o·ver-the-top

Iten four weeks today. Time flies and just days left before heading back to a snow covered Scandinavia. A few hours ago I finished the last long run for this time, a nice run from Iten to Eldoret, and by finishing in Eldoret I also fulfilled my training plan. From snow in Karlstad... ...to bananas in Iten I have done more than running but most of the days are filled with running related activities. From morning sessions through three or four meals to afternoon sessions followed by dinner and an early evening. 06:00 First run 20-23k 08:00 Breakfast Rest 10:30 Chai and snack 12:30 Lunch Rest/Buying mangos and avocados 15:30 Second run 20-23k 17:30 Gym 19:00 Dinner 21:30 Bedtime Iten is an inspirational place for any runner. Many great runners come from this area and many more come here to train. When writing this text at Keirio View, I am hearing a constant flow of Italian words exchanged between two legends; Renato Canova, one of the world’s best

A broken arm in the suburbs of Nairobi. Young girl playing football when the accident occurs. Helpful man takes the girl to a public hospital. In the waiting line to get in to the doctor's, bone pipe pointing out. Brave girl waits patiently.  Next morning the helpful man calls to check everything is alright. The girl had not yet been treated.  Children are not highest priority at hospitals in Kenya. Loose a parent and you might end up with a bunch of orphans. Loose a child, the parent is still ok to take care of the other children. Life is hard for the poor in Kenya. That helpful man was a global citizen named Toby now living in Iten and New York. Years later Toby built the first public hospital for children in East Africa. In August 2015 the hospital opened and ever since nearly 40 000 children have been treated at Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital. On Christmas Eve Toby gathered athletes like Shoe4Africa ambassador and Olympic marathon champion from Rio Eliud K