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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Run like a Keyan or maybe better a Kalenjin

Occasionally while  running in the park I will see a T-shirt that says "Run Like a Keynan". A more precise and accurate phrasing might read "Run like a Kalenjin"

Indeed most runners might admire or envy the impressive running speed and endurance that Kenyan runners  have demonstrated

The Kakenjin tribe in Kenya account for only 12% of the total population of the county, but about 75% of the elite Kenyan runners are Kalenjins.

Danish researchers attempted to determine why Kenyans are so good at endurance running events. They found that the Kenyans do not have a higher maximal oxygen uptake (V02Max) nor a higher aerobic threshold than other elite endurance athletes  but that they simply were more efficient runners. This the researcher attributed to their body type, specifically long thin legs.That does not mean that Kalenjins do not have a high 02 max,They certainly do but that is not their distinguishing
characteristic.  Long thin legs and high V02 max and efficiency  seem to be the keys.


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