with his niche missionary activity.
June 30, 2012
Reviewed this for Amazon's vine voices program. I didn't care for this book at all. Poorly put together, pointless, and there wasn't much interesting to report. Got the feeling the author himself wasn't sure what he was doing in Kenya or why he was writing a book about it.
August 13, 2015
This book reminded me how much I dislike reading "race reports." They're always pretty boring and self-centered (egotistical, usually). This is the longest race report I've ever read. Spoiler alert... he shaved three minutes off his half marathon time. w00t.
June 7, 2024
If you're a runner, you'll love this book. If you're not a runner, you might be inspired to give it a try after reading this book - or not. Either way, it's a warm and enjoyable true story of something that connects people throughout the world.
November 22, 2015
This book will only interest runners, but every runner should read it to understand why the Kenyans dominate running.
December 17, 2019
It's pretty easy to write a book with runners as your target audience. We'll pretty much eat up anything that's competently written and which has some decent information about the topic of running. And that's pretty much what you get here. An above-average runner uproots his family to go to Kenya in an effort to find out why these Kenyans are so damn quick over long distances. It's really more of a diary/travelogue of his time there and less a scientific examination of the running elite, although there are a few tidbits on the how and why of the topic.
It has its issues though. From a story perspective, it gets a bit repetitive with him doing a lot of travelling and running with different people, often easily making friends despite the language and culture differences. We get a few opinions from a number of people on the topic of the Kenyans' impressive running abilities, but that's as in-depth as it got. There's definitely no "secrets of the fastest people on earth" as the subtitle suggests.
The writing was decent and easy to follow, but I found the way he communicated his experiences to be a bit odd. He'd mention mannerisms or circumstances of some of the people he met, but he'd never give any more context on those aspects. This made it feel like he was either willfully ignorant or simply found the culture differences amusing. Either way, I was disappointed in his lack of insight into the culture he supposedly tried to entrench himself in.
It was still fun to listen to the story while out running myself. This is definitely not a must-read for runners, but at the same time, it's nice to hear a more considered alternative to the hype around Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. If you're a runner, you'll probably enjoy it; if you're not, then I'd advise against picking this one up.
It has its issues though. From a story perspective, it gets a bit repetitive with him doing a lot of travelling and running with different people, often easily making friends despite the language and culture differences. We get a few opinions from a number of people on the topic of the Kenyans' impressive running abilities, but that's as in-depth as it got. There's definitely no "secrets of the fastest people on earth" as the subtitle suggests.
The writing was decent and easy to follow, but I found the way he communicated his experiences to be a bit odd. He'd mention mannerisms or circumstances of some of the people he met, but he'd never give any more context on those aspects. This made it feel like he was either willfully ignorant or simply found the culture differences amusing. Either way, I was disappointed in his lack of insight into the culture he supposedly tried to entrench himself in.
It was still fun to listen to the story while out running myself. This is definitely not a must-read for runners, but at the same time, it's nice to hear a more considered alternative to the hype around Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. If you're a runner, you'll probably enjoy it; if you're not, then I'd advise against picking this one up.
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