Edwin Soi Going After the World Record at the 5th Annual KATA Double Road Race in Thika Kenya
Over 130 KATA athletes will compete alongside many other runners in a field expected to be the deepest yet, all chasing glory and a share of 100,000 KES in prize money.
When the 5th Annual KATA Double Road Race returns to Thika on September 20, it will not be just another date on the calendar. It will be a celebration of endurance, strategy, and Kenyan running tradition. And at the heart of it all will be Edwin Soi, the Olympic bronze medalist whose longevity and tactical brilliance have made him one of Kenya’s most respected distance runners.
This year’s event also offers a prize purse of 100,000 KES, making the stakes even higher.
“Over 130 KATA athletes are expected to be on the line, joined by many more competitors from across the country and beyond,” says KATA founder Bob Anderson. “I am so proud of our KATA family and what we are building. This is just the beginning—athletics fueled by hard work and growing KATA potatoes.”
The Challenge of the Double
The Double is unlike any other race. Athletes first run a 10K, then take a halftime break where food and drink are provided as they prepare for the second leg. They return to the start line for a 5K. This is a two-leg event, and the times from each leg are added together for the final score.
For Soi—still formidable with career bests of 27:14 (10,000m) and 12:51 (5,000m)—the race is as much about mental strength as physical preparation.
“While others might wonder if they can even start the second race, my mind is already on pacing, form, and tactics,” Soi says. “Years of hard training and the right mental approach make a world record achievable.”
A Visionary Race with Kenyan Roots
The Double Road Race was created by Bob Anderson, founder of Runner’s World, to combine endurance with strategy. After pilot events in Mexico, the first official Double took place in Pleasanton, California, in 2012 with nearly 1,400 runners (5th photo).
Kenya quickly became a natural home. In 2014, races in Thika and Nyahururu introduced the longer Double 21K. By 2021, the Kenyan Athletics Training Academy (KATA)—also founded by Anderson—hosted Africa’s first Double 15K. Last year, Shadrack Kenduiywo (4th photo) set the world best of 42:34 on the Thika course, cementing Kenya’s place as the epicenter of the Double.
Soi’s Enduring Fire
At 39, Soi has experienced the full arc of an elite career. His defining moment remains the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won bronze in the 5,000m behind Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele.
“Just making the Kenyan Olympic team drove me to push beyond limits,” Soi recalls. “I carried the hopes of more than 30 million Kenyans on my shoulders, and that choice ultimately led to my Olympic medal. My life changed—and my legacy changed.”
Since then, Soi has collected world championship medals and road titles worldwide. But today, what sets him apart is not only his victories but also his willingness to mentor and build the future.
Building Futures at KATA
Soi now heads the Kuresoi training camp under the KATA umbrella, guiding a new generation of athletes. His mentorship blends running discipline with life lessons, extending beyond training sessions.
KATA supports athletes with housing, nutrition, and income from sustainable farming projects like potato cultivation—ensuring both food security and financial independence. For Soi, this holistic model is crucial.
“I was fortunate to be mentored, and I feel a deep responsibility to pass that on. My victory will be in their success,” he says.
He also stresses integrity. With doping controversies tarnishing Kenyan athletics, Soi is determined to show that excellence can come from discipline, clean sport, and mentorship.
Why Thika Matters
The Thika Double has become more than a race; it is a stage where Kenyan athletes showcase strategy and resilience to the world. For the community, it is a festival of pride. For Soi, it is a chance to extend his legacy—competing for the clock, for his athletes, and for the values he believes in.
When the starter’s gun sounds on September 20, Soi will not only be racing 10K, resting, and running 5K. He will be carrying with him the arc of his career—from Olympic glory to mentorship—and the hopes of a new generation ready to follow in his footsteps.
The Double demands more than speed. It asks for resilience, intelligence, and composure. And with Edwin Soi on the line in Thika, chasing the world record, it promises to be a race—and a story—that inspires far beyond the finish.
posted Wednesday September 10th
by Robert Kibet