link genetic factors, environment, nutrition and trend to success in 5000 or 10 000 me- tres race.


History


During colonial rule, the British army and missionaries oriented Kenyans into different field works, where walking long distances became a routine easily adapted by locals.


One of the commonest was the carrier corps, which was a military organization cre- ated in Kenya during the first World War to provide military labour to support the Brit- ish campaign against the German Military forces in East Africa. More than 400,000 Af- rican men were recruited for porterage tasks – the carrying of goods and items from one part of the region to another by foot.


This Spartan occupation hardened thousands from that region, which they probably passed on to succeeding generations, who no longer fear the task of trekking miles to work and farming. They still do persistence hunting and nomadic tribal traditions till date.


Also, it has been proved that Kenyan and Ethiopian youths used to travel long dis- tances to school and did so mostly by running. Olympic gold medalist Haile Ge- brselassie trekked 20 km to and from school, most times covering the distance by jog- ging and running, in order not to be late, even while carrying loads of books.


To young school children in that environment, running to school was / is more of exer- cising than pain, which gradually set the bodily condition for modern athletics.


Genetic factors


Many have argued that East Africans are naturally predisposed to the endurance sport. However, the suspected genetic factors discovered in East African athletes have also been traced to people from elsewhere who don’t dominate the sport.


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