Radiolab: "Cut and Run" (November 1, 2013)

Host: Jad Abumrad & Robert Krulwich
Guest Reporter: Gregory Warner (NPR East Africa Correspondent)
Theme: Why are runners from one small region of Kenya, the Kalenjin people, so extraordinarily dominant in long-distance running?

Episode Overview

This episode investigates the remarkable success of Kalenjin runners from Kenya, asking why such a tiny slice of humanity so consistently produces world-class long-distance athletes. With a blend of storytelling, science, and cultural exploration, the hosts trace this phenomenon from its stunning emergence at the 1968 Olympics to the modern day, examining theories that touch on physiology, genetics, environment, and the intense social rituals of Kalenjin adolescence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin Story: Kipchoge Keino & the 1968 Olympics

• [01:53–06:43]
  • Gregory Warner recounts watching Kipchoge Keino's iconic win at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, despite suffering from a severe gallbladder infection.
  • Keino runs multiple races over eight days—against medical advice—exemplifying extraordinary endurance and pain tolerance.
  • This victory marks the dawn of Kenyan (and Kalenjin) dominance in distance running.
  • Quote:

    “If I die, I'm gonna die on the track.” – Kipchoge Keino (reported by Warner, [04:12])

2. The Statistical Astonishment of Kalenjin Runners

• [07:05–08:45]
  • David Epstein (Sports Illustrated) highlights the outsized success: The Kalenjin, only .06% of the world's population, produce dozens of sub-2:10 marathoners, far surpassing much larger populations.
  • Examples:
    • One Kenyan high school produced four sub-four-minute milers at once—outpacing the total number of such runners in all American high schools.
    • Thirty-two Kalenjin broke 2:10 in the marathon in a single month, compared to only 17 Americans in all history.
  • Quote:

    “It appears to be the greatest concentration of elite athletic talent ever in any sport anywhere in the world.” – David Epstein, [08:03]

3. Why? Possible Explanations

• [08:46–13:27]
  • Theories explored include:
    • Altitude adaptation and high-starch diets, but these aren't unique to the Kalenjin.
    • Socioeconomic incentives and strong local role models (Malcolm Gladwell's argument): Running as a path to a better life, but this doesn't explain the original role models.
    • Genetic differences: Controversial and sensitive; some scientists are reluctant to publish findings on this topic.
      • Notable physiological evidence includes:
        • Allen’s Rule: Kalenjin have slender limbs ideal for dissipating heat, reducing energy costs in running, especially due to extremely thin ankles and calves.
    • Quote:

      “You're not going to win the New York Marathon if you have thick ankles.” – David Epstein, [12:39]

  • Hosts' Reflection:
    Jad expresses discomfort with purely physiological explanations, emphasizing that Keino’s victory was about willpower, not just body type.

4. A Cultural Theory: The Pain Barrier

• [13:27–23:14]
  • Gregory Warner travels to Kalenjin country and interviews Brother Colm O'Connell, a legendary Irish coach.
    • He shares that training elite athletes always involves "living on the edge"—of pain, injury, and mental limits.
  • John Manners (journalist, grew up in Kalenjin territory) describes Kalenjin initiation rituals:
    • Boys (and sometimes girls) undergo extreme, orchestrated pain rituals during adolescence, including crawling through stinging nettles and, most famously, circumcision without anesthesia, in which they must not show any sign of pain.
    • Social consequences of failing these rituals are severe. Those who don't display bravery are outcasts, labeled "kebitet" (coward).
    • Quote:

      “The central event of their young lives will come up when they are going to be initiated into the tribe.” – John Manners, [15:29] “If a crack appears in the mud [on your face], all the people around will know to immediately start beating you with large sticks.” – Gregory Warner, [17:29]

    • This pain ritual is not only a rite of passage but can represent centuries of sexual selection favoring stoicism and pain tolerance.
    • Girls' initiation is similar in its emphasis on enduring pain—socially justified as needed so that "a woman who shows cowardice during this operation might bear cowardly sons." ([21:37])

5. A Personal Story: Ellie Kipkoge

• [18:46–22:17]
  • Ellie, a 19-year-old Kalenjin, describes dreading the circumcision ceremony and initially requesting the hospital version (the "coward's way"). His family insists on tradition.
  • He recalls:
    • The initiation rites are multi-week affairs full of pain, isolation, and psychological testing.
    • After enduring this, he found himself able to persevere through pain in running:

      “I wanted to stop. Then I realized, no, let me try to persevere...” – Ellie Kipkoge, [20:41] “After training for two weeks...I became an expert and was known as the school athlete.” – Ellie Kipkoge, [20:54]

6. Nature vs. Culture: Where’s the Line?

• [22:17–23:14]
  • Kalenjin credit both physical inheritance and "blessings" (berurta), but guests and hosts stress that cultural selection and expectation are as powerful as any genetics.
  • Quote:

    “The pressure of a culture that is simply choosing to deeply, psychically reward certain behaviors...Those are all cultural, not biological things, but they are the equivalent.” – John Manners, [22:38]

7. The Next Generation: Changing Traditions

• [24:56–25:41]
  • Circumcision and initiation practices are changing; stigma around hospital circumcision is fading.
  • Ellie hopes to pass perseverance to his children through other means:

    “The benefit is only about the perseverance part of it. And I believe perseverance can get through many ways...I will teach him how to persevere.” – Ellie Kipkoge, [25:26, 25:37]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “If I die, I'm gonna die on the track.”
  — Kipchoge Keino, as reported by Gregory Warner ([04:12])
• “It appears to be the greatest concentration of elite athletic talent ever in any sport anywhere in the world.”
  — David Epstein ([08:03])
• “You're not going to win the New York Marathon if you have thick ankles.”
  — David Epstein ([12:39])
• “You have to go through an experience which is so painful. It's a kind of theatrical orgy of pain.”
  — John Manners ([15:56])
• “The central event of their young lives will come up when they are going to be initiated into the tribe.”
  — John Manners ([15:29])
• “A woman who shows cowardice during this operation might bear cowardly sons.”
  — John Manners ([21:37])
• “I wanted to stop. Then I realized, no, let me try to persevere...”
  — Ellie Kipkoge ([20:41])
• “The pressure of a culture that is simply choosing to deeply, psychically reward certain behaviors...Those are all cultural, not biological things, but they are the equivalent.”
  — John Manners ([22:38])
• “The benefit is only about the perseverance part of it. And I believe perseverance can get through many ways...I will teach him how to persevere.”
  — Ellie Kipkoge ([25:31], [25:37])

Important Timestamps

• [01:53] – Introduction to Keino and the 1968 Olympics
• [07:05] – Examination of statistical dominance of Kalenjin in running
• [08:46] – Theories (diet, altitude, socioeconomics, genetics)
• [12:39] – Allen’s Rule and physical adaptations discussed
• [13:27] – Shift to cultural explanation and pain rituals
• [18:46] – Ellie Kipkoge recounts his initiation story
• [21:37] – Pressure on both boys and girls to show pain tolerance
• [24:56] – Changing traditions in Kalenjin society

Tone & Style

Radiolab’s trademark curiosity, warmth, and respect guide the conversation, even as they tackle sensitive topics around race, gender, and regional culture. The hosts balance scientific inquiry with personal stories, never shying away from complexity or ambiguity.

Conclusion

"Cut and Run" is an engrossing exploration of athletic excellence traced across genetics, physiology, and, most compellingly, the crucible of cultural rite and personal perseverance. The episode doesn't offer a pat answer, instead emphasizing the mysterious, interwoven factors—biological, cultural, and psychological—that create extraordinary talent. And, as the hosts note, sometimes it’s these mysteries themselves that inspire everyday people to run a little farther, and try a little harder.