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Kenya
Marathon, 10,000m
2000 Olympian, World Record Holder Marathon (2:20:47), 1996 Olympian, Two-time New York Marathon Champion
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| Sometimes it's very difficult for me to believe in myself, because when I compare my body to others, I'm so tiny. I don't know where I get the power. What I believe is that God is always with me. He's giving me a lot of strength. When I see my friends, which are behind me, and I look and see I'm in front of them, I say that God is really good. |
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He's giving me encouragement to speak to other people. The other people also train like I do. They have two legs like me, but somebody's already uplifting me.
In Kenya children used to run long distances. They used to have competition in schools. I had that interest for a long time. I had something like visions to look at some things ahead of me. I used to tell my father, "I want to run." One time I competed in school. There was no one who would encourage me, because I was a women. They don't give them a lot of chances. I know it's hard with women, but I had faith that my God would guide me.
Joshua chapter 1:1-9, whereby God was talking to the people of Israel, when He told Joshua that you have to "be strong and courageous for I am with you wherever you go", applies to me, too. I should be courageous because I know that God is with me. Whatever I'm going to do, I know He's the one who is guiding me. I feel like stopping sometimes when I'm running. However, there is somebody telling me that I still have strength and I'm with you. It's like somebody's pushing you from behind.
I decided to run, because I know running is another way of giving His message, another way of reaching a different kind of people all over the world. Women in Africa, for example, I used to tell them that I'm running because I know that God is with me. I always pray to Him. All my ways reflect the Word of God. You cannot imitate and be like, unless you change your like to be on the will of Christ.
My prayer is to reach them by telling them the way of Jesus Christ is the best way. You can have all the things of the world. You can have all the riches, but we are leaving the riches of this world. I cannot compare myself with the women of Kenya, but I have to tell them that these are the things that God has given me. I'm not going to take these things to heaven (medals, trophies, and honors). I will leave them here on earth. What is more important is life in Christ.
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