Stephen Kamande is fast approaching 70 but he continues to race

He is pint-sized and has an unmistakable athleticism.

He is almost approaching 70 years which belies his myriad achievements while turning out for Team Kenya in the Masters Marathon events in the international scene.

Meet Stephen Kamande Njoroge who is on the verge of being a septuagenarian yet he has defied odds to win major races incorporating persons of his age group.

Kamande usually wakes up at 5am and takes to the road covering up to 15 kilometres from Nairobi City Centre up to Gachie in Kiambu County, almost without breaking a sweat.

“This is my daily routine and I do it to keep myself fit considering that I regularly feature in energy-sapping races abroad.

Some people ask me how I manage to do it at an advanced stage and what I tell them is that if you focus on something it becomes as easy as drinking water,’’ he says.

Born and brought up in Icagaki in Maragua in Muranga County, Kamande’s journey in athletics started during his formal education at Njora Primary School in the 60s.

“I used to run five kilometres from home up to school and would arrive early ready for lessons not to get in trouble with my class teacher. It was rigorous but I got used to it,’’ he reminisces.

Kamande initially played football but ditched the sport to venture into athletics ostensibly in a bid to emulate his heroes then, including Kipchoge Keino and Naftali Temu.

“Once I ventured in athletics, there was no looking back and I started training individually after relocating to Nairobi from upcountry. This is when I started running from City Centre up to Kasarani on chilly mornings,’’ he says.

All this time, Kamande was working to fend for his family.

“My family comes first and I had to take parental duties seriously while honing my skills in athletics,’’ said Kamande, adding that he is grateful for the support of his wife, Florence Muthoni, and his five daughters and son.

He has featured in almost all Standard Chartered Marathon races since inception of the competition.

However, his participation in the Stanchart Marathon has not been devoid of challenges as he had to struggle to pay the participation fee of Sh1,500 which has since been hiked to Sh2,500.

Kamande would later take a break from athletics to concentrate on earning the daily bread but made a comeback in 2012 to take part in Stanchart Marathon.

Later on in 2015, he was elected as the vice chairman of Athletics Kenya, Kasarani branch, a feat he attributes to the immense support of George Kariuki, who was voted as Chairman, and AK Nairobi branch Chairman Barnaba Korir.

“I cannot thank these gentlemen enough as they  offered great support to me during the polls,’’ offers Kamande who sells herbal medicine in Ngara, Nairobi.

Among Kamande’s achievements internationally was winning the Masters Marathons in Spain in 2018 (5km and 21km) and Tunisia in 2019 (10km and 21km).