Speedwork at Kamariny Track

View over the Rift Valley from the edge of the Elgeyo escarpment.

I have avoided going to the track so far, because, as my Russian friend Vasili put it, “you will be like a disabled person” next to all the speedy runners.  But my neighbor Ebby had a track workout planned, and I agreed to pace her.   Tuesday is the day most Kenyans dedicate to speedwork.  Because the track would be very busy, we met at 6:30.  Over the course of the day, hundreds of runners would use the track.

It’s about a 2 mile jog to the track.  As is typical of a Kenyan warmup, we went very easily.  We saw dozens of runners also heading for the track- it’s easy to tell because they are carrying their spikes.  We also saw children on their way to Kamariny Primary School, right across from the track.  A few jogged with us for a while.

Kamariny track is a legendary location in the running world.  It is a simple dirt track with no lane lines.  The track was dedicated by the Queen of England in 1959, long before the Kenyan running phenomenon.  There is a small groove in the inside land worn by countless footsteps.  The track is right on the edge of the escarpment, with spectacular views to the east across the rift valley.  Olympic champions, world champions, world record holders and Boston marathon winners have all trained here.  Word is the track is a little long, about 410-420 meters.  That, coupled with the 7000 ft elevation, make it a running anvil.  Runners forged here often go on to excel anywhere.

There is a recent trend for some runners to run at the Chepkoleil track in Eldoret.  It’s about 1000ft lower and has a better surface, so it’s possible to train a little faster.  But for many runners, the 400 shilling (about $5) round trip matatu fare rules this out.

After some drills and strides, we began our workout: 10 x 800m with 2 minute recoveries.  Runners either place a rock or draw a line in the dirt with a shoe to mark their starting places for workouts.  We selected a location and began.  My job was to lead each interval to help Ebby hold her pace.  After the first lap of the first interval, she told me to speed up.  We finished the first one in 2:45.  The next four were all 2:40, but I was getting tired.  I didn’t object when Ebby suggested a 5 minute recovery before the second half of the workout.

There were about 80 runners in several other groups (this is the quiet time of day here- I talked to someone who was at the track at 10AM and estimated there were 400 runners working out).  A group of 30 men were running 600s and would come flying by us, making me look like a “disabled person,” I imagined.  Another large group of men were running 800s as well.  There was one man who was way off the back of this group.  “He doesn’t look too fast,” I thought. Then we had an interval where our laps aligned and I realized he was still a little faster than me.  Finally, there was a group of women who had a male pacemaker.  They were joined by another mzungu, Adharanand Finn.  Adharanand is a British journalist who is writing a book: Running with the Kenyans.  The book is being published by Random House, which also published Born to Run.  Adharanand writes a column on running for the Guardian which is good reading.  Adharanand and I ran for 2 hours on Sunday.  I hit the wall and ended up way behind him.

The five minute recovery made the 6^th interval ok.  We passed a few women on their 600.  But my legs started to get very heavy on the 7^th.  After the 7^th interval, as I panted with my hands on my knees, I wondered if I could make it through the workout.  Two minutes was over before I knew it, and my legs felt leaden, and I only managed 2:43.  I told Ebby I was falling off the pace, and could run the second lap of the last two intervals with her.  She told me to keep going, to take the first lap a little easier so I could push the second lap.  I was supposed to be the one helping her through the workout!  We took off on the 9^th interval, and even holding back on the first lap I was getting tired.  Ebby shot by me on the last 200 and finished in 2:41. I struggled in in 2:45.  I knew I could manage one more, so I followed the starting a little slower strategy.  Again, Ebby shot by with 200m to go.  She finished in 2:41, and I finished in 2:46.

We caught our breaths, and began the slow jog back home.  She told me that she had feared this workout and had woken up in the night nervous about it.  She said the pace was good.  OK, her exact words were “moderate.”  She said we must run 30 minutes easy at 4PM.  The Kenyans believe the easy run after speedwork is very important.

Overall it was a beautiful experience running at Kamariny track.  It isn’t like going to the Ellensburg High School track and running alone; there is fantastic energy here.  It is inspiring seeing so many people running so fast.  It is humbling, but inspiring.