Joe Sang in Berlin Marathon is more than a race entry. It is a promise that every kilometre in Berlin will carry the hopes of children who need a path into classrooms, books and opportunity, and it is a statement that sport can move communities to action.
On a chilly Nairobi morning, long before sunrise, Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang gathered with a small band of training partners and headed for the quiet roads of Karen. At 5am they set off for a 30 kilometre long run, braving the elements and turning routine training into a shared commitment to education.
The route wound around the Karen Country Club neighbourhood, taking in Mbagathi Ridge, Marula Lane, Forest Lane and Karen Brooks at roughly 1,700 metres above sea level. What might look like a standard marathon build up carried a deeper meaning, since every step is tied to the Joe Sang Foundation and its drive to transform lives through schooling.
Saturday, August 16, 2025, doubled as a launchpad for Berlin. The morning’s work, just over two hours, was another stepping stone toward September, and it offered a glimpse of Sang’s focus as he gears up for his second appearance in a World Marathon Majors race.
The road from Chicago to Berlin
Last year, Sang made his 42 kilometre debut at the Chicago Marathon and conquered it in a personal best of three hours and seven minutes. That experience provided the belief and structure for what comes next, and now the target in Berlin is clear, a sub three hour run in only his second major marathon outing.
He has also tested himself over the half marathon, setting a personal best of one hour, 32 minutes and 44 seconds last year. On that day he ran alongside his training partner John Terer, the Managing Director and proprietor of Car City, who has been a constant on the road and a key supporter of the foundation.
Terer was again among Sang’s running mates on the Karen circuit, pushing through the rolling course as the sun rose. Others in the group included Tony Lel, Emmanuel Cheruiyot and Silas Simatwo, a collective effort that blended physical preparation with shared purpose.
A mission built around education
Through the Joe Sang Foundation, the goal is both ambitious and specific. Over the next two years the foundation plans to raise 200 million Kenyan Shillings, a lift that Sang believes will empower countless lives and create a brighter future for all.
The early returns are encouraging. So far the foundation has raised over 10 million shillings, and the team is targeting to chase 100 million shillings by the close of the year to benefit children starting school at the beginning of 2026.
- Over 10 million shillings already raised,
- 100 million shillings targeted by year end,
- 200 million shillings the two year goal.
The foundation was formed last year, and its pathway is built on consistent milestones and community buy in. Details on how donations can be made are available at the website thejoesangfoundation.org, making it easy for well wishers to align their support with the miles on the road.
Berlin on the horizon
Sang has entered the BMW Berlin Marathon of September 21, and the calendar date now sits at the centre of his training plan. The aim is straightforward yet demanding, beat the three hour barrier and keep the spotlight squarely on the cause.
His recent long run formed part of the final build up to next month’s race. The effort in Karen mirrored the discipline that a sub three pursuit requires, and it underlined the wider message of running for a reason that extends beyond personal achievement.
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Voices from the long run
After the workout, Sang captured the spirit of the morning and the purpose of the project in plain words. His gratitude for those who show up at dawn and for those who give to the foundation came through clearly.
“I’d like to thank my friends for coming to support the Joe Sang Foundation which is geared towards supporting children go through school. Today, we are formally launching our Berlin Marathon challenge which will be on September 21.”
He then turned to a broader appeal that sits at the heart of the campaign. The invitation is open to well wishers and Kenyans at large to help move the needle for school bound children.
“My call to action today to our well-wishers and Kenyans at large is to support the Joe Sang Foundation by donating towards the cause, which is the transformation of one child at a time.”
Training partners see both the athlete and the advocate. Emmanuel Cheruiyot, who helped push the pace to the end of the 30 kilometre run, voiced his confidence in the chase for sub three and in the meaning behind it.
“We are very happy to wake up early and join in supporting the Joe Sang Foundation by training with Sang as he prepares for the Berlin Marathon where he is aiming to run the marathon in under three hours.”
Silas Simatwo offered a similar endorsement, tethering the competitive goal to the educational mission. His words painted a picture of grit in service of a greater good.
“Joe is a fighter! Watching him training and running alongside him in training, I’m confident that he will break the three-hour barrier in Berlin and all for a good cause – giving a chance to needy children to get good education.”
Why these miles matter
Each early alarm, each stride through Karen’s quiet lanes, and each measured split adds up to a narrative that extends beyond sport. Sang’s story shows how a demanding schedule can be tuned to a purpose that lifts others.
The symbolism is simple and powerful. A finish line in Berlin can become a starting line in classrooms for needy children, and the fundraising targets give structure to that vision.
By placing education at the centre, the Joe Sang Foundation ties endurance to opportunity. The work on the road becomes a public invitation to participate, whether by cheering the effort, sharing the story or contributing through the foundation’s website.
The competitive edge that fuels the cause
Chicago provided the proving ground. A personal best of three hours and seven minutes on debut set the bar, and now the chase moves to Berlin with refined training and a clearer target.
The half marathon personal best, one hour, 32 minutes and 44 seconds, speaks to consistent preparation. Running with a committed group that includes John Terer, Emmanuel Cheruiyot, Silas Simatwo and Tony Lel brings both accountability and energy to the plan.
As important as splits and pace charts are, the human pieces matter just as much. Friends who show up at 5am, who push through the tough kilometres and who lend their voices to the mission help turn a personal goal into a shared movement.
Looking ahead to race day
With the BMW Berlin Marathon set for September 21, the final weeks will be about sharpening and recovery. The work, though, is already paying dividends in awareness and in the steady growth of the foundation’s kitty.
The hope is that Berlin delivers both a clocking and a catalyst, a sub three result that keeps the momentum behind education funding. Whatever the time on the finish line, the road already travelled has sent a clear message about what sport can accomplish when aligned with purpose.
How to follow and support
The Joe Sang Foundation was formed last year and continues to build on its early wins. Those seeking more information or wishing to contribute can find details on the donation process at thejoesangfoundation.org, a hub that connects the training miles with tangible support for children.
In the coming weeks, as Sang moves through taper runs and final preparations, the story will keep unfolding. The Berlin start line will be the next chapter, and the finish will be measured not only in minutes and seconds but in the classrooms opened for the next generation.
Sport has a unique power to bring people together. In this case, it gathers corporate leaders, training partners, friends and well wishers behind a simple idea, that a marathon can help pay for school fees, and that a community can turn morning runs into opportunity.
When the gun goes off in Berlin, Sang will carry more than a bib number. He will carry the names of supporters, the belief of his training partners and the promise that each kilometre can be counted in lessons learned and futures changed.
The path from Karen to Berlin is marked by consistency and by a clear call to action. As Sang put it after that long run, the mission is the transformation of one child at a time, a mission that turns miles into meaning and a race into a bridge to education.
