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Kenya Winners Feature
Eisenhower Marathon
Running four miles to school as children in Kenya influenced Eisenhower
Marathon winner Silverus Kimeli and his brother Shadrack, who won
the half marathon in Abilene March 27. Both brothers are currently
in the U.S. on track scholarships with Shadrack at K-State and Silverus
in Oklahoma City.
"Since there was no bus system, we walked or ran to school,"
Shadrack said. "Our parents are small farmers and our favorite
activities were running and playing soccer." Silverus, who
was running his first marathon while in Abilene, also remembers
running to school daily and dreamed about running marathons when
young.
"Marathon running is something I have been longing to do since
I joined college," Silverus said. "I am always jolly and
not sad when running."
Silverus said that the hardest part about the marathon distance
is needing patience because it takes a great deal of time. His training
included one 20-mile run weekly, and he won the Eisenhower in 2:49:55.
"It's mind breaking," Silverus said. "You have to
be prepared both physically and mentally."
Silverus hopes to win a gold medal in the Olympics someday.
Shadrack, who won the Abilene half marathon in 1:10:41 participated
earlier in the marathon event in Kansas City, also winning their
half marathon.
Shadrack wants to win the Boston Marathon someday, since it is highly
respected by people in Kenya. He says the hardest part about marathons
is the exhaustion runners encounter and the amount of water they
must drink throughout the race.
Shadrack doesn't have a coach for his long-distance running, and
trains by running 60-80 miles each week with a pace under six minutes
per mile. Shadrack landed at K-State after Coach Randy Cole recruited
him from a small junior college in Texas and offered Shadrack a
full track scholarship.
Silverus earned his first degree at the University of Arkansas,
and he is now working on his masters in Oklahoma. Altogether the
Kimeli family has five children studying in the States, with one
brother at KU, one brother in Michigan and a sister in Texas.
Shadrack advises beginners to "never ever give up; there is
a finish line. Just run until you forget you are running."
Shadrack enjoys the terrain in Manhattan because it is hilly like
his home country.
"I was brought up in the upcountry, so I was used to space,"
Shadrack said. "Right now after one foot of space, there is
your neighbor."
Life in Kenya is totally different than in the U.S., according to
Shadrack.
"We grew up in a tropical climate with many trees and much
rain. It is rare to see flat land at home. Wildlife is everywhere,
so monkeys there are like squirrels here. I miss most watching the
zebras going down to the river to get water."
Silverus said that at home they walked to shop and to look for food,
as well as walking and running to school. The nearest city to their
home is Eldoret, about 200 miles from the capital city of Nairobi.
"Ninety-five percent of the people in our area live without
electricity," Silverus said. "It is easier to get around
in the U.S. and opportunities are abundant here."
Shadrack mentioned that the social life is also quite different
here.
"Over here people are on a time schedule, while at home people
are not really keen on time," Shadrack said. "We have
a saying which is that there is no hurry in Africa."
Silverus has a favorite saying from Emily Dickinson, "Hope
is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings
the tunes without the words, and never stops at all."
Both brothers plan to return to Kenya to work after completing their
studies in the U.S.
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