Sporty lessons from banker-cum-scientist

Cheruiyot Kirui, a banker. He says running is therapeutic. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • We have great abilities and untapped potential. I used to marvel at athletes who could run the full 42 kilometres, but now I am capable of that and more.
  • The world is beautiful. Running has become my excuse to spend money on travel both within and outside the country.

Cheruiyot Kirui, 36, is not your typical banker. He is also a scientist and an author. In his free time, he likes to take part in marathons, and is a mountain climbing enthusiast who has so far gone up Mount Kenya, Mt Kilimanjaro, Rwenzori and several peaks of the Aberdares. He details his experiences.

If you were to run around Mt Kenya, how long would you take?

I have done it a few times in under one day. My best time is five hours 34 minutes from Old Moses Camp to Lenana peak and back.

Your friends say that there was a time you couldn’t run to save your life. What changed?

They also say that I was potbellied but I was not. I was just a little chubby and weighed around 70 kilogrammes. Now I am at 61 kg.

But yes, I could not run at all until 2014, when I developed an interest in mountain climbing after seeing how exquisite Mt Kilimanjaro looked while on a work excursion in Loitoktok.

That is why I took up long distance running. I needed to get my fitness levels up so that I could participate in mountain climbing.

That year, I climbed Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro. In 2015, I joined the Urban Swaras, a running club that organises races every Saturday morning to help its members achieve their fitness goals, ward off lifestyle diseases, or to just have fun.

You have taken part in many marathons. Which one was the most punishing?

Some of the notable ones I have taken part in include the Kakamega Forest Marathon (2015), Victoria Falls Marathon (2016), Kigali Marathon (2018), Berlin Marathon (2017), and Tor des Geants, Italy, in 2019.

Tor des Geants is the longest marathon I have ever done. The course was 389 kilometres long and it took me 149 hours and eight minutes to complete.

Being on the move both day and night for a week was tough. I barely slept because it was so cold up in the Alps, and then I picked up an injury.

The course was mountainous and the climbs and descents were torturous. I have put together my experiences in a book – An Ultra Marathon: Story of the Tor Des Geants.

What is the most interesting thing about training for marathons?

Seeing people bring chapatis, sweet potatoes and maize flour to international races.

I used to think that it was unnecessary, but I soon embraced the culture and carried a few chapos to Chicago.

A Kenyan friend had carried millet flour made porridge, and even shared it with runners from other countries, many who had never tasted that type of porridge.
How do you keep yourself focused and motivated?

Interestingly, I don’t think about anything specific.

I do not even listen to music. My mind is usually so unsettled. However, when I have targets, my mind is usually busy throughout the course helping me keep the required pace.

However, I try to engage in some sightseeing while running along the route. I don’t observe any routines before my runs, but I always experience a great deal of excitement and anxiety, especially before the start of a long anticipated race.

What has long distance running taught you about life?

The world is beautiful. Running has become my excuse to spend money on travel both within and outside the country.

Also, we have great abilities and untapped potential. I used to marvel at athletes who could run the full 42 kilometres, but now I am capable of that and more.
During these uncertain times, do you still hold training sessions?

Yes, but individually, and always within Nairobi. I often go to train at Karura or Ngong Hills. Before the pandemic, I used to go to the gym every morning, do the running on weekends and participate in international marathons when on my annual leave.

I know you are trying to eat healthy and stay fit, but what is your favourite indulgence?

To be honest, I am not very strict about what I eat. I still enjoy a few beers and nyama choma whenever I want, but I always make a point of exercising.

If you had a chance, what would you tell your younger self about fitness?

Keeping fit and healthy should not be a luxury, but a way of life. In my 20s, fitness was the last thing on my mind. But since I started my fitness journey, I feel a lot more revitalised. Running is therapeutic.