Athletics in Elgeyo Marakwet St. Patrick's High School: Humble Beginnings If your expedition to Elgeyo Marakwet County aims in some part to appreciate the longstanding patrimony of long-distance running in Kenya, then St. Patrick's High School, near Iten, is a notable stopover, with a long association with the sport. It bears, in many respects, a synthesis of both geographical fortuity and a visionary twist of fate, in turning an everyday, mundane calisthenic to a top prospect. It was utter happenstance that the school happened to be there at the right time, just as long distance running was emerging as a gainful career choice in these neck of the woods. Far more than any other academic institution in Kenya, St. Patrick's High School holds the singular accolade of nurturing dozens of Kenya's long-distance titlists, warranting its place among the attractions in the region. Long before the athletes made St. Patrick's High School their jumping off place to eminent careers in global long distance running, the wheel of fortune had been inadvertently turned, decades before. Unbeknownst to the locals, they had been adapting, in isolated humility, to a life-changing way of kismet. Modern athletics in Elgeyo Marakwet has a history that dates back to colonial times. As the story tells, the colonial administration forced the Kalenjin into ‘native reserves’ in dry lands of the valley floor, while simultaneously opening up public schools and Christian missions in an effort to ‘civilize’ Africans, many of these halfway up the steep, or on the highland, many miles away from the valley. Over many years, and with the relaxing of settlement rules, the locals developed an affinity for ‘climbing the cliff’ and farming in the fertile highlands. As it turned out, life is what happened to the locals while they were making other plans. In good time, the colonial officers noticed, impressively, that the locals were adept at running and walking over great distances. Originally, the selection of the athletes was related to colonial-era military and police ops, but eventually became associated with certain schools. Many years of going up and down the steep escarpment had build stamina and resilience. Over and above, was the strong patriarchal military discipline of the Kalenjin tribe. After initiation, boys, then and now, are expected to remain aloof from their mothers and sisters, dropping their playful attitude, and treating their elders with respect. The initiation imparts traditional morals needed for success. It is during this period that initiates are required to know about the actual setting of their society. They are taught about how governance work and exact roles of different leaders. Expectations are high that they will never fall in wrong hands and strive for a natural knack of learning. This conventional way of ascribing to strict discipline had a national outlook, too, and it was often said that one way to distinguish the Kalenjin students from the non-Kalenjin students in institutions of higher learning was on the basis of their discipline and humbleness. In the same sense too, there was really nothing to hate in the training for long-distance learning. It was ingrained in their DNA. The secret to running, according to the locals, is that everyone believes there is a secret. In other words, there only secret is just plenty of hardwork, pain and endurance, on repeat. Above and over it, the proceeds from winning international races was motivation, too. Over the years, Iten, the capital of Elgeyo Marakwet County, became the centre of athletics, and since the commercialization of the sport, especially throughout the 1990s, it became, through socialised learning of the successes, a key place that nurtured elite athletes, to enter in races throughout the world for prize money. On returning home, the athletes in turn invested in building schools and similar public facilities, for good favour and reputation. As one interlocutor put it: ‘If you build something, you will see something back’ – pointing to the walls of a large resort built by a famous athlete that made money for its owner, while also providing facilities for international visitors that elevated the status of Iten. The history of St. Patrick's High School with athletics begun in the 1980's, when the Irish Patrician Brother Colm O'Connel, then its principal, discovered, as the world had now come to know, that many of his students had a zeel for athletics. O’Connell, on missionary work from County Cork, arrived in 1976 at St. Patrick’s High School. The idea was to teach for two or three years, then move to another posting. He knew much about the geography, but next to nothing about running. When O’Connell had first arrived in Kenya, the country boycotted the 1976 Montreal Games and the 1980 Moscow Games. A generation of athletes was essentially lost, but this allowed O’Connell to learn about running at his own pace, developing his own methods. He is said to have opened the first training camp in Kenya, one for girls. He would learn to instruct athletes as well as students, and he would never leave. He used the school holidays to coordinate athletics camps for his students, and for the stalwart, talented athletes from the nearby community. Thanks to O’Connell's commitment to nurturing athletes, plenty of satellite camps, sprung up in the area. Hundreds run on the red dirt roads around Iten in the morning. Communication with the outside world was limited in those early days, so O’Connell learned to coach in part by speaking to athletes and gauging their recovery from certain workouts. One of his athletes, Peter Rono, won the 1,500 meters at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The steeplechasers Matthew Birir, Reuben Kosgei and Brimin Kipruto won Olympic gold between 1992 and 2008. And Rudisha followed in 2012. The rest is history! Both he and his humble students had the good fortune of making the best of the region. In a noble gesture, St. Patrick's High School has kept to an old tradition of planting a tree in honour of all its alumna who break out onto the ‘world stage'. Other alumni of St. Patrick's High School include: Ibrahim Hussein, Micheal Boit, Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Cornelius Chirchir, Japheth Kimutai and Wilson Boit Kipketer. There is only one problem now. And it's the good kind of problem. At St. Patrick’s High School it became an unfaltering and endearing tradition, for many decades, to plant a new tree each time an alumnus won a world championship, set a world record or took Olympic gold. But the thicket of trees has now become crowded. Long-distance running in Kenya has gained an international standing, thanks to the country's exceptional success in distance running events at the Olympics, World Championships, and other prestigious competitions. The success is a combination of natural talent, rigorous training regimes, cultural factors, high-altitude advantages, growing infrastructure, and the blessings from all Kenyans. A Guide to Athletics in Kenya Brief Overview of Athletics in Kenya Brief History of Long Distance Running in Kenya Kenya at the Olympics – Overview and Medal Winners : 800m, 3,000m Olympic Steeplechase, 5,000m, 10,000m, Marathon Places of Interest : Bungoma County - Chemoge High Altitude Training Camp, Elgeyo Marakwet County - High Altitude Training Camp , Kamariny Stadium , St. Patrick's High School , Uasin Gishu County - Kipchoge Keino Stadium Touring Elgeyo Marakwet County in Kenya offers a mix of stunning landscapes, cultural experiences, and outdoor adventures. Renowned for its rugged terrain and picturesque landscapes, it is also home to globally-famous long distance running exports. Hiking enthusiasts can explore trails such as the famous Kerio Valley Escarpment or venture into the Cherangani Hills for more challenging hikes. You Are Here: St. Patrick's High School Where to Next? Explore Destinations Nearby St. Patrick's High School A Guide to Elgeyo Marakwet County A Summa Digest of Elgeyo Marakwet About Elgeyo Marakwet Way Back When 44 Destinations in E. Marakwet County , arranged as one would visit these - west, south then north - with aid of narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart: Home of Champions Art Center, Keiyo Gardens, High Altitude Training Camp , Kamariny Stadium , St. Patrick's High School , Bugar Forest , Iten Viewpoint , Lelin Campsite , Kerio View Hotel , Active Edge , Rimoi National Reserve , Kapkurmoi Cultural & Conservation, Kessup Falls , Kessup Forest , Kilima Resort , Tambach Museum , Kolol Viewpoint , Torok Falls , Biretwo Museum , Kerio River Lodge , Chebloch Gorge , Samich Resort , Kenya Fluorspar Company , Sego Safari Resort , Melwa Gorge , Kerio Valley , Elgeyo (Kerio) Escarpment , Lake Kamnarok National Reserve , Kureswo Hot Springs , Metkei Ridge , Chemonde Forest, Chebirara Falls, Mela Cave , Cherangani Hills , Teren River Bridge , Arror Dam , Chebara Dam , Embobut Forest , Wewo Catholic Church , The Foothills (Kipkunurr & Koisungur) , Kipteberr Hill , Kiplagoch Caves , Ancient Marakwet Furrows Know More About E. Marakwet County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including strip maps, Airports, Climate & National Monuments What's The Air Like In Elgeyo M? With a wide range in altitude, from 3350 metres asl., on the Cherangani Hills to around 1000 metres asl., in the Kerio Valley. the temperature varies with altitude, between 18 o C and 26 o C average maximum. What's The Lay Of The Land in C.28? Elegyo Marakwet can be split into three agro-zones: A high altitude region of forest and moorland; The Cherangani mountains; And the lower set Kerio Escarpment and Valley. Know More About Elgeyo Marakwet…

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