After Christmas dining and merrymaking, there cannot be a better way to burn the calories than doing some running.
In Nyeri, over 300 athletes will compete in the 12th Karindi Cross Country Championships on Wednesday.
According to the race organiser Jackson Gichuki, the contest has been consistently growing over the years as runners come for a high altitude test as they gear up for the climax of the cross country season.
“We expect big names tomorrow as has been the tradition. This race has not only been a testing ground for upcoming talents, but it has been a platform of sharpening skills for the elite runners as they prepare for other races. It is a challenging course,” he said.
The cross country season kicked off in earnest on November 23 at Machakos during the first Athletics Kenya meeting before it headed to Sotik on December 14. The third meeting was held at Ol Kalou in Nyandarua last weekend as athletes build-up towards making it to the national team to the Sixth African Cross country championships slated for next April in Lome, Togo.
Among those expected are Mombasa International Marathon champion Paul Nyawira, six-time Lewa Marathon winner Philemon Baaru and Africa race walk champion Samuel Gathimba.
Also expected will be runners from Nyandarua, Kirinyaga, Embu, Murang’a and Kiambu, among other counties.
Gichuki said the local community has been of great help in organising the event which they deem as a platform for talent growth and development.
“Over the years, the local community has owned this event and they give us immense support in a bid to sustain it. We hope to have a big cheering crowd as usual and many upcoming talents testing their strength along with professional runners,” said Gichuki.
He called upon the Nyeri County’s sports department to support the meet which he termed as the only consistent race in the county.
“I have not communicated to the sports department formally, but I know they know this race exists. We are hoping that they will come on board soon,” he noted.