Behind the Scenes of NYRR’s Trip to Kenya
From Set the Pace by New York Road Runners
April 30, 2026 · 58 min · Episode 164
About this episode
The episode discusses the impact of marathon success on Kenyan athletes and the challenges they face, particularly women, including gender-based violence.
Winning a major marathon goes way beyond the podium for a Kenyan athlete—it reaches their families, their communities, and entire towns. But for the women, success can also put them in danger. Check out this week’s episode as Rob joins a roundtable discussion led by NYRR's Head of Content Matthew Singer along with Chief Diversity Officer Erica Edwards-O'Neal and Director of Professional Athletes Dorian Kail—all reflecting on their trip to Eldoret, Kenya this past February. The group visited training camps, sat down with champions, and toured a children's hospital built with funds raised by TCS New York City Marathon charity runners. They also spent time with Tirop's Angels, an organization founded in honor of Agnes Tirop—a world-class runner who was murdered by her partner in 2021. Gender-based violence is something many women in Kenya face, and in some cases, it is their athletic success that makes them a target. New York Road Runners will continue to work with Tirop’s Angels and the organization’s founder, Viola Cheptoo. FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTube SUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the…
People in this episode
Host: Rob
Guests: Matthew Singer, Erica Edwards-O'Neal, Dorian Kail
Topics covered
- Kenyan athletes
- marathon success
- gender-based violence
- community impact
- athlete safety
- charity work
Keywords
- Kenya
- marathon
- athletes
- gender-based violence
- charity
- Eldoret
- Tirop's Angels
- community
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: New York Road Runners, Tirop's Angels, TCS New York City Marathon
Places: Eldoret, Kenya, Kenya
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