Spikes17 Apr 2014


A Day in the Life of Wesley Korir

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Kenyan distance runner Wesley Korir (© Getty Images)

Wesley Korir is a busy boy when not winning major marathons. He has finished first in both Boston and LA, but is also an elected independent member of the Kenyan parliament. SPIKES chats to him about a typical – and as you can imagine – very hectic day.

Morning constitution

"I get up every morning at about 5.30am, and the first thing I do is check my emails on my mobile phone. The second thing I do is help my wife get my daughter, McKayla, ready for school. I’ll then have a cup of tea and go for my morning run.

"Typically, I run for about 1 hour 30 minutes. I usually run straight out of the door on to the street to a local forest called the Ngong Forest. I’ll carry out some stretching and core work when I get back, then I’ll take a shower. It will then be breakfast time. I’ll usually have some eggs, bread, toast, tea and a piece of fruit. I’ll then put on my suit and get ready for work."

The day in parliament

"I live a little way out for Nairobi, so it will take me about an hour to get into parliament. I have my own driver and bodyguard, and I’ll use this time to prepare for my day in parliament.

"Tuesdays and Thursdays are typically a morning of committee meetings: sport and labour. Depending on what's on the agenda, we can discuss a range of topics and take back our reports to parliament.

"I’m from a sporting background, and because Kenya is such a proud sporting nation, I really enjoy the sport committees, but I also enjoy lots of the other varied committees I’m involved with.

"I will then work through to lunch at 12.30-1pm which consists of maybe, beef, chicken, rice and vegetables. I'll return to full parliament in the afternoon, where we deliberate on different issues in the house.

“I really enjoy the debating element to politics. I'm an independent, so I feel I can speak my mind. I really feel one thing that gives me strength is my English. I lived in America for many years and my English is something that everybody comments on when I'm in parliament."

Winding down

"After parliament has finished I'll hop on the treadmill at about 5pm. I have a treadmill set up in parliament. Quite a few other members of parliament say I am too fast. I'll run on the treadmill for 45 minutes to an hour and carry out some stretching and core work before I travel home. I like to get back for 6.30-7pm, so I'm home in time to read my daughter her bedtime story.

"I then have a little bit of wind down time with my wife before eating dinner. I’ll then prepare myself for the work I have to do in parliament the following day. Then I’ll watch a little TV.

"I like to watch the 9pm news and then I'll go to bed at around 9.30-10pm. At the end of every day I'm exhausted – really tired, but as time goes by you get used to it."

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