Hi my footling’s,

I have just returned back from an amazing trip to Kenya with the Virgin London Marathon team. This was a slightly different press trip to those I have seen previously because this time we had the opportunity to go to the epicentre of marathon running – a small town called Iten.

Iten is a small farming village, perched 7,875ft on the western escarpment of the Great Rift Valley where there is no such thing as a flat road or path. It is here that the UK endurance athletes are preparing for London 2012. These stars include Mo Farah, Paula Radcliffe, Helen Clitheroe and Steph Twell. This is part of UK Athletics endurance initiative, supported by the London Marathon, which funds the athletes training at the High Altitude Training Centre set up by Lornah Kiplagat and her husband Pieter Langerhorst. An Olympic medal is the only honour that has eluded Lornah in her long career, something that she is hoping to put right in London.

Paula Radcliffe and Mo take time out of training in Iten, Kenya.

Some quick facts for you about Iten - The average annual wage is about £375 and the town only has a population of 4,000 – 5,000. About 1,000 of these are runners which makes the following statistic unreal: 75% of Kenya’s medals at last years World Championships came from runners born or living in Iten!

So why were the Virgin London Marathon in deep Kenya? With Kenya’s dominance in the World Marathon Majors last year (every male race was won by a Kenyan!) race director David Bedford felt it was right to hold the elite Men’s press conference on the edge of the Rift Valley.

The world’s greatest marathon press conference setting was only bettered by the field announced. 10 male athletes have personal bests below 2:05:30 including the World Record holder Patrick Makau, last year’s London winner Emmanuel Mutai, two time World Champion Abel Kirui, the 2^nd fastest man in history Wilson Kipruto and 3-time London winner Martin Lel. Not bad 16 weeks before the Olympic Games which goes to show that it is harder to win the Virgin London Marathon than the 2012 London Olympics! There are only 3 Kenyans in the Olympics!

That was not the only reason why the London Marathon was in town. They have been working hard behind the scenes to help promote Iten tourism and an identity with the heritage that is producing the world’s greatest distance athletes.

Arch to Arch race with 200 local school children

The famous Iten Arch has been given a much needed facelift and now lets the world know that Iten it is truly the ‘Home of Champions’. In fact there are now two arches in Iten and the inaugural ‘Arch to Arch’ kids race saw 200 local children aged 7-15 race from the lower arch to the top arch (distance 2,000m). I have obviously seen many Kenyan adults run over the years but not young Kenyans. The running techniques were so natural and efficient I felt I was learning from them! It is said that Kenyan children will have ran 18,000 times before a western child has started to train. This may explain their speed and efficiency.

Winners of the kids Arch to Arch race with British athlete Steph Twell

There was a small personal touch added to both arches from the race director. Two cockerels stand firm at the top of the arch that used to symbolise a political party. Now it symbolises Dave Bedford’s favourite football team – Tottenham Hotspur!

The Home of Champions would not be complete without a good running store and Iten can now boast the ‘London Marathon Store’ owned by Willy Songok. We are still not sure how he managed to afford the celebrity fees but marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe and current 5,000m World Champion Mo Farah were able to officially open the store. Stocks include much needed chocolate and performance enhancing giraffes!

Official opening of the Iten London Marathon Store - With Paula and Mo.

The weekend was wrapped up with the launch of the ‘Wall of Champions’ in Eldoret (a larger town 30 minutes from Iten) that celebrates every single Kenyan winner of the London Marathon in Eldoret. Douglas Wakiihuri starts the wall off as he was the first Kenyan to win the London Marathon in 1989. Since then 11 Kenyans have won the race with Emmanuel Mutai and Mary Keitany being 2011 champions.

Martin Lel and David Bedford open Eldorets Wall of Champions

The most successful athlete in London is Martin Lel who has won the race 3 times and was 2^nd last year despite suffering many injuries over the last 2 years.

Wall of Champions - Every Kenyan London Marathon Winner.

Lel was there to open the Wall on the main road into Eldoret from Nairobi. A special moment occurred at the opening when Lel and agent Federico Rosa stood in front of Olympic and London Marathon champion, the late Samuel Wanjiru. Wanjiru along with every other London Marathon winners’ achievements will now be celebrated for many years to come. Above them it reads “Virgin London Marathon - Where champions are made.”

Dr Rosa, Martin Lel and agent Federico agent pose with lost Olympic champion Samuel Wanjiru