Kiplagats Chance

This bittersweet novel portrays John "Leeds" Kipligat, a 16-year-old Kenyan migr living in Vancouver who decides to become a runner to escape the poverty, family strife, and mind-numbing routine of his daily life. But the path to a track scholarship is fraught with obstacles-physical, mental and emotional. As Leeds starts to train and recognizes within himself a powerful yearning to run, his own self-destructive tendencies begin to chase him. Is he running toward his future or away...
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This bittersweet novel portrays John "Leeds" Kipligat, a 16-year-old Kenyan migr living in Vancouver who decides to become a runner to escape the poverty, family strife, and mind-numbing routine of his daily life. But the path to a track scholarship is fraught with obstacles-physical, mental and emotional. As Leeds starts to train and recognizes within himself a powerful yearning to run, his own self-destructive tendencies begin to chase him. Is he running toward his future or away from the pain of his past? Set amidst a compellingly depicted, diverse community of urban down-and-out runners, Kipligat's Chance features a protagonist who is utterly convincing in his humanity, sweetness, humour and courage.