Running for Life

A film about one of the greatest sports mysteries of all time. Why do Kenyan runners dominate every distance event from the 800 meters to the marathon year after year? Kenyans have run more than half of the top 20 fastest times in every single one of these disciplines.

Running for Life

Running for Life

In Running for Life one of the world’s leading physiologists, Professor Bengt Saltin and his team, perform the first major scientific study in search of an answer to the Kenyan runners’ dominance of the sport. They work in co-operation with Kenyan scientists on location in the small town of Eldoret in Kenya and in Copenhagen, Denmark, comparing adolescents as well as grown ups, elite runners as well as non-athletes.

Marathon champions Moses Tanui and Japeth Kosgei, and 800 meter world record holder Wilson Kipketer share are featured in the film. The runners share opinions about the first major scientific study to examine the physiological causes of the Kenyan running phenomenon. The results of which surprised even the scientists themselves.

Director Mikæl Agaton
Producer Helle Løvgreen
Produced by Bech Film for DR
Duration 53 min.
Year of Production 2001
Original Title Running for Life
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