A little bit about West Pokot

The remoteness of West Pokot is well illustrated by the shortness of its Wikipedia page. There is, though, within the 6 sentences of that epic read (one of which is the glorious revelation "Pokot people inhabit the area.") a hint at something significant: "Tegla Loroupe, one of the most famous Kenyan female runners is from West Pokot."

A typical sight in West Pokot

In fact, Pokot is part of the north-west Rift Valley quadrant of Kenya which is responsible for about as many of the world's top ten marathon runners in the last decade as... the rest of the world put together. Did you notice that a Kenyan won the marathon at the world championships a few days ago? He was raised in Eldoret, in the Rift Valley. The world marathon world record holder? Paul Tergat, from the Rift Valley. If I ran a single mile 90 seconds slower than he can reel off 26, I'd likely vomit up my breakfast. Tegla Loroupe, mentioned above, holds the world records at 20, 25 and 30 kilometres and is a former ladies' marathon record holder.

Pokot: A very beautiful place.

So, it's somewhat ironic to be running a marathon on behalf of Pokot! They are part of the world's hotspot for producing talented marathoners. What they don't have, but we do have, though, is the opportunity for a good education for our children. We have the opportunity to give them that opportunity. A little money will go a long way in Pokot. Read about the cause and make secure donations here.

David