Q: How to Mend a broken heart
A: Go to Kenya
So as my 2025 came crashing to a halt, I was hoping 2026 would bring some optimism, hope and motivation to encourage me to become a better version of myself. At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, I was still reeling from a break-up. I know, I know, get your tiny violins out! But in my defence, I was almost cross with myself for being so pathetic!
Solutions for a break-up came thick and fast. And advice washed over me by the bucket load…
‘There’s plenty more fish in the sea!’
‘Everything happens for a reason!’
‘As one door closes, another door opens!’
Yeah, right! All the doors shut in my face with a mighty bang. Earby just doesn’t have what it takes to help you move on from your ex!
And the laconic truth? He didn’t give a shit!
Fuck romantic comedies. Fuck Ben and Jerry’s. Fuck drowning your sorrows.
I needed some African intervention in the form of The Kenya Running Experience.
I need to apologise to those people who may be keen to discover more about what this epic opportunity affords a runner who wants to develop further. For those people, The Kenya Running Experience provides an opportunity to run with some inspirational runners and experience an entirely different world of athletics.
For me it was more than this. It was reintegration into the real world, an opportunity to heal my fragile little heart and an opportunity to transform myself into a boss ass bitch.
After a drive to London, two flights and a sketchy car ride to Iten, I eventually arrived at ‘The Home of Running’.
I’m a bit of a lone wolf and I enjoy my own company, so I journeyed alone. One of the best parts of travel is meeting new people and I was literally praying there would be people as bonkers as me. And let’s be honest, anyone who wants to spend 2 weeks running up hills has got to be a little nutty! Who wants to run (for fun) with less oxygen in the atmosphere and fatigue faster?
I needed some crazy-ass runners (sorry for sounding a bit Goggins) to distract me from my self-induced misery. And my fellow runners did not disappoint. A little crazy? Hell, yes. Interesting? Without a doubt. Incredibly passionate about running? 1000 percent!
Runners hailed from Denmark, France, Switzerland, America, Luxembourg. Each runner had a unique story and a USP. Hybrid (name changed to protect the innocent) was like the big brother I’d never had and always wanted. This guy rocked Hyrox and has guns to rival Channing Tatum. Two female runners became loyal friends who accompanied me into town to buy mangoes and drink Kenyan tea (the Kenyans just call it chai). And then there were those beautiful boys whose running styles belonged in ‘Chariots of Fire’ and their torsos belonged on the front of GQ. Yep – there was some eye candy that made me feel light-headed, or was that the lack of oxygen? Not sure.
And then, there were the Kenyans: a set of inspiring individuals. Their passion for running oozed from every aspect of their life. These people moved me beyond words. I immersed myself in the culture and was captivated by the beauty of their lives. My partner, Mercy, became one of my best friends. Having only known her for a day, we connected. I have to return because she is one of the most uplifting individuals I’ve ever met and I loved the fact she called me ‘Queen’. The coaches are not only incredible coaches with a lifetime of knowledge under their belt, but they’re incredible runners too. At 65, Coach Willy can still run 30k in a day, busting out a 17:30 5k at the end of his epic run. And Coach Richard delivered intense strength and conditioning sessions that literally pushed you to your very core. As for Toni - what a legend - this man has the ability to capture the most magical moments on film and his pictures really do say a thousand words. The simple kindness of these people reminded me of the good that exists if you look for it.
But one of my most humbling moments was visiting a Kenyan Primary School. Taking some pens, pencils and books, I asked Willy if I could donate them to a school. And this moment was literally the highlight of my trip. Walking into the primary classroom made me feel like a celeb. We got cheered! And then we got to dance with the children. Walter, a 10 year-old boy, had moves that could rival Justin Bieber. Despite their scant possessions, I’ve never seen such a happy group of people. It put everything into perspective.
And then there was him… My romantic comedy moment happened in Kenya! This was the moment I’d been waiting for my entire life. My meet-cute! The country that brought us Lindt, also brought me perfection in the form of a long-distance runner. Mr Lindt appeared next to me one afternoon, having watched me scoff an entire mango and half a pineapple (and he wasn’t put off)! After he showed me pictures on his phone of him cycling, cross country skiing and running marathons, I was hooked. And he works in a vineyard! But as always, bathos characterises my life! On the last evening, he asked me to walk home from our final meal together, when everyone else took the minibus.
Picture the scene: a starlit sky, no light pollution and the most beautiful human being walking next to you. What did I do? Did I grab his hand? Hold his arm? Lean in a bit? No! I talked about my disappointment with the bloody cake we’d had for dessert! Yup, I fucked it up.
Mr Lindt lingered a little outside after walking me to my room. What should I have done? Rushed up to him and planted the biggest kiss on his beautiful Swiss lips. What did I do?
I shouted, ‘Goodnight’ in my broadest Lancashire accent.
The lesson: faint heart never won Swiss chocolate.
So, I didn’t get my Rob Reiner ending. But on the plus, I’m feeling stronger and fitter. I learned more about the world too. Visiting schools, I saw positivity radiate from the children’s faces. I learned the value of an education; we shouldn’t take it for granted. I learned that we should focus on being one world, rather than divided countries. My European friends are the most amazing people and I hope to keep in touch with them. They taught me to embrace cheerleaders, not chase energy vampires. I learned that I’m worth 50 cows, if I choose to marry a Kenyan farmer.
Kenya taught me: I am enough.
Once you recognise your value in life, you attract the right kind of attention. The Kenya Running Experience was not just an opportunity to bolster my running, it was the most fulfilling experience of my life. It’s no wonder that Kenyans give their children names like Faith, Mercy, Precious and Hope. Their positivity and optimism is infectious and it infiltrates their whole existence.
But the most important thing I’ve learned is that I prefer Lindt chocolate to Cadbury’s!
