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The harsh road for Kenyan marathon runners

August 23, 2025

Alice Chebii has dedicated everything to becoming a world-class runner. We follow her journey as she escapes an abusive relationship for Kenya's elite high-altitude training grounds, where champions are made, but often at the cost of mental health. Can Chebii win this race that might change everything?

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In the high-altitude town of Iten, Kenya thousands of runners chase dreams of international glory. Among them is Alice Chebii, a determined 29-year-old mother who fled abuse and poverty to pursue a better life through marathon running. Her journey, marked by resilience and hardship, leads to the Eldoret City Marathon, where only the top 20 earn prize money. 

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About the show

The DW Sports Life show logo is seen next to a composite image of a male athlete in a wheelchair, a female athlete holding up a skateboard and another female athlete flexing her right biceps

Sports Life — Overcoming Challenges with Sports

Everything we know about life can be found in sports: Success and failure, euphoria and despair. Sports Life tells stories from across the globe, where sports drives personal growth and changes lives.