So it has been quite some time since I posted anything to this blog. First I’m lazy. Second, I forgot the password. Nonetheless I am back in action.
Last weekend I went on the best trip of my life. Before I left I emailed Renato Canova just incase he might be in Eldoret or Iten and I could meet with him. For those you don’t know who this is read about him here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renato_Canova
We left Saturday night and arrived in Eldoret Sunday morning. We slept in the bus for a bit since we arrived about 4 am and the matatus to Iten would start going until 6. Once we arrived in Iten we walked through town a bit and found a place to eat breakfast. I had an omelet and coffee. This cost about Ksh 70. In USD that’s about 85¢… yeah cheap! Once you leave Nairobi and away from tourist places everything is extremely cheap for american standards. We sat and enjoyed the morning while we waited to meet with one of Bro Daniel’s friends (Elizabeth). Once she arrives, with her son (Peter), we took tea and some snacks. As we sat we were joined by Bernard Kiptanui Kiptum. PR in the 1500 is 3:33. We had a long conversation with him about all sorts of things. Shortly after we left to walk town, during which Canova called me to set up a time we could meet. We walked down to View Point to look into the rift valley. Truly breathtaking!
We went up to Kamirany to see the famous dirt track. We toured the grounds and then walked the country side.
We ended up walking to Kerio View Hotel. We sat and enjoyed the view.
Then went to eat in the restaurant.
We relaxed there for the evening and waited to meet with Canova. He was delayed so we went to town and booked a hotel room for Ksh 1200 (about USD 15) and to send Elizabeth and Peter on their way home. Just a quick note, the first pic in this post has our hotel in the background. Then returned to meet with Canova at the restaurant around 8. We spent somewhere over an hour talking to him. I told him I would love to return to “study” under him for coaching. He was very welcoming to the idea and even suggested I come in beginning of the year months as the athletes won’t travel much then and will get more consistent training in during that time. I think as long as I graduate in December, I will be moving to Iten for awhile.
The next day we stayed in Iten longer than we probably expected. We went down the valley a bit to Tambach. There we visited some school and Peter at his Kindergarten class.
We also visited Elizabeth’s house. Then we went back to town and caught matatu back to Eldoret. There we met Evans a good friend of Daniel’s, who was on his way to become a Christian Brother, but then decided not to and now has a wife and two kids. In the streets we met Isaac Songok and talked with him for awhile. The rest of Monday and Tuesday we toured Eldoret. Finally, we returned to Nairobi Wednesday morning.
jamesrwalters 