Ngai, But Krees, Ah'm So Tyahed!

So, I feel as if it's been a little while since I wrote anything. I feel like talking about my experience running with the kids over here. I remember first talking to people about the Hope Runs program, and how Heather and I were going to help coach the Kenyan kids to run. I do believe that the most common response I received was,"Ha! You all are going to teach Kenyans to run?" Again, more often than not, there were squinty eyes and a smirk behind the question.

First of all, I was usually careful to say "help coach," and not "teach." I do understand my limitations as a 35 year old former real estate attorney. Second, yes, many of these kids are fast. Real fast. One of the Grade 8 kids ran an 18:30 five kilometer race last year as either a 12 or 13 year old. That's crusing along at about a 5:58 per mile. There's another kid who ran a 9:47 in the 3000 last year when he was 16. That's around a 5:14 per mile average. Um, yes...again, I say this is fast. As in, "Damn.....did you see how fast that kid is?" Third, and I think what most everyone, including your humble blogger, forgot is that these are kids. I don't care what country you are in, there are kids who will hate to run, especially when it is mandatory.

I'm going to give you an example. This Christmas, my inlaws were unbelievably kind, and gave me a Garmin GPS trainer. I'm using the thing non-stop. (Except for last week, when I caught a stomach bug/worm or microbe). Here are two workouts I've done in the past few days on the exact same trail. One is with the kids, and one is by myself. Guess which one was with the kids. Remember, it is the exact same trail.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details

Garmin Connect - Activity Details

You may first note that on one map, my route shows thicker in some areas, indicating that I was running back and forth repeatedly over the same trail. Or, you may have noticed that while one trail was 4.59 miles, the other was 5.7 miles. Again, for the same trail. Others of you may have noticed that one trail took approximately twice as long to complete. Finally, the more adept of you may have seen that I entitled one Big Loop by Self, and the other Big Loop with Kids.

Anyway, the point is that we are working with children. As a result, while some kids may be flying through the workout, I'm at the back hearing, "Ngai, but Krees, Ah'm so tyahed. " I hear this a lot. Ngai is Kikuyu for God, by the way.

Obviously, all of this is said jokingly. It is interesting, though, that across cultures, kids are still kids. And, these kids just started their running training right when we got here. Over the last month, the kids at the back have dropped about a minute and a half to two minutes from their mile times. Even those that don't want to are improving in spite of themselves. Makes me feel good about our time here :)

As usual, here are a few pics.
Kasper


My feet post-run. Please note the redish hue and stubby toes.

Heather's feet post-run. Please note the redish hue, but dainty ankles and shapely calves.

The Kenyans like to eat a tortilla-esque flatbread called "chipati." It is really good. Unlike tortillas, it is cooked in oil. The kids made a batch of it a few days ago out of this torso-shaped mound of dough.
Cooking of the chipati.
Our good friend Elizabeth, tired from getting 30 kids to cook the chipati.