A SAD DAY FOR RUNNING

Hi First name / everyone! I have just returned from East Africa and will be sharing more on that soon. Be prepared for a very different mid month newsletter, because I want to talk about the legendary runner, Kelvin Kiptum. For those of you who don't know who he was, I would put forward that he is the single most influential athlete of my generation, and boy there have been a few. This newsletter is why running means a lot to me, and why Kelvin Kiptum's passing is a truly a sad day for the world.

 

- William

Kelvin Kiptum not only set the fastest every official marathon time in history, he won the 2023 London marathon with a course record, he was the first man to break 2:01, he had the fastest marathon debut in history, the fastest negative split in history…  and that is just a few of his amazing stats. The even crazier fact, he did all this in just 3 marathons!

 

Its safe to state that Kelvin Kiptum is one of the greatest Marathon runner of all time, and he was on the verge of breaking the unthinkable 2 hour marathon. So the tragic news of his death this morning has truly shaken the world of running and Kenya has lost a true hero. 

A year ago I probably would have struggled to name a single runner other than Usain Bolt and Roger Banister. Largely because I had no interest in it. In June 2023 I got a message from one of my oldest friends asking me “how fit are you” with a link to an ultra marathon in the Makgadikgadi salt pans, and that was the start of my love affair with running.

 

I have always needed inspiring figures in my life to push me. From friends, to my wife, to artists and sports people. My photography career has been heavily influenced by this. In a newletter I send out just over two years ago (that is crazy to think it has been going for nearly 4 years now) I wrote about how turning 30 was a really tough time for me. A combination of the financial burdens of covid, and failing to achieve many of my personal goals hit me very hard. 

 

The real low point was when I broke my foot. Being told I may always walk with a limp really was a kick in the teeth. While this phase did pass, and with a painstaking six months of recovery I was back on my feet, one challenge that still kept me down was my fitness and health.

While I would never class myself as a runner, what running has done for me in the last few months has pulled me out of a huge slump. While it is a strange topic for my wildlife photography newsletter, I always wanted this to be a platform for me to share a little more about my life, loves, and motivations so you can get to know me, and just as important for me get to know you.

 

The first message from my friend Mike to sign up to the Salt Pans ultra marathon got me strapping on my shoes, but there have been three people that have kept me going. Storm my wife, who quietly outruns me every week. Kelvin Kiptum, whose ridiculous speed stats I still fail to match for just 1 of the 42km. Finally one of the most likeable you-tubers out there Beau Miles, who's incredible story telling makes me inspired in the most ludicrous and random ways. 

 

I know many of you have no interest in running, and I probably wont be using this platform to talk about it going forward, I do have a few Ideas of how to incorporate wildlife, story telling and running going forward, and that is where Beau Miles comes in. Even as a non runner, the way this charismatic Australian tells the story of our natural world, culture, history, and politics while casually running 250km is so empowering that I cannot help but want to look for ways to do the same… minus about 208km! So for all the non runners out there, please bear with me, I have a few fun ideas to merge these different worlds!

 

As I continue to train for my first Marathon in June, these people are responsible for getting me out the door when I am tired and sore. While I may continue to be a very slow and grumpy runner, I wan't to say thank you for your incredible life of Kelvin Kiptum for inspiring so many people with your drive and talent. You will be missed, but your legacy will live on in history. 

Those who read my last newsletter will know I spent the last few weeks in Tanzania and Kenya. I will try to sort and edit through these images for next newsletter, but for now here is a sneak preview of one of my favourite shots from the month. Thank you for humouring me this month, and I look forward to sharing #49 with you next!

Thank you as always for reading and I cannot wait to hear what you think of this months newsletter! Feel free to forward this to all your friends and family. The next newsletter is coming soon, so make sure you have signed up!

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