Although this is a generalization, it seems that Kenyan runners need to be very persistent and determined in order to 'make it'. Because of the disproportional amount of great runners in Kenya, many talented runners don't make it to international races. In fact, in one year there were 278 Kenyan men who ran the Olympic qualifying time, while only two British men accomplished this (Finn). This means that while a runner may only be ordinary in Kenya, he or she could be outstanding in another country, but they still wouldn't be able to make the national team. This may lead to Kenyan runners working harder, and pushing each other more in a never-ending circle in which they will only get better.
Many Kenyans agree that "hard training is [their] secret" (Tanser). Most Kenyan runners will train for years and years and become amazingly skillful runners, but will never get any recognition or chance to show their skills because they are overshadowed by their other more talented teammates. Yet still, they train on. These ideas of persistence are reflected in the dreams of hopeful runners such as William Kiprono, who says that he "[knows] he will make it with hard training" even though he has been exclude from the national team for years (Tanser). Japhet Koech of Kenya had trained hard, with many other professional runners every single day for five years without getting anything in return. No money, no recognition. Nothing. So why would they do this? Brother Colm, who has coached some of the most successful Kenyan athletes as high schoolers in Iten, points out that "they run hard because they love to run hard," (Tanser).
So perhaps this is the secret: they love to run. Although there are a lot of other people who love to run too, but still aren't even close to the talent of Kenyan runners. But it does seem to be more entwined in the running culture; that is, the love to run, the love of working hard, and the belief that it will take you where you want to be.
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