For Folsom resident Shadrack Biwott, third-place finisher at this year’s Boston Marathon, it all started with a pair of sneakers. Born in a small Kenyan village, for the first 14 years of his life, he didn’t own shoes. But his older brothers were competitive runners, and Biwott quickly realized that running could be a way to gain access to an education, something he wanted more than anything else. For that to happen, however, he’d need shoes. “My brothers said, ‘If we give you shoes, you have to promise you’ll run with them,’” Biwott recalls. And he did, despite quickly learning that long-distance running was far from easy. For his first run, his brothers took him on a 10-mile gauntlet around the village. “It was torture,” he says with a laugh. “I ended up crying the whole way home.”

But Biwott never gave up. After legally immigrating to the U.S., he earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Oregon. Post-graduation, he went pro and currently runs in a variety of half and full marathons each year. He continues to train hard and has his sights set on making the Olympic team one day. What’s more, Biwott volunteers his time to share his story at schools throughout the region. “I tell kids that they have to work hard and never give up,” he shares. “The secret is to do your best, every day.”  

By Amber Foster

Q&A:

Author/writer

J.K. Rowling

Escape
San Diego

Guilty pleasure
Pizza

Meal in town
Mexquite; Karen’s Bakery

Local landmark
Folsom’s bike trails

Favorite memory
My wedding day

Musician/band
Simon and Garfunkel

Place to buy a gift, locally
Fleet Feet

Local nonprofit
Sacramento Running Association

Saying
“Just keep chipping away.”

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