The Keiyo (also spelled Elgeyo) are a Kalenjin sub-group numbering approximately 144,000 people, inhabiting the western escarpment of Kenya's Great Rift Valley in what is now Elgeyo Marakwet County. Their name is closely associated with Keiyo District (now Elgeyo Marakwet County) and with some of Kenya's most celebrated distance runners.
Geography: The Escarpment and Training Ground
The Keiyo occupy the dramatic western escarpment overlooking the Kerio Valley. Their landscape is characterized by steep slopes, forested areas, and high-altitude farmland, with elevation ranging from about 1,800 to 2,500 metres. The escarpment drops steeply down to the Kerio Valley floor, which is one of Kenya's hottest and most arid regions, receiving minimal rainfall and supporting only pastoral use.
The contrast between their cool, highland settlements and the hostile valley below shaped Keiyo pastoral and agricultural practices. However, it is their terrain's suitability for endurance running that has earned the Keiyo international attention. The combination of altitude, varied terrain, and cooler temperatures creates ideal conditions for aerobic training.
The Running Phenomenon
The Keiyo community has produced numerous world-class distance runners, a phenomenon directly linked to their geography and emerging training culture. The town of Iten, in Keiyo territory, sits at approximately 2,400 metres and has become Kenya's premier high-altitude running training hub. Elite runners from across Kenya and internationally come to Iten to train, using the altitude to build aerobic capacity.
This was not inevitable. The running excellence emerged gradually in the 1980s and 1990s, as local coaches and athletes recognized that their home terrain offered advantages. Today, Iten hosts multiple running camps, altitude training facilities, and a community deeply invested in running as both livelihood and cultural identity. Many prominent Kenyan distance runners (across multiple Kalenjin sub-groups and other ethnic groups) train in Iten.
Keiyo Runners
Notable Keiyo distance runners include Julius Kosgei (multiple marathon winner), Vivian Jemutai Kipchoge (marathon runner), and many others who compete nationally and internationally. Keiyo women runners have also emerged as significant competitors in middle and long distances.
Contemporary Challenges
The Keiyo face the same land pressure, climate variability, and economic transitions as other Kalenjin communities. Pastoral and farming communities are adjusting to erratic rainfall patterns. Urban migration has drawn young Keiyo away from traditional livelihoods. Yet the running economy provides alternative employment and status for some.
Cross-Links
See Also
Kalenjin Hub | Kericho County | Nandi County | Baringo County | Uasin Gishu County