I met Florence Kiplagat while getting treatment for the body by fellow mzungu Jeroen.

Funny for her to watch such an inflexible white guy trying to ease off.

Before Jeroen could get his hands on her legs i had the chance to take the above shot.

I suppose there are millions of kids around the world who have the same dream: joining your favourite football team for an ordinary session on their training ground. Being just another guy in the team you support. Getting a pass from Ryan Giggs on Manchester Uniteds Carrington Training Ground or a “Good Morning” greetings from Steven Gerrard while he’s walking on LFC’s Melwood Drive pitch warming up for a mid-week session.

For a runner, that dream might be looping around the pitch in front of Saint Patrick´s High School in Iten. The legendary boys boarding school that brought the world so much distance running talent still creates this magical atmosphere. The pitch just beside the school’s front gate is a simple but magical place, where juniors warm up beside the greatest runners. The atmosphere is quiet, relaxed and focused.

With my current location beside the school, I am also able to use the pitch to warm up, cool down, and stretch. To run on that plain and simple 200m grass loop when the sun is rising is the perfect start to another training day. Being on the same spot, running the same loop while watching the sun set on the horizon marks the end of another perfect day in a perfect running environment.

Going home after experiencing this simple joy, and being able to look forward to a humble “good morning” greeting from Choge, Rudisha or Songok makes a grown man feel like a kid again.

Sunday is church-day in Kenya.

As I’m staying with locals I followed the golden “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” rule and went to 10 o´clock mass with the girls.

Antonia and Gladys made me wear the best outfit I had. “No runners. No t-shirt – it is Sunday. You have to look good!” After getting the final OK from the girls we walked to the “African Inland Church” in downtown Iten. Everybody was dressed up for the special day of the week. The place was jammed. As there was no space left the acolytes main job was to tell people to move together and make space for people coming into church late.

One major thing the girls did not tell me was that the mass was held in Swahili and that everybody visiting the church from outside the Iten community must stand up, say prayers and a quick hello to the parish. I think the church has never been that quite during mass when I stood up…

Nevertheless it was a great experience to see how other cultures celebrate the same religion. The mass took 3 hours but time flew by. Lots of singing and dancing with a prayer that, even in Swahili, is hard to beat by any western preacher.

The after christmas shopping hype is in full effect. A quick visit to my local running shop payed off for me.

Adidas Supernova Glide 2 M for 60EUR – You can not go wrong with that.

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This is more than stunning footage by the Astray Film Crew.
Running need clips like that!
Absolutelly love it – Outstanding work

It is nice to come home. To get home is not that nice these days!
The snow chaos and the impact on travelling is crazy.
Finally i made my way home to Germany.
Snow is still falling and makes running nearly impossible.