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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 BRONX N. Y. VOLUME 43 ISSUE #5 Van Cortlandt Track Club newsletter My Kenyan Adventure by Kyle Ha! This summer presented me with one of those unique moments in life when I knew I had to strike while the iron was hot. Everything came together running-wise, financially, & in terms of my summer break from teaching. I was then off to Africa. My flights all went well. Emirates is an incredible airline and I ate very well onboard (i.e. grilled tofu with vegetables, fruit salads, Indian rice with beans, etc.) There were literally hundreds of movies and tv shows to watch and everyone had his/her own individual tv screen and advanced remote. 'Stars' lit up the cabin ceiling at night. The flight was 11 hours 41 minutes from JFK to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I landed in the Middle East for the first time ever and was immediately struck by the opulence of Dubai. Giant sparkling columns lined the high ceilinged airport. Triple story cascading Kyle with Daniel Rono by the pool at th" waterfalls fell near giant elevators. All local Muslim women I saw High Altitude Training Centr" had their heads covered and men wore flowing white robes with long white head scarves (sorry, I don't know the proper terms for those). The world's only 7 star hotel, Al Burj Dubai, sat nearby--on its own private island. The airport's Burger King carried the 'Bean Patty--Veg' sandwich. Of course, I left the airport and explored a bit outside but then had to report back to Emirates fairly quickly for my connecting flight. En route to Nairobi, I saw the reddish sands of Saudi Arabia, leading into the beige sands of Yemen. We crossed over the Gulf of Aden and into Ethiopia. It was 4.5 hours from Dubai to Nairobi. Before I'd even caught my final connecting flight to Eldoret, Kenya, I encountered a slender man whose brand new Nike running shoes stretched out to my chair leg. He sat within my comfort zone, which does not really exist here, and I actually pushed away from him at first. I then noticed white Nike socks. I soon asked him for the time and saw a Nike running watch. 'Do you run?' I asked. 'Yes,' he replied. I was sitting next to Vincent Kituro, returning home from running the Sapporo Half Marathon, in Japan. He was somewhat disappointed in his 1:02 finish--because it was humid. Vincent's marathon P.R. (personal record) is 2:05:13 [world record:2:03:59] He trains with Robert Cheruyiot--2010 Boston Marathon Champion. They're both training to make Kenya's Olympic team for London 2012. Vincent and I talked a while and I'm sure I scared him off with my 10,000 questions. We then boarded a fairly small Jetlink aircraft for the 35 minute flight to Eldoret, in western Kenya. Landing in darkness, it was pretty eerie. The only lights were directly next to the runw (con’t next page) VCTCONLINE.NING.COM! PAGE 1 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 BRONX N. Y. VOLUME 43 ISSUE #5 This was Eldoret International actually good. As we left the mixture, and unbelievable Airport. The runways are store, I observed a man shredded-marinated cabbage. international standard, though, jumping onto the side of a The dining center was packed and we taxied for a while. We moving Nissan van (similar to with lots of young runners, then deplaned in what looked VW vans), used as buses here, from Kenya, the U.S., & like a parking lot, directly next and hanging on--trying to be England. to a curb and the back doors of let in to the completely packed The High Altitude Training the airport. Not a single other van. He clung for his life as the Centre, located at 8,000 feet plane was to be seen. The van sped down the road, elevation, is astounding. With entire 'terminal' was essentially eventually being let inside. expertly manicured grounds a lobby. We arrived at the High and impeccable maintenance 'Kyle Hall' was written on Altitude Training Centre at and cleanliness--all floors a paper held by a Kenyan lad about 9 p.m. local time. I indoor and outdoor are named Ken who had arrived to scrubbed by hand with towels pick me up. We were soon on !I ran yesterday and sponges every day--we our way along darkened roads evening with Richard into Eldoret. I feared the entire Mochke, a 1:01 half time that we would mow down marathoner” any number of the legions of people riding bicycles along assumed I would not eat dinner the side of the road in this night but upon arrival in darkness, without helmets or the dining center, I was greeted lights. We stopped at a large, by several of the endless open air supermarket which number of Centre employees-- was just as modern as a Kroger all extremely gracious and have open courtyards, a pool, a or Stop N Shop. It was strange kind--and served an amazing 4 soon to be opened restaurant seeing juice for 200 sh. and course meal:salad, 'soya' (but not while I'm here), state buying a bag of popcorn for 90 chunks marinated with of the art gym, 2 saunas, 2 sh. Of course, those prices are tomatoes, a fantastic rice (continued next page) Van Cortlandt Track Club 2009 Board of Directors President: Bette Clark Vice Presidents: Ken Rolston, Dave King Secretary: Jill Staats Treasurer: Larry Barazzotto 2009 Executive Committee Social Director: Dick Conley Newsletter Editors: Dave King, Norris Ogard Controllers: Mike and Pat Hudick Membership Director: Kevin Shelton-Smith Public Relations: Arnie Gore Athletic Director: Ken Rolston Clothing Director: David Isaac UEC Race Director: Allen Steigerwald X-Country Series Race Director: Fred Daly Ramble Race Director: Kate Donovan Website Committee: Lou Netter, Kevin Shelton"Smith, Mike Lee, Jeff Powell, Dominic Lombardo, Tony Thoman Club workouts are held Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. !roads/trails" VCTCONLINE.NING.COM! PAGE 2 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 BRONX N. Y. VOLUME 43 ISSUE #5 massage rooms (approx. $20 filled donut for breakfast this coaching the Netherland distance U.S. for 2 hour massage), m o r n i n g . R u n n e r s a r e runners at London 2012. conference room, and 20+ everywhere. Yesterday evening, in the rooms, most with individual Grasshoppers are also as gym were second fastest bathrooms. I'm in room 3 and large as small birds and the dung woman's half marathoner of all have my own bathroom and two beetles are the size of half my time doing core exercises across single beds, along with a hand. from an Olympian from Qatar, wardrobe closet and night-stand. I ran yesterday evening with who was working out directly All Kenyans I've met are Richard Mokche--1:01 half next to a female Kenyan e x t r e m e l y s o c i a l , v e r y marathoner--and sat at a dining Olympian. welcoming--many do say room table yesterday afternoon Just another day in Iten. 'Welcome' and a Centre security shooting the breeze with Lornah I asked Pieter yesterday how guard (yes, we also have 24 hour Kiplagat--current holder of 4 many professional runners he security) told me this morning world records and 2 time thinks there are in this area that he loves me & my visit here. Olympian for The Netherlands around Iten, a pretty small, rural The foods are great--lentils with (she founded the Centre). Her town. '800-900' was his reply. carrots for lunch today; a large, husband and coach Pieter That is probably more, I am flatbread pancake-type thing for Langerhorst stayed even longer SURE, than ALL professional breakfast yesterday and a jelly- in conversation. He'll be (continued next page) HUNTE LAW GROUP, P.C. ADRIAN C. HUNTE, ESQ. P.O. 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VCTC Online attract new members, so we When running with Richard Update welcome non-members joining yesterday he said that probably 5 the website to learn more about of every 10 people in this village by Kevin Shelton#Smith us, but we know that you want a run and of those, '8 of every 10' place on it that’s just for us. are professional elites. They were There is now a Members-Only everywhere during our run along The new website is a Group, where you will find dirt roads.