With my fast-approaching departure to Kenya — my wife Sara and I are traveling there very soon — I've spent some time thinking about my expectations for our time training in Africa. To be honest, every time I think about all that I hope to experience, and the positive change I anticipate happening there, I find a voice in the back of my head saying, "just go to Kenya with an open mind, an open heart, and be ready to work very hard." However, even though I try to keep my expectations open, there are some good reasons why we're choosing to spend the most important month of my preparation for the Boston Marathon in Kenya.

The first reason for the trip to Kenya is because my new coach is there. Working with Coach Canova has been fun thus far, but I feel like I have really yet to fully grasp his training ideals and philosophy. Up to this point, all of his coaching of me has been from a distance, which is good, but not the best case scenario for implementing a new program. I hope that by the end of our trip I understand his training and he understands me, and my running needs, in a deeper way.

My second reason for going to Kenya is to meet new training partners and to get "roughed up" a bit in training. I have always been good at training and racing on my own but I believe in order to go to the next level in my running I cannot do it alone. I know I will need the help of others to push me along in my training on a daily basis. I find that breakthrough rarely comes in solitude; without the help of people around me I would have never got to where I am in my career and I will never get where I hope to go.

The last reason for going to Kenya that I will mention in this post is simply to observe, and hopefully adopt, "the Kenyan way." Having been around Kenyan people for the past 17 years of my life, through various races, I have always looked up to them as a culture and people. They seem like a generally happy and thankful people who aren't easily discouraged. I have rarely seen a Kenyan without a smile on their face after a race, whether it went well or badly. They know how to not take defeat personally. Lastly, like me, they are aggressive in their approach to training and racing.  I love to push the envelope in my training, which I am anticipating will happen in Kenya to a level I have never experienced in my athletic career. I'm going to have to buckle up for the ride!

Starting in mid-February I'll be posting updates of my and Sara's time in Kenya with photos and videos included. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to train in Kenya I invite you to check out my posts during our time there just to whet your appetite until you can make the trip for yourself!

Would you like to train with Kenyan runners? What would hope to learn from them to make you a better runner?

—Ryan Hall, Record-breaking marathoner