Marathon designed to showcase Iten

Naomy Chepkorir on her way to winning ladies 42 km race during the 2023 Iten International Marathon in Elgeyo Marakwet County. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Iten International Marathon, set for this Sunday, has been designed to showcase the goose that laid the golden eggs.

The high altitude town remains one of the world’s preferred destinations for training and the producer of Kenya’s world-beaters.

Today, as race sponsors converge in Iten, organisers will be updating partners and participants on the town’s readiness to host hundreds of athletes and athletics enthusiasts.

Yesterday, organisers said preparations to host an international event at the training base were nearing completion as athletes continued to register for the Sunday extravaganza.

Traditionally, the event is marked by a tree planting exercise which celebrates its Running for Climate Resilience theme.

Last year, the Climate Action ceremony was undertaken in areas near Kamariny Stadium.

Apart from the 42km showdown, a 10km contest will also be on the cards.

“We are happy to have given athletes the opportunity to compete. It is our hope that the prizes change the lives of the 80 athletes. During the previous editions, athletes bought land and built houses,” Elgeyo Marakwet Sports Executive Purity Koima said during the unveiling of the 2024 edition’s date.

From its 2400m elevation to its welcoming weather, and to its modest roads, and to its hospitable people, Iten will once again be reminding the world that it was still one of the world’s most preferred training bases.

Since the 1970s, Iten, which was awarded with the World Athletics Heritage Plaque four years ago for its critical in the production of global stars in athletics, has hosted Kenyan athletes and their counterparts from foreign countries.

Observers say other global training sites such as St Moritz in Switzerland, the Boulder in Colorado, USA, and Bekoji town in the neighbouring Ethiopia were yet to rival Iten.

Talk of where Kenya’s legendary athletes such as Ibrahim Hussein, the three-time Boston Marathons winner and one-time New York City Marathon champion, Peter Rono, the 1988 Olympic 1500m gold medalist, Wilson Boit Kipketer (1997 World 3000m Steeplechase champion), Matthew Birir (1992 Olympic 3000m Steeplechase champion) and 800m world record holder David Rudisha honed their superb running talents, and Iten town will pop up.

Others are Mary Keitany, the former women-only marathon record holder, former half marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei and former marathon record holder Denis Kimetto.

This Sunday, a number of Iten’s stars will be following the showdown on the sidelines.

Every early morning in Iten, troops of world beaters in athletics, both local and foreigners take to the roads - off to the villages and forests in Sing’ore and areas around Kipsoen before returning to their tiny town for a simple breakfast of tea and bread, and then off to the massage rooms.

From track icons to road race beasts, Iten hosts a big number of world (current and former) record holders as men and women who have obliterated course records in city races across the globe.

The town has been described by observers as the mecca of athletics.

The weather, especially during early mornings is frosty but hasn’t stopped athletes on their journey to the pinnacle from training.

This Sunday, the budding athletes will be facing their experienced counterparts.

Those recovering from blistering contests will be following the Iten contest closely at the finish line near Elgeyo Marakwet Governor’s office in Iten.