Apr 11, 2008, 10:57 GMT
Nairobi - At the height of Kenya's post-election violence, most of the country's renowned runners had to drastically change their training regimen to avoid getting entangled in the wave of skirmishes that left more than 1,000 people killed.
Rather than run along the dirt roads that wind through the Rift Valley province - where most of Kenya's middle and long distance runners come from and also the epicentre of the violent conflict - athletes had to run hidden in the scraggly bush that peppers the landscape.
When training in the central highlands, members of the Kalenjin tribe who hail from the Rift Valley needed a police escort, at times up to eight officers, to prevent attacks from rival Kikuyus.
Kenya's runners suffered a severe setback during the crisis over disputed elections. But rather than throw in the towel, the athletes are using the upcoming Beijing Summer Olympic Games to promote reconciliation and ratchet up national pride amongst Kenyans still reeling from the ethnic violence.
'When we are running, we are not running for our tribe,' said Paul Kipsiele Koech, an Olympic bronze medallist who runs the 3,000 metre steeplechase. 'We run for our country.'
Kenya descended into chaos after President Mwai Kibaki was declared winner of December's disputed elections. The Rift Valley exploded, with members of Koech's tribe, the Kalenjin, chasing away Kikuyus, Kibaki's tribesmen, using machetes, bows and arrows and burning scores alive.
The elevation in Rift Valley province and the hills of Central province mean most of Kenya's runners are either Kalenjin or Kikuyu.
'Many athletes were looking at Kalenjin runners as enemies. It brought a lot of tension and it will take time to heal,' said Elias Makori, sports editor for Kenya's leading paper, the Daily Nation.
That tribal animosity could act as a detriment to the team, but Koech, 27, said he feels no resentment for his Kikuyu running mates, despite revenge attacks by Kikuyu gangs that were sparked by the Rift Valley violence.
He said having Kenyans from all tribes seeing the multi-ethnic running teams compete and prepare for the Olympics is a form of reconciliation.
'We don't see one another as Kikuyu or Kalenjin. We compete as friends,' he said.
Athletics Kenya, the body that holds qualification runs for the Olympics, has competitions in different parts of the country to train runners in various climates and elevations.
While the organization struggled to keep the trainings going during the post-election crisis, Athletics Kenya boss David Okeyo said the country-wide competitions are back on and are seen as a tool for healing ethnic tensions.
'(Runners) are able to move from place to place and no one will attack them. It's a sign that not only athletics but sports in general can unite the ethnic groups,' he said.
But the road to reconciliation is a long one after the violence that saw neighbour turn on neighbour in the ordinarily stable and peaceful East African nation known for its champion runners.
Some runners were accused of funding the violence, an allegation that may have tarnished their image as heroes. Koech and Okeyo deny the accusation.
Meanwhile, at least two athletes were killed in the clashes and famed runner Paul Tergat reportedly received death threats from Kikuyu runners.
With the unrest behind them, Kenya's runners need to make up for lost time ahead of the Olympics.
'Our guys are endurance athletes so they need to clock in as many miles as possible every day. If they're not able to it really affects their performance,' Makori said.
Okeyo said the nation's 30- to 40-member Olympic running team has no doubt had a hard time recuperating from the tragic violence, but he's hopeful that Kenya will shine at the games in Beijing and will once again be a source of national pride.
'We are putting every effort to see that athletes train well and are ready for the forthcoming games. Things are coming back to normal,' he said.
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