Week 2 - Kenyan Time

While still getting used to the altitude and not being able to run as much as I'd like, it's been important to keep occupied to avoid the temptation to train and wind up injured or exhausted. So when offered the chance to visit a local school a little way in the valley, I seized it. I've been told never to turn down a trip offered by a local and I'm so glad I didn't!

Tuesday started with a two hour wait for our local guide. This was a good introduction for me to 'Kenyan time.' You have to learn to be extremely patient with the knowledge that whether at a restaurant or waiting for a lift, everything takes longer than you'd think and that is just the way it is! I can't help but laugh at how at odds this loose attitude towards time is with my German friends and their inbuilt desire for efficiency. 

We eventually got to St James' junior school and had a look at the really good work they were doing for the local kids. It was amazing to to see children under seven learning three languages - they have their local dialect, and on top of this, Swahili and English in class. Rather than heading back like we all thought, suddenly I found myself in a car with seven people in it (2 extra), going further down the valley. We eventually got to the bottom, to witness the fearless Kerio Cliff Divers jumping through an impossibly narrow ravine into the river. Apparently the rocks, not the cave dwelling crocodiles, are the main danger. It was a really fun, if completely unexpected end to the day. 

Tuesday was a track day (my first). While 'Kenyan Time' permeates nearly all of the everyday, running doesn't seem to conform. Time is everything, and those with the fastest pb's tend to be at the top of the pecking order. It's amazing to watch just how hard the Kenyans train at the track and it's relieving to know it doesn't come as naturally as you might think. I was happy with my 8 x 1000 at about 3:15/km pace. 

Thursday was another first. The 'Fartlek' ( Swedish for 'speed play'), is a group run which involves alternating between very fast and very slow pace. The group was large, and it was quite difficult to find my place in it. The fast pace was furious as expected, but I was able to hang on for about half an hour before inevitably losing the group. It was a great experience in my first week and a benchmark for future attempts.