At an altitude of 6,562 ft on the high plateaux of West Kenya, a place called Eldoret is the home of the Kalenjins. The name ‘Kalenji’ is an homage to the value that the Kalenjins place on running from the beginning. As an a nomadic tribe; running has been part of their lives throughout their history. At one time it was a means of survival. Children ran 9 miles each day to get to and from school. Naturally, without noticing, they start running soon after taking their first steps. Now considered a sport, running was also important to the youth of the tribe as an important stage in their life: by catching an antelope they graduated to the status of an adult.
An original training approach
Less training, more rest phases but more variations in tempo. They run according to what feels right and in harmony with the countryside. They force less speed and heart rate constraints on themselves. They rarely run on a track, yet have togetherness as a core value.
Run for pleasure
"Running is the human's most natural sport. You do it from your childhood with pleasure among friends, nobody teaches you how to run, running comes from instinct. However, running is often seen as an intense experience, sometimes violent both for the body and the spirit."
This experience should not bring suffering, but instead a moment of pleasure. It is important to run at your rhythm: as dictated by your body, not by your mind, the rhythm where you feel at balance.
With the Kalenji, it's this style of running we hope to inspire within every runner. It's this new approach to running that we want to encourage participation, across all levels and runners from all walks of life.
Kalenji's Mission
Making the pleasure of running available to everyone, awakening and developing the desire to practice this sport.
Every runner has different constraints according to stride type and running style. Whether you’re road running, trail running, cross country, marathon, track and field, ultra, orienteering, jogging, or just running on a treadmill, we have something created just for you.
Kalenji incorporates designs that allow runners of all levels to move on to a free style of running and bring about a new way of running: running for pleasure.
Come and join us who run for pleasure not just competition, where feelings count more than results, where runners choose their own paths and aren’t held back. With a light stride, those who run let their body and spirit soar, and they are free.
Find your rhythm, enjoy your run
Kalenji's team of runners strive to create the next level of innovation in every product design, focusing on comfort, durability and support for runners needs.
Our Kiprun LD shoes, designed for men and for women, are the answer for all types of strides with our exclusive technology. Our K-ring, a Decathlon rear cushioning technology in the form of a ring located in the heel, disperses shockwave with the hole in the middle. Instead of the impact going to your heel, the hole dissipates the forces central to that area. This reduces impact felt out running, making for a more comfortable and longer-lasting running experience.
Our running shirts are designed with better ventilation along the sides and back, in heat zones to allow for breathability and better evaporation. This aids in cooling the body so you don't overheat during your runs. We also design pants and shorts to made for your run as well as accessories to complement your progress.
Ready to hit the trails? Check out our Get-Going Pack by Joey. If you're a road runner, our running expert Lori curated a collection for you too!
