At 85 kilograms, Martha was confronted with life-changing news: she had diabetes and high blood pressure. Her doctor gave her two choices: start medication or take action. That conversation sparked a transformation she never imagined. 

“For me, running saved my life,” Martha says. 

But running wasn’t always part of her plan. Despite hiking Mount Kenya and reaching the summit, she found running far more difficult. Hiking felt natural—slow, steady treks with time to pace herself. Running, on the other hand, seemed unnecessary and exhausting. It wasn’t until her husband, an experienced runner, intervened that Martha reluctantly gave it a try. 

“I still remember the first 6 kilometers he got me out of the house for,” Martha recalls. “I told him, ‘Are you going to pay me to run? Why would I wake up on a Saturday to do this?’” 

At first, she resisted. After working 8-to-5 all week, the last thing she wanted was to wake up early on weekends for a run. But her husband didn’t give up. He would finish his own run, return to encourage her, walk beside her, and show her how to pace herself. Step by step, he taught her how to run. 

“He literally stopped everything to teach me. He kept pushing, telling me, ‘Just get out of the house.’” 

Slowly, running became part of her routine. But the results she wanted didn’t come immediately. 

“Most people give up because they don’t see immediate results. They think it’s not working, so they quit too early. I had to remind myself that change was happening—even if I couldn’t see it right away. But that was very hard.” 

She learned to break big goals into manageable steps: 

First, run 5K before thinking about a half marathon. 

First, lose 2 kilograms, then 6, then 10. 

Eventually, Martha lost 20 kilograms—but it took time and patience

Being a morning person, Martha found that early runs worked best for her. She joined Urban Swaras, a running club her husband introduced her to, which scheduled long runs on weekends. 

Martha structured her week like this: 

“Once I built a routine, everything started to fall into place. I got stronger, my endurance improved, and I began to love running.” 

After two years of consistency, Martha trained for her first major marathon—the Kilimanjaro Marathon—and finished in an impressive 4 hours and 38 minutes. From there, she kept challenging herself, running half-marathons abroad and eventually tackling ultra-marathons. 

“I went from Nairobi to Naivasha—80+ kilometers in one run. I’ve done the Voi Ultra Run, covering 60 kilometers. I started enjoying it, and I kept sharing my story to inspire others.” 

To make her transformation sustainable, Martha worked with a nutritionist who analyzed her eating habits and created a personalized plan. 

“She asked me what I ate and put together a plan that worked with my running and strength training, so it became a full lifestyle shift,” Martha explains. 

Better nutrition, consistent exercise, and strength training began showing results—not just physically, but mentally. 

Even as she lost weight, some people around her began to wonder if something was wrong. 

“One of my neighbors told me that since she hadn’t seen me for a while, people assumed I was very sick! But I wasn’t sick—I was just transforming.” 

Beyond the physical changes, Martha discovered a greater benefit: mental clarity and self-love. 

“Running has helped me manage stress and reclaim time for myself. As mothers, we often lose ourselves in everything else, but running became my personal time. Even my kids know—this is Mama’s running time!”

Martha loves running in the early morning, when the air is crisp and the world is just waking up. Over time, she developed a routine that kept her consistent. 

“I preferred the morning runs,” she shares, noting that it became an essential part of her day. 

One of her favorite places to run is Karura Forest, where the quiet trails and natural surroundings create an ideal training ground. She also joined Urban Swaras, a running club her husband introduced her to, which provided structured training and weekend long runs. 

“So, over the week, I would run about four or five days, 10 kilometers each time, and then there was the long run on the weekend,” she explains. Alongside this, she incorporated strength training twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, which played a crucial role in her overall transformation. 

As she progressed, Martha experimented with different running shoes based on terrain. 

For trail running, she prefers Hoka for their excellent cushioning and speed. 

For road running and marathons, Martha now swears by Saucony. “I’ve been exploring different brands, and I’m really coming to love those shoes. They’re good,” she says. 

With a growing collection of shoes, she carefully selects the right pair depending on the race or training session. 

Martha’s journey isn’t just about fitness—it’s about pushing boundaries. She and her husband have an ambitious goal: to run a marathon on every continent. 

“We have a plan to do all the continents,” she shares excitedly. 

Her husband, who has been both her trainer and mentor, has been by her side through every challenge. “He literally got me out of the seat. If he didn’t do that, I’m sure I would be taking medicine somewhere, seated at the corner,” she reflects. 

With every marathon completed, Martha moves closer to her ultimate goal, proving that running is about more than just covering distances—it’s about breaking limits and embracing new challenges. 

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