Two-time world marathon champion Abel Kirui and Barcelona Half Marathon champion Victor Chumo are planning for a 45km road race dubbed Patriotic Road Run across three North Rift counties in the coming weeks.
The duo revealed that they are still seeking clearance from the National Police Service and the Ministry of Health due to the current restrictions aimed at combating coronavirus in the country.
Of significance in the social-distancing aspect which Kirui says will give them no headache since it is just the two of them running across Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
The 2012 Olympic Games marathon silver medalist added that this will ensure that their hard work in training towards the 2020 Prague Half Marathon, which has since been postponed, doesn't go to waste.
“We are still discussing on the fine details of the race. We want to pass through Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties, which are renown with athletics," said Kirui, the 2009 Rotterdam marathon bronze medallist.
The former Chicago marathon winner said they will be using the race on the need to self-distance as the battle against coronavirus intensifies.
“We have been at my school, Great Joy Educational Centre with Chumo but still maintaining social distance — more than 10 metres, not just two as the government has suggested,” said the former Vienna marathon winner.
The two-time world marathon champion, 2009 in Berlin and 2011 in Daegu, added: “We do exercises till evening covering between 20km to 30km a day."
On COVID-19, Kirui said the government should set aside a testing point for all runners, test them all and those found to be negative be allowed to return to training.
“Training individually won’t help us a lot. I suggest the government to test all of us,” said the former Samitui Primary School captain.
“It is painful to see an athlete like me, failing to run in a race that I had prepared well for. We can't do without physiotherapists and the challenge is on the government and managers to come up with a solution."
