Reigning Rock 'n' Roll champ has lesson to teach

By: RICK HOFF - Staff Writer | Friday, June 2, 2006 11:33 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- School is in session for Christopher Cheboiboch, and he couldn't be happier about it.

Cheboiboch is the defending men's champion for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, and he hopes to defend his title on Sunday in the ninth annual 26.2-mile tour of San Diego. Whether he wins or not, it will be a learning experience, one that gets passed on to youngsters in his native Kenya.

A big chunk of Cheboiboch's $20,000 payday for winning here last year went to continued development of a school he has financed just outside his hometown of Iten. Since he first began to plant the seeds of learning in 2003, Cheboiboch has become somewhat of an ambassador of education in his homeland.

"I'm a runner by profession, but I love education so much," said Cheboiboch, 29. "Anything I can do to assist youngsters in getting a quality education, I will try to do."

The school, for ages 5-9, has been in constant stages of development since construction started three years ago.

"We started building in 2003, but the school opened officially just last year," Cheboiboch said. "We had 175 students last year, and we are up to 224 enrolled this year.

"Next year we want to be even more modern, and we hope to introduce computers for the students."

Cheboiboch has logged many miles in his quest to improve education in his country. His first marathon was the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 1998, and Sunday's race will be his 23rd race at the 26.2-mile distance. He placed second here in 1998 and was fifth in 2000 before breaking the tape a year ago with a winning time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, 17 seconds despite battling flu symptoms.

"Last year, I came through, and it was good because I had been struggling a lot," Cheboiboch said. "I like to say, 'No train, no gain,' so I trained extra hard."

Cheboiboch, who was runner-up in the 2002 Boston Marathon, is coming off another strong effort in his most recent marathon, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in April, where he placed seventh in 2:09:21.

"I feel very good for Sunday's race," he said.

Three of the top four finishers from last year's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon are back, including Cheboiboch, runner-up Stephen Kiogara of Kenya and fourth-pace finisher Simon Bor of Kenya. They are expected to be challenged by Ambesse Tolossa of Ethiopia, who won the Tokyo Marathon in February and has a personal best of 2:08:56.

After finishing this year's race, Cheboiboch plans to return home to visit his three children, including his 5-year-old son Fornifece, a student at the school in Iten.

"I want all my children to get a quality education," Cheboiboch said. "That's the primary thing.

"Without an education, I would not be where I am now. I tell all my friends to go to school first and run later."

Contact staff writer Rick Hoff at (760) 740-3545 or rhoff@nctimes.com.

RnR MARATHON FACTS

+ WHAT: Ninth annual Rock 'n' Roll Marathon

+ WHEN: 6:30 a.m. Sunday

+ PARTICIPANTS: 20,000 expected to start, including nearly 4,000 members of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program

+ START: Sixth Avenue and Palm Street, Balboa Park

+ FINISH: Marine Corp Recruit Depot, Point Loma

+ TV: June 10, noon, Ch. 7/39; and June 17, 3 p.m., FSN

+ INFORMATION: www.RnRmarathon.com