More About Nicodemus, Hosea, & Richard

I want to make sure you all know more about the new Stablemates in Kenya and hear their stories. I’ll start with The Boss, Nicodemus...

NICODEMUS

At 19 year old, Nicodemus is a very gentle young man with a huge dose of humbleness. When he runs, he looks like Asbel Kiprop, the 1500m runner. Nicodemus has a blistering turn of speed and explosive acceleration, but he also has an abundance of grit and guts to go with all his grace and beauty.

When we first met and chatted about his future in running it was difficult to determine where to take him: he’s young and so talented and yet competition in Kenya is savage. The original idea was to have him run his first marathon over in Ireland (the Dublin Marathon), which he could probably win by 5 min. But because he has oodles of talent, it didn’t seem right to go down this road—yet.

I spoke with 35 yr old Arete Stablemate, Richard Lagat, about Nicodemus and he suggested that Nicodemus should focus on the 10000m and the half marathon for now, then move up to the marathon. He felt that Nicodemus had the necessary talent to represent Kenya over 10000m and that it made sense for him, while still young, not to force his way up to the marathon—better to move up naturally but also move up while young enough to capitalize on his talent.

Nicodemus was openly excited and accepting of this idea, so he will train over the next two years for the 10000m, with a goal to represent Kenya in the Japan 2020 Olympics and win the gold medal. Folks - watch out for Nicodemus!

The donations to the Arete Scholarship Program fund are already making a difference. When we met Nicodemus, he was living in a room that could fit only a mattress. He had no money and no food. He was allowed to stay in the room because he worked as a houseboy: cleaning, cooking, and washing for another runner. He had no means of supporting himself or unlocking the shackles of poverty until the Arete Project discovered him jogging 8 miles to the Tambach Track as a warm up (before a killer workout).

So all of you who have donated have changed his life, you've improved Nicodemus' circumstances and his future outlook, and you will help him achieve his Olympic dreams.

HOSEA

Hosea (22) hails from Chepkoilel—a small village on the outskirts of Eldoret. Chepkoilel is known as a University town and for the track where most of the Eldoret based runners train, along with many of the John Letei and Canova Camp.

Prior to joining Stazza’s Stable via the Arete Scholarship Program, Hosea didn't know how to train but just wanted to run. He would go for random long runs, and never train more than once per day.

After a year of running, Hosea entered the Nairobi Marathon and ran 2:21. Not too shabby. Hosea survived by doing chores for meagre amounts of money. But soon enough, the ‘generosity’ of his uncle ran out: he was homeless and hungry.

Having heard about a trainer visiting Iten who wanted to help Kenyan athletes, Hosea twice ran the 24 miles from Chepkoilel to Iten, hoping for a chance to meet this trainer. Unfortunately, Stazza wasn't around when Hosea visited. But that didn't stop Hosea, and on his third visit was fortunate enough to catch the elusive trainer.

The two men talked. Stazza had reservations: 2:21 in town full of guys faster than 2:10. But Stazza saw something in the young man: 2:21 off running around the roads with no structure and, scrabbling about to survive...what would he do if he were supported and trained with structure and a small group of similarly motivated runners?

And so it came to pass…

Hosea was taken from the wooden shack where he ‘lived’ (you wouldn’t have kept a flea ridden goat in this shack) and put up in accommodations with Nicodemus, the other Arete Stablemate. Hosea now trains as part of the group and is coming along great.

Improving every week and having made great friends with the Stablemates, Hosea will hopefully be ready to run a 2:12/2:13 in the 2019 Dublin Marathon.

RICHARD

Richard lives in a corrugated shack with his wife Sally and his three children (including the newest arrival, born March 2, 2018 and named John Starrett Kiprop (yes, Robert named his new son after Stazza!). Outside the shack are open sewage streams and many of the kids run around with barefeet. Robert's corrugated shack is split in two: one half is for sleeping, while the other half serves as both kitchen and sitting/dining room.

Richard supports his family by running. His wife, Sally, runs a small shop in Iten that sells second hand kids' clothes (they travel to Eldoret to buy the clothes and the Iten shop, at any one time, has roughly 20 items for sale). Richard still owes the dowry for his wife (5 cows - or roughly Ken Shillings 150,000 / $1,500 USD per cow).

Richard has the heart of lion. He’s an elegant and strong runner, a beautiful man with great running knowledge, and he will be running Dublin Marathon 2019, where he’ll go around 2:08-09.