ST: Where are you staying?

Tenille: I am staying at the High Altitude Training Centre [HATC] in Iten. The centre was established by Lornah Kiplagat in 1999. Since that time the HATC has grown to include a fully equipped gym, a 25 meter pool, lounge area (with a cappuccino maker and satellite TV), 2 kitchens, conference area, and 36 double capacity rooms. The HATC has been host to some of the most accomplished athletes in the world including Wilson Kipsang, Wilson Kiprop, and Paula Radcliffe, who just finished a training block here. Darren Smith, coach of Lisa Norden and Sarah Groff, came here with his group in 2010 to train. Iten is a multicultural place hosting an incredible diversity of world class athletes.

ST: Who are some of the athletes you are running with?

Tenille: I run with several incredible people staying here at the training centre. Tony is a Kenyan runner who is recovering from an accident on a motor bike. Ian O'Riordan is a fantastically witty Irish journalist and runner. And, until recently, I also ran with Frederick Edlund, a Swedish ultra-distance runner. Training here I have found that, in keeping with the Kenyan way, working together is best. I have been able to count on numerous people here to keep me going and to help me appreciate the land and running here. I also have been able to count on my coach Zane Castro back home in Austin, Texas, who is trying to help me stay on track and keep the big picture in mind. I follow his program and without his guidance to anchor me, I would likely overtrain and injure myself trying to keep up with the Kenyans.

ST: How do the Kenyan runners explain their philosophy?

Tenille: Iten, at 2500 meters altitude, is where a lot of the base work is done. Kenyans do not expect to develop speed here as it is too high - this is done at 1900 meters in Eldoret, which is close by. The rhythm of the sessions that many Kenyans go by is track on Tuesday, fartlek on Thursdays, and long run on Saturdays. Sundays are off and the other days are recovery based. They make each of their sessions count and really use each other to push the pace and efforts. You often see groups of 10-15 people together and very rarely do they ever run alone. Running is very serious business. When they are running, people, cars, cows and goats stay out of their way. I think many people do not understand just how mentally tough Kenyan runners are. I believe this is what makes them the best in the world.

ST: Running in Kenya must be feast for the senses?

Tenille: The morning begins with the birds singing and roosters crowing. The sun comes up in a bright red glow, the ground is damp with dew and the air is fresh. as I meet my new running friends for our early morning wake up jog. There is an expression in Kenya that is very fitting. It is “pole, pole,” meaning, “slowly, slowly.” This is what you have to do when you arrive at an altitude of 2500 meters or 8000 feet. The run starts slowly as we feel our way on the hard packed red dirt road. It is quiet except for the sound of our own breathing. We are not alone as there are streams of other runners also silent on the road. Despite the fact that we are all running “easy,” I note that Kenyans run with the fluidity of water. They move easily in and around the land – it is almost a dance. We are together but alone in our thoughts, at least until one of us says, ‘Wow this place is incredible!’