New ‘E60’ documentary explores growing gender-based violence against Kenyan female runners

Kenyan women dominate the world of distance running, including winning the past seven editions of the New York City Marathon, but the successful athletes are also being targeted at home. A new ESPN E60 documentary examines the growing and disturbing threat of gender-based violence against female athletes in Kenya, as well as the chilling reality these women face: the more they win, the bigger their risk.

Still They Run, reported by ESPN Global Correspondent and Senior Writer Sam Borden, debuts in primetime on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, after live coverage of the TCS New York City Marathon airs that morning on ESPN2 from 8-11:30 a.m. The film will be available for on-demand viewing afterward on the ESPN App.

In a nation that has long excelled in the world of distance running, there is a growing epidemic of gender-based violence against Kenya’s female stars. Four runners were brutally murdered in the African nation in just three years, each allegedly targeted by their partners after financial disputes.

E60 investigates the escalating threat through the heartbreaking stories of two runners whose speed and strength put them at risk. As the film examines the cultural, economic, and systemic forces behind these tragedies, it also follows a rising star and the team working to protect her from a similar fate. Ultimately, Still They Run poses an urgent question: when success puts women in danger, who is responsible for keeping them safe?

The documentary includes interviews conducted in Kenya with elite Kenyan runners, journalists who have covered the stories of violence, officials and others.

Still They Run was produced and directed by Lyndsey Armacost and Juanita Ceballos. A companion written piece by Borden will be published Friday, Oct. 30, on ESPN.com.

In addition to Still They Run and live New York City Marathon coverage, Sunday also will include the television debut of the documentary The Endless Race at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN. The film is the story of several New York Marathon participants, all either recovering substance use addicts or who had family members who were, who trained for and competed in the marathon.