Bowling Green State University Athletics
Kipchoge Races Toward Dreams
October 30, 2007 | Men's Cross Country
Oct. 30, 2007
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Behind Eddie Kipchoge's relaxed and good-humored appearance is an athlete dedicated to finishing what he was unable to last year.
After winning four of his first five races for the BGSU men's cross country team last season, the freshman native of Eldoret, Kenya fell three times in brutal weather conditions at the Mid-American Conference Championship.
The race left him one spot shy of earning a bid to NCAA Nationals.
"I've never run in that type of weather," Kipchoge said. "It was really cold - that's not my weather."
Committed to his goal of qualifying for Nationals, Kipchoge dedicated himself to improving in the offseason, starting with his mental approach.
"Last year I would just run in front of everybody, I need to be smarter," Kipchoge said. "I'm really focused this year. I've realized it's very important to stay focused."
An improved Kipchoge is a scary thought for opponents. In his first year he set a pace for the record books by placing higher at the Great Lake's Regional than any BG runner since 1986. This year he will try to be the second BG runner to qualify for Nationals in 30 years.
BG Coach Cami Wells has noticed the new level of commitment from Kipchoge.
"He's in much better shape than he was last year at this point," Wells said, optimistic about Kipchoge's potential this season. "It would be an amazing thing to send someone to Nationals - it doesn't happen very often."
Although he's entering his sophomore season, Kipchoge graduated from high school five years ago in Kenya. After careful consideration about his future and some influence from a fellow Kenyan already running for BG, he decided he'd take his shot at being a student-athlete in the United States.
"I did really well in high school and I didn't want to just stay there and run," Kipchoge said. "I wanted to go to college and get that degree. Everyone's getting it, why not me?"
Kipchoge doesn't hesitant to clarify his decision to come to BG was a good one. While he enjoyed life with his family in Eldoret, college has been a great experience thus far.
"[On coming to BG] No regrets," Kipchoge said. "If you regret things in life you're done, you'll never accomplish your goals."
And that's what he emphasizes in his life these days - setting and achieving goals. He hopes by doing this he'll leave a lasting legacy at BG that others can follow.
"I'd love to have people look at me as a role model," Kipchoge said, "have people try to follow in my footsteps."
Following in his footsteps will be not be easy, as he's already established himself a premier runner in the MAC and the Great Lakes region after just one year. For the first time in his life, Kipchoge is beginning to deal with some notoriety for all of his success.
He flashes a wide smile at the mention of becoming a campus wide cross-country celebrity.
"It's exciting to a point," Kipchoge said. "I don't like being famous, I want to try to be like everybody else. I'm a neutral guy. In another sense, I can't avoid it."
