Kenyan stars chase 50km world record down South

The Nike Kapsait Athletics Training Camp is a melting pot for athletes.

Most famously, the camp is home to women’s world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei.

It mostly houses distance running elites, both established and upcoming, all operating under the wings of celebrated, multi-talented coach Eric “Commando” Kimaiyo.

Kimaiyo has conjured up training programmes for the different athletes in camp – from juniors to seniors, from 800 metres specialists to marathon runners.

His training programme has now been further stretched with some of his charges having ventured into the world of ultra-marathon running, breaking beyond the traditional 42 kilometres into 50, 90 and even 100-kilometre races!

Like Shadrack Kiptoo and Lilian Chemweno.

The pair will be on the start line of a 50-kilometre race in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Sunday.

The two have been preparing for the “Nedbank Runified: Breaking Barriers” ultra-marathon 50km race that goes down in Port Elizabeth in South Africa Sunday with the elite field chasing the world record for the distance.

South Africa’s Thompson Magawana has held the world record at two hours, 43 minutes and 38 seconds since 1988 while the women’s record is held by Britain’s Aly Dixon at 3:07:20 since 2019.

Sunday’s race, which has attracted more than 70 invited athletes, will see women start at 8.15am local time (9.15am Kenyan time) followed by the men’s category will start at 8.45am (9.45am Kenyan time).

Kiptoo says he’s been training for the extra kilometres in a bid to get enough endurance mileage.

“I have prepared well for the race. My programme started in February after I was informed that there will be a 50km race. It was not easy when I started but I managed to catch up with the training because it’s slightly different,” Kiptoo told Nation Sport in Eldoret before boarding his flight to Nairobi to connect to South Africa on Thursday.

He’s happy with the build-up for the race and confident he can bag a personal best time and podium place.

“Training for the race was tricky because it came at a time when the world is facing a lot of challenges and that meant we had to train in small groups but I’m happy I managed to finish my programme,” he said.

He started by long runs going for one hour 20 minutes, extending the normal programme by 20 to 30 minutes, which he said he finished successfully.

“It will depend on how I will wake up that day and the weather, but my goal is to be on the podium as a winner though I understand the organisers are looking forward to a record,” said Kiptoo who won in Gabon Marathon in 2019, his last competitive race.

Chemweno, meanwhile, said she had asked her coach Kimaiyo if she could try her luck in the 50km distance and he agreed.

She is happy that she managed to finish the training programme ahead of the race.

“I have trained well and I will be competing against other good athletes but my goal is to do well in the race. It has been long since we participated in a race but now that I have a chance I must do my best,” said Chemweno.

Meanwhile, Kimaiyo, is happy that the pair’s training programme was flawless.

“I’m happy for the two because they trained well without any hitch and I’m sure they will do well on Sunday when they compete in the race. I want to wish them all the best in the race,” said Kimaiyo.

Jennifer Jepkosgei, Janet Cheruto and Naum Jepkosgei are some of the other Kenyans in the women’s category and eyeing the R650,000 (Sh5 million) prize money up for grabs in Port Elizabeth.