Nanjero

“I get bored quickly,” he says with a laugh.

That’s how Nanjero — a triathlete who has raced across continents and tackled some of the world’s toughest courses — explains why he keeps chasing new challenges. Most recently, he took on the legendary Norseman Xtreme Triathlon, a race known for its icy fjord swim, grueling mountain bike climbs, and marathon finish at the peak of a Norwegian mountain.

Off the course, he’s the General Manager of Sol Generation, the creative and talent hub founded by Kenya’s celebrated band Sauti Sol. Like triathlon, the role calls for imagination, resilience, and a willingness to push limits.

But what stands out most isn’t the races or the stages he manages — it’s how he draws lessons from both worlds. Lessons on discipline, resilience, and community that every runner can carry into their own life

Finding Grounding in Sport

As a child, Nanjero moved between the bustle of Nairobi boarding school and the slower pace of shags during holidays. Books and exams didn’t always build his confidence, but running and swimming did. “Sports gave me a sense of belonging,” he says. While classmates compared grades, he found pride in a good training session or a race well run. “Not everyone can be number one in class. But sports gave me my place.”

That sense of belonging has stayed with him. Today, when work and family get hectic, sport is still where he finds balance — a run after a long day or a weekend session with friends gives him the clarity he needs. “When life feels scattered, sport pulls me back together.”

Discipline and the Long View

Every runner knows the real work happens long before the medal. For Nanjero, discipline was built in the quiet moments: early alarms, rainy runs, and endless kilometers with no one watching. “The most difficult parts were never during the race. They were in the training,” he says.

What kept him going was what he calls the 1% rule: “You can give yourself 99 reasons not to train, but you only need one reason to show up.”

That mindset soon shaped his work life too. Big goals stopped feeling overwhelming once he treated them like training blocks. “It’s the same whether you want to run a marathon or get promoted at work. You break the big dream into smaller pieces, keep showing up, and one day you realize you’ve arrived.”

He believes runners carry an edge into everyday life: the ability to trust a process. “If you’ve trained for a half or a full, you already know the pattern — build slowly, push through the grind, peak at the right time. That discipline transfers everywhere. The finish line is never won on race day. It’s won in the months before, when nobody’s cheering.”

When he’s not training, Nanjero leans into his creative side.

Resilience in Setback and Loss

Running teaches resilience, and Nanjero has had to live that lesson. There were seasons when injuries set him back or when his body simply refused to respond on race day. His toughest moment came after a cycling accident. “I healed physically in two months after a lorry ran me off the road — and I still bear the scars. But getting back on the bike, pushing past that fear, was harder.”

Disappointment, he explains, is part of the journey. For runners, it might mean missing a goal time, hitting the wall in a marathon, or being passed in the final stretch. Each setback, he says, is also a chance to rebuild and return stronger.

“There’s always that moment where you think, should I even carry on? And then you remind yourself why you started.”

He sees the same lessons in his children’s sports: the value of losing gracefully, showing up again the next day, and realizing that setbacks don’t erase progress — they build character.

The Power of Shared Effort

People often think of running as a solitary sport, but Nanjero sees it differently. “Running is an individual sport, but it’s also a team sport,” he says. Training partners, accountability groups, and coaches all shape the journey. For him, the people around you matter as much as the miles you log alone.

Some of his closest friendships were built on long runs. Hours of shared struggle create a bond that’s hard to find anywhere else. He laughs that you may not even know your training partner’s kids’ names, yet the connection from miles side by side is undeniable.

“Goals are always easier when they’re shared.”

For Nanjero, the community around running is one of its biggest rewards. From charity runs to club sessions, the encouragement of others makes the individual stronger. “When I was at my lowest, it was a teammate’s voice that kept me moving,” he says. And it’s not just about running — he believes surrounding yourself with like-minded people can change what feels possible.

He’s also noticed how brands and local groups are starting to tap into this energy, supporting running clubs because they see how people thrive when chasing tough goals together. “That’s where it clicks,” he says. “Shared goals, shared sweat, shared victories.”

“The miles we run together matter just as much as the medals we run for.”

Passing It On

For Nanjero, the finish lines have been sweet — from marathons to Ironman to the Norseman itself. But he is quick to point out that medals tarnish, times fade, and the glow of achievement eventually dims. What lasts are the lessons sport has etched into his life.

“After Norseman, there’s nothing higher. So my time now is for others.”

He has turned that conviction toward mentoring — investing in the next generation of athletes and instilling in his own children the daily discipline of showing up. For him, sport is no longer just about pushing personal limits; it’s about opening doors so others can discover their own.

And that is the invitation for runners everywhere. Whether you’re lining up for your first 10K, pushing toward a marathon PB, or simply lacing up after a long week, the lessons are the same: discipline beats talent, resilience builds character, and shared goals forge community.

Nanjero’s journey reminds us that the true finish line isn’t a tape at the top of a mountain or at the end of a marathon. It’s the steady shaping of a life — one mile, one training block, one lesson at a time.