Henry Rono, a past long-distance runner who has set many world records, reflects on his greatest accomplishments and the long road that he took to get to where he is now.
Rono had a hard life growing up. When Rono was very little, a bicycle accident made him unable to walk until he was six years old. His father died in another accident when Rono was little, so his family struggled paying the fees for school. Rono frequently got in and out of school.
Rono was inspired by Kipchoge Keino, a Kenyan runner who won the 1500-meter in the 1968 Olympic Games.
When Rono was 26, he set the world records in the 3000, 5000, and 10000 meters. He also set the world record for the 3000-meter steeplechase. Unfortunately, he never participated in the Olympics since there was a Kenyan Boycott in 1976 and 1980. According to The New York Times, Keino, who had been coaching the Kenyan team before the last-minute boycott was announced, said, “I thought this man would come home with two golds.” Rono was expected to win the 5000 meters and steeplechase at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
To most people, these amazing achievements should be their proudest moments of their life. But to Rono, it wasn’t. His proudest moment was actually later in his life when he finally mastered English. According to The New York Times, he said, “Running to me was second nature. Education was my weakness.” To Rono, mastering his weaknesses is the biggest accomplishment ever.
Even with so many benefits as he grew older, like a college degree and a contract that Nike offered when the brand were struggling, he started to drink frequently and got careless with his own money. He went in and out of alcohol-addiction rehabs. He struggled financially as he got older, and struggled to pay his rent.
But Rono still had some good times, and published his memoir, “Olympic Dream,” in 2010. The New York Times also states, “Only one of the book’s 29 chapters details his famed 1978 season … ‘He never talked about the records,’ Chaplin said. ‘He was not someone to go around and beat his chest and say how great I am.’”
Rono had a hard life growing up. When Rono was very little, a bicycle accident made him unable to walk until he was six years old. His father died in another accident when Rono was little, so his family struggled paying the fees for school. Rono frequently got in and out of school.
Rono was inspired by Kipchoge Keino, a Kenyan runner who won the 1500-meter in the 1968 Olympic Games.
When Rono was 26, he set the world records in the 3000, 5000, and 10000 meters. He also set the world record for the 3000-meter steeplechase. Unfortunately, he never participated in the Olympics since there was a Kenyan Boycott in 1976 and 1980. According to The New York Times, Keino, who had been coaching the Kenyan team before the last-minute boycott was announced, said, “I thought this man would come home with two golds.” Rono was expected to win the 5000 meters and steeplechase at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
To most people, these amazing achievements should be their proudest moments of their life. But to Rono, it wasn’t. His proudest moment was actually later in his life when he finally mastered English. According to The New York Times, he said, “Running to me was second nature. Education was my weakness.” To Rono, mastering his weaknesses is the biggest accomplishment ever.
Even with so many benefits as he grew older, like a college degree and a contract that Nike offered when the brand were struggling, he started to drink frequently and got careless with his own money. He went in and out of alcohol-addiction rehabs. He struggled financially as he got older, and struggled to pay his rent.
But Rono still had some good times, and published his memoir, “Olympic Dream,” in 2010. The New York Times also states, “Only one of the book’s 29 chapters details his famed 1978 season … ‘He never talked about the records,’ Chaplin said. ‘He was not someone to go around and beat his chest and say how great I am.’”
