My heroes have always been runners – Sebastian Coe, Eric Liddle, Steve Prefontaine, Jesse Owens, and many others.

And, of course, Kip Keino, who won gold in Mexico City and Munich, and then went home to start an orphanage, where he’s got more than 100 kids who call him Baba. Not only a great athlete, but also a great man.

Most of the Kenyan distance runners are from the Kalenjin family of tribes, and they are in the center of the recent violence that’s going on in Kenya. Another one of them was killed this week, having missed his flight out for a race due to the fighting. Lucas Sang was killed the week before. And Luke Kibet, who’s the world marathon champion, is in the hospital recovering from being struck in the head by a stone.

I have no profound thoughts to add to this. Just continuing sadness at the methodical way that the greatest nation in Africa is tearing itself to pieces.

Update: Now the government is targeting these folks, claiming that they’re funding the “ethnic cleansing.” Who knows what to believe?