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Kenya’s Charles Kibiwott, 32, will race the 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on October 22. Kibiwott arrived late on the running scene, not competing seriously until he was 24, but has quickly proven himself as a formidable competitor. His marathon progression has been a story of steady improvements, generally dropping two minutes off his personal best each year. When his 2:12 debut at the Reims Marathon in 2002 won him the race, Kibiwott decided to come back the next year, and won in 2:10. He made another two-minute jump in 2005 at the Frankfurt Marathon (2:08), and again last spring at the Rotterdam Marathon (2:06). Kibiwott’s key seems to be consistency – consistent training, consistent racing, and consistent success.
Kibiwott trains and competes as part of the KIMbia marathon group. Mensracing.com caught up with Kibiwott at the KIMbia house in Boulder, Colorado, to ask him about his expectations for Chicago.
MensRacing.com: Let’s cut to the chase, Charles. Are we going to see another two-minute improvement from you later this month in Chicago?
Charles Kibiwott:
[laughs] I don’t know. Right now I am very focused on training. I want to run well in Chicago. It is a fast course, so we will see about the time.
MR: And several of your training partners are also racing in Chicago?
CK:
Yes. Right now it is Ben [Maiyo], [John] Yuda, Thomas [Kiplitan], Gilbert [Koech], and myself. We all train together here in Boulder.
MR:
So were you in Boulder last year at this time training for Frankfurt?
CK:
Oh no. This time in Boulder is my first.
MR: Really? First time in Boulder, huh? How do you like it?
CK:
It is very nice. Hilly, but still some flat areas, so very nice for training. I also like the security and amenities. Everything is so close.
MR: And how do you like Magnolia Road?
CK:
Magnolia. [Waves his hand in front of his face and smiles]. Very hard.
MR: When was your first race as a member of the KIMbia group?
CK:
My first race for KIMbia was in Frankfurt. I ran 2:08:52. Then my next race was Rotterdam, 2:06:52.
MR: Where were you before joining KIMbia?
CK:
I ran for the Fila group in Marakwet at the Kapsaid Camp. But when the contract ended, I needed to make a decision. I knew Ben [Maiyo] and Evans [Rutto]. They both had great success with KIMbia. So, when my time came to make decision, I chose new management. I chose KIMbia.
MR: So you’re from Marakwet, too? Just like Ben?
CK:
Yes, Ben lives very close to me.
MR: How close?
CK:
Maybe five minutes by car.
MR: And what is life like in Marakwet?
CK:
Life is very good. We are mostly farmers. I worked for Marakwet Police for five years before running.
MR: You worked for the police?
CK: Yes. I played on the police soccer team. We were a very good team.
MR: When did you have time to run?
CK: I did not run. From 1995 to 2000, I just played soccer. In 2000, I decided to quit soccer and start training for the marathon.
MR: Wait; let’s go back for a minute. When you worked for the police, did you ever arrest anyone?
CK: [Smiles and laughs uncomfortably] Yes. There is much crime in Kenya.
MR: And what about your family? You’re married, right?
CK: Yes, I am married. My wife is called Rodah. We have four children, ages 9, 7, 4, and 5 months.
MR: Is it hard to be away from your family while training here in Boulder?
CK: Of course. It is very difficult to sacrifice the time. I miss them very much. But it is also my job. We need the time to train in camp. You cannot run your best when training by yourself. You cannot get treatments. You do not recover properly. So we must come to camp. But it is very difficult to be away.
MR: How often do you talk to your wife?
CK: Every two or three days. We use, how do you call them, calling cards? She has a cell phone; there are no phones in the houses in Marakwet, so we have to use cell phone.
MR: After Chicago, you will go back to Marakwet. Do you have any plans during that time, before you go back to Iten for the next training camp?
CK: Depends on how the race goes [laughs]. When I get back, my wife and I will do official marriage.
MR: “Official marriage”? What does that mean?
CK: In Kenya, marriage is when the man and woman come together with their families. The parents give permission, and we are married. But we must also complete paperwork, a marriage certificate. Most don’t do that right away. We do it much later. So this December, my wife and I will do our marriage certificate. We will also exchange rings.
MR: Do you have to give a dowry then, too? Or did you already do that?
CK: Yes, I will give a dowry.
MR: What are you giving?
CK:I am planning now. Tradition in Kenya is four or five cows. But we will see.
MR: You’ve run several marathons now and have run 2:06:52. How long do you plan on running?
CK: I want to keep running. As long as my training still progresses, I continue running. So I go until I don’t get faster.
MR: Do you have any big goals, like the Olympics or winning a big marathon?
CK: Oh, of course. I would like to win. Who doesn’t like to win [laughs]? But I would also like to run 2:05. To do that, training must be right and the course must be fast.
MR: Like Chicago?
CK: Chicago is a fast course, yes. But so many things must go right to run a fast time. You can’t plan on it too far out. Not until the training program is finished.
Interview conducted October 4, 2006, and posted October 16, 2006.
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