NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — A Catholic church in Eldoret, an epicenter of global long-distance running in the north Rift Valley region of Kenya, is in the spotlight after a runner prayed there and later won the London Marathon. In the process, he broke a record many once thought was impossible. Sabastian Sawe, 31, maintained a blistering pace and clinched the April 26 race in a record time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming the first human to run the 26.2-mile distance in under two hours in an official marathon. He made his marathon debut in 2024, in Valencia, Spain, winning the city’s marathon with a time of 2:02:05. His win drew wild celebrations across Kenya, the East African nation often referred to as the home of long-distance running, where athletes have dominated middle- and long-distance racing for decades. It also drew attention to the connection between distance running and faith for Kenyans. Athletes’ Christian faith is often on display as they perform the sign of the cross at the start and the …