Iten town set to win more athletes hearts as it hosts its own marathon

Nestled in the Elgeyo Marakwet highlands at 2400m above sea level, Iten has a name bigger than its miniature size.

Running has made the Elgeyo Marakwet County headquarters the Mecca of athletics.

Athletics talent has been nurtured in this tiny town with numerous dusty feeder roads that have played host to long runs which have birthed countless medals and podium spots in races across the world.

Even before dawn surrenders to sunrise, Iten is often alive with athletics stars racing against time as they test their speeds and resilience ahead of upcoming competitions.

In the town is the World Athletics Heritage Plaque awarded by the global governing body in 2019 but officially unveiled in February this year.

The Plaque overlooks the Tugen Hills of Baringo County in the east, and it symbolises Iten’s unrivaled talent production since the 1950s.

Today, the town admired by athletes and athletics enthusiasts the world over is hosting the fourth edition of Iten International Marathon – a race that the town hopes to use it to cement its status as the Home of global Champions.

Fans who will not make it to Iten will follow the action live on KTN.

Iten International Marathon, they say, highlights the celebration of decades of relentless pursuit for athletics glory and jaw dropping achievements attributed to the hard training in the Elgeyo Marakwet town.

Talk about athletics giants such as 1988 Olympic gold medalist in 1,500m Peter Rono, Matthew Birir (1992 Olympic gold in 3000m steeplechase), Wilson Kipketer (800m former world record holder in the year 2000), Wilson Boit (former world record holder, 3000m steeplechase and 2001 world champion), and Wilberforce Talel (2003 world champion in 10,000m) among others, and Iten will pop up.

This year’s edition is being staged at a time that Iten is still basking in the World Athletics Heritage Plaque glory.

“This only cements us as the Home of Champions. Come run with us- I invite the world, partners and athletes to run in Iten. We have World champions and Olympians who’ve trained here and live here. Alongside Ethiopia, we’re the only two places who’ve been privileged with this plaque,” Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich said.

In February this year, Athletics Kenya (AK) President Jackson Tuwei joined legends led by former National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) Paul Tergat in the unveiling of Iten’s heritage plaque at the scenic Iten arboretum.

With the unveiling, Iten joined Bekoji, the hometown of Ethiopian legends, Castelbuono (Italy), Hannut (Belgium), Fukuoka (Japan) and Ostrava (Czech Republic) in the list of towns that have been recognised for contributing immensely to athletics.

“Such moments remind me of such talent – World records, World Champions, Olympic Champion. As Athletics Kenya, we shall continue walking with Iten, for our athletes,” said Tuwei.

Like in the previous editions, legendary athletes and coaches are today expected to follow the show-stopping race live, on the sidelines and at the finish line.

For a county that prides itself in producing big names in athletics among them three-time 3,000m steeplechase Moses Kiptanui, Boit, marathon record holder the late Kelvin Kiptum, former record breakers Denis Kimetto, Wilson Kipsang and Brigid Kosgei, the finish line opposite the county headquarters is expected to be a sight to behold.

Coaches, who on most occasions don’t travel with their protégés to global races, are using the marathon to assess their athletes.

Among athletics tacticians who have rarely missed competitions in Iten, is Brother Colm O’Connell, an Irish missionary and teacher-turned coach.

O’Connell is considered one of the fathers of athletics coaching in Kenya, having trained Kenyan stars from the 1970s. In 2018, O’Connell was recognised during Mashujaa Day, just two months after an Iten road was named after him.

The road leading to St Patrick’s High School where he lives, was named O’Connell Street in his honour.

He has coached for nearly 50 years, making the high altitude town a powerhouse of world beaters.

He came to Kenya in 1976 and developed a passion for athletics, coaching dozens of runners before establishing a training camp in 1989.

The 800m Olympic champion and world record holder David Rudisha is among his highly regarded protégés.

“This is indeed a huge recognition. The athletes I have trained have made me who I am today,” O’Connell said after a street was named after him in August 2018.

By noon today, top athletes will have conquered the roads of Iten and the red carpet will have been rolled out for the podium finishers in a town that continues to produce world beaters.

But aside from the thrilling battles for honours in the 42km and 10km elite races as well as the 5km masters contest, the show has been billed to showcase the training base’s milestones in churning out talents.

Athletics stars are not only dominating tracks and roads; they joined the race to invest in and live in Iten after falling in love with the town.

From Elgon Valley hotel owned by the 2009 world 10,000m bronze medallist Moses Masai, to Kenyan-born Dutch legend Lornah Kiplagat’s Iten Club and Hilda Kibet’s Belio petrol stations, Iten prides in an epic growth resulting from athletes’ investments.

Lornah Kiplagat and her husband Pieter Langerhorst established the Lornah Kiplagat High Altitude training facility a decade ago.

It is the only modern track outside Nairobi, so far. It is located about three kilometres from Iten town.

With a number of scenic features within the town and adjacent areas including Iten Viewpoint, Kolol Viewpoint down on the escarpments and Kerio View Hotel precincts, which was once the headquarters of paragliding, Iten has become a magnet – pulling visitors that include foreign athletes.

Athletics enthusiasts will have enjoyed spectacular 42km and 10km races at the 2025 edition of the Iten International Marathon.

Throngs of visitors, who have been trooping to the town to catch a glimpse of the showdown and cheer marathoners, are eager to interact with Kenya’s prolific road and track stars.

As demonstrated in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions, Iten’s chilly weather especially during the morning hours isn’t likely to stop athletics enthusiasts from turning out in their traditional huge numbers.

From favourable weather and an altitude suitable for athletics training, to a high concentration of training camps, Iten maintains its stature.

Although athletics is an individual sport, camps and management define athletics competitions in Iten because runners associate with their training groups and they form teamwork based on that.

Training camps have inculcated in athletes the spirit of teamwork, making them compete as teams.

Counterparts, at training camps, who are not competing today are spectators.