Discovering the Kenyan Running Diet

Why Nutrition Matters in Iten

Training at 2,400 meters above sea level is no joke. Every run feels tougher, recovery takes longer, and the body has to work harder to adapt. That’s why food isn’t just fuel here—it’s medicine, recovery, and tradition all rolled into one.

Unlike Western approaches, where runners might focus on supplements, energy gels, or meticulously calculated menus, Kenyan runners emphasize natural, local foods that provide slow-burning energy and aid recovery.

The result? A way of eating that’s sustainable, culturally embedded, and surprisingly effective.

The Cornerstones of a Kenyan Running Diet

So, what’s actually on the plate? Let’s break down the staples you’ll see day in and day out at a Kenyan running camp. Note that we are discussing a typical Kenyan running camp, where Kenyan elite runners live and train on a daily basis.

1. Ugali – The King of the Table

If you spend even a single day in Iten, you’ll hear about ugali. Made from maize flour and water, it’s a thick porridge-like dish that’s eaten nearly every dinner.

• Why it works for runners: Ugali is rich in complex carbohydrates, giving athletes long-lasting energy for grueling runs. It’s also easy to digest and doesn’t weigh runners down.

• How it’s eaten: Usually served with vegetables, beans, or meat stews. Runners often eat it with their hands, rolling small portions into balls and scooping up accompaniments.

• Fun fact: When Kenyan runners are abroad to run races, and they are given dinner at a restaurant, they will be happy to eat it. But after their dinner, they will still prepare ugali at their house or apartment and eat this before going to bed. As most elite runners say: ‘When we don’t eat ugali, we feel like we have not eaten anything’.

  
  

For many, ugali is more than food—it’s a cultural anchor, a comfort, and a symbol of Kenyan endurance. Runners who run marathons abroad often bring their own ‘unga’ (maize flour) with them to make ugali, and most of the World Major marathons employ a chef to cook ugali for the Kenyans the night before the race.

2. Sukuma Wiki – The Everyday Green

Translated as “push the week,” sukuma wiki is a leafy green vegetable. In English, it’s known as kale, and it accompanies ugali almost every day.

• Nutritional punch: High in iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C—perfect for recovery and general health.

• Cultural role: Because it’s affordable and widely available, sukuma wiki is the go-to dish that literally pushes the food budget.

• Fun fact: While sukuma wiki is known in Kenya as one of the cheapest vegetables, it’s sold in some other parts of the world as a Super Food for a very high price.

  
  

3. Beans and Lentils

Protein sources in Kenyan camps are often plant-based. Beans and lentils appear frequently, paired with rice or ugali. On other days, it’s served as githeri, which is a traditional Kenyan dish consisting of beans and maize, mixed with some tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper.

• Benefits: Provide protein for muscle repair, plus fiber for gut health.

• Training link: Because meat is eaten sparingly, legumes become the backbone of daily protein intake.

  
  

4. Chapatti – A Runner’s Treat

Though not an everyday staple, chapatti (a flatbread introduced by Indian influence) is beloved by runners.

• Why it’s special: High in carbs and often cooked with a bit of oil, making it more indulgent. Many athletes look forward to chapatti as a weekend treat.

  
  

5. Tea with Milk and Sugar

If ugali is the king, then chai (tea with milk and sugar) is the heartbeat of Kenyan running camps. Morning and afternoon tea breaks are sacred, offering both hydration and social bonding.

• Performance role: Provides quick energy after runs and aids recovery. The sugar content, often frowned upon in Western diets, is embraced here as instant fuel. Most Kenyan runners won’t hesitate to mix their chai with three large teaspoons of sugar.

  
  

6. Meat – Occasionally on the Menu

Chicken, beef, or goat stew may appear once or twice a week, but it’s not daily fare.

• Why limited: Meat is relatively expensive, and Kenyan runners rely more on plant-based proteins. However, those elite runners who live on their own and are well-off will eat meat more regularly.

• When eaten: Often served during special occasions or after particularly tough training blocks.

  
  

A Day in the Life: Runner’s Nutrition in Kenya

To really understand how nutrition supports training, let’s walk through a typical day of eating at a Kenyan running camp.

Early Morning (5:30–6:00 AM): Pre-Run

• A cup of water

  
  

Yes, that’s right. The average Kenyan runner will not eat anything before training, except when it’s a fartlek or track workout. Those are typically done at 7:30 or 9:00 AM, and most runners will take a very light breakfast before them. But on other days of the week, there is no pre-run food.

Breakfast (7:30 – 8:30 AM): Post-Run

• White bread with margarine, jam, or peanut butter

• Tea with milk and sugar

• Occasionally eggs

  
  

The focus here is quick carbs to replenish glycogen after a long run. Protein is modest, but sufficient for recovery.

Lunch (12:30 – 14:00)

• Beans or lentils with rice

• Sometimes seasonal vegetables

  
  

Most runners eat a proper and healthy lunch, but it’s not as heavy as dinner. Meat and ugali are generally avoided because there is still an afternoon run on the program.

Afternoon Snack (17:00)

• Tea with milk and sugar (again)

• Maybe a chapati or slice of bread

  
  

A light energy boost directly after the evening session.

Dinner

• Ugali + sukuma wiki, spinach, or cabbage

• Sometimes meat or chicken

• Once a week chapatti with beans, greens, or meat

  
  

Dinner is a heavier meal than lunch, with the goal of filling up those glycogen stores so that one can go for a fasted long run the following morning.

Simplicity Over Supplements

One of the most striking things about food at a training camp in Kenya is how little processed or packaged nutrition is involved. Energy gels, protein powders, or recovery shakes are very rare. Even other processed products, such as ready-made tomato sauce, are avoided. Instead, athletes trust time-tested, natural foods.

That doesn’t mean their diet is lacking—it means it’s streamlined. With clean carbohydrates, steady protein sources, and micronutrient-rich vegetables, their bodies adapt and thrive.

For many runners visiting from abroad, this simplicity is eye-opening. It proves that natural organic food beats expensive supplements when it comes to performance.

The Social Side of Eating

Meals at Kenyan running camps are never rushed. Athletes sit together, sharing ugali, laughing, and recounting that day’s workout. This communal aspect of eating not only strengthens team spirit but also fosters a relaxed relationship with food—something many runners in the West struggle with.

Eating isn’t about obsessing over numbers or grams; it’s about nourishment, recovery, and community. Kenyan runners that go abroad often look with surprise and astonishment at foreign runners who diet or limit their food intake.

What Runners Can Learn from the Kenyan Diet

You don’t need to live in Iten to apply lessons from the Kenyan running diet. Here are a few takeaways:

1. Prioritize complex carbs: Like ugali, whole grains and starchy vegetables provide long-lasting energy.

2. Eat simply and consistently: A repetitive, balanced diet often outperforms an overcomplicated one.

3. Don’t fear sugar in context: A bit of sugar in tea or a quick snack can aid performance when timed directly after workouts.

4. Lean on plant-based proteins: Beans and lentils are affordable, filling, and nutrient-rich.

5. Value community: Eating together reduces stress and creates a healthier mindset toward food.

   
   

Nutrition in Iten isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about tradition, sustainability, and performance. By sticking to locally grown staples like ugali, sukuma wiki, beans, and chapatti, Kenyan runners have fueled themselves to world-class achievements.

If you’re curious about runner’s nutrition in Kenya or ever find yourself at a training camp in Iten, prepare for meals that are humble, communal, and deeply nourishing. It might not look like the sports science diets plastered across magazines, but make no mistake: this way of eating works.

Sometimes, greatness is fueled not by what’s exotic or expensive, but by what’s consistent, cultural, and cooked with care.

At Kenya Camp, which is a running camp for foreign runners of every level (from beginning runners to elite), we get lots of inspiration from the typical running camp meals. Our meals are equally healthy, and we use mainly fresh, organic food. However, we do have a more international kitchen, serving dishes from around the world, and more variety in terms of different types of carbs and vegetables. We also have daily starters like soups and salads to add in different flavors and nutrients. We use different spices to make the meals more tasty (typical Kenyan dishes have no spices at all), and we include more expensive food items than the Kenyan athletes generally eat, such as fish fillet, chicken fillet, pasta, olives, nuts, and so on.