Shoe4Africa 5km

The Shoe4Africa 5 km is an annual women's road running event over five kilometres that is held on Christmas Eve in the village of Iten, Kenya.

Many world marathon stars have run this event. The 2012 Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop came second in the 2006 event and will be the 2012 official starter. For Mary Keitany, London Marathon champion 2012, this event was her breakthrough race; finishing one place outside the prize money (21st). Returning home she vowed to train harder and not miss the prize money again. Three, unrelated, world champions; Lornah Kiplagat, Florence Kiplagat, and Edna Kiplagat, have all competed in this race over the last few years. Official starters have included Janeth Jepkosgei, Edna Kiplagat, Mo Farah, Moses Tanui, Moses Kiptanui, Ezekiel Kemboi, Daniel Komen and Phyllis Keino amongst others. Many of the village's elite athletes come out to work and volunteer at this event.

The first edition was run in 2005 when Doris Changeywo won the event that was then a 10 km event, the following year the 5 km distance became standardized. Since its inception the event has become the largest women's only race in Kenya.

The 2006 event coincided with the launch of an HIV/AIDS awareness program, including the opening of a testing centre.

The field is normally capped at 1,100 entrants. In a special peace celebration, the December 2008 event was moved to the Kibera slums in Nairobi, and 5,300 women ran.

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Wikipedia