![\"Big](\"http:\/\/www.runsociety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Enda-Kenyan-made-running-shoes-1.jpg\")
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This shoe tells a story<\/h2>\n
What runner doesn\u2019t imagine lightning fast runners when they hear the nation of Kenya mentioned? <\/p>\n
It\u2019s a fact: marathoners from Kenya make headlines every year thanks to their gazelle-like running styles and the number of titles they regularly collect, so it\u2019s the most natural progression in the world for Kenyans to morph their pride in their country into an enterprise that so ideally supports this athletic claim to fame. <\/p>\n
Fact is, Kenyans have been running long distances for around 60,000 years, so they know a thing or two about how to maximize speed and distance. <\/p>\n
Can a Kenyan shoe turn you into a Kenyan runner?<\/h2>\n
Now, wouldn\u2019t that be amazing! According to the Enda Athletic founders Navalayo (Nava) Osembo-Ombati and Weldon Kennedy, every child in Kenya is raised to be a runner. <\/p>\n
As a result, a deep, strong culture of running pervades the nation in which children grow up in a society where their heroes are runners, not musicians, athletes and movie stars. Such a culture instils powerful aspirations in children that are reinforced when they run at school and find strong, enthusiastic communities of supportive people who inspire and encourage the pursuit of excellence. <\/p>\n
Is it any wonder the time has come for an athletic shoe that embodies this nation\u2019s passion for and commitment to running? <\/p>\n
![\"Big](\"http:\/\/www.runsociety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Enda-Kenyan-made-running-shoes-2.jpg\")
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The Kenyans behind the shoes<\/h2>\n
When entrepreneurs Osembo-Ombati and Kennedy began to explore the idea of a Kenyan running shoe business in 2015, they quickly realized that starting from scratch would be no picnic, but they were undaunted. <\/p>\n
The two waded through the implications of import and export challenges, a quality control system, design and manufacturing demands and, importantly, they required enough funding to turn this clever idea into reality. Serendipity pushed the two forward when the U.S. renewed the African Growth and Opportunities Act in 2015 that would allow duty-free imports to enter the U.S. for 10 years. <\/p>\n
A sign from the gods? Perhaps, because in addition to launching this new enterprise, they knew that Kenya\u2019s economy and labour force would both benefit greatly.<\/p>\n It\u2019s one thing to decide to produce athletic shoes in Kenya. It\u2019s another to come up with the millions of dollars it takes to set up production. Kennedy and Osembo-Ombati knew a lack of equipment and the type of factory set-up required to produce shoes wasn\u2019t available anywhere in Kenya, so they did what so many start-ups do these days: they outsourced shoe components in Asia, arranging with a running shoe production facility in China to make components and ship them to Kenya where the shoes are constructed and packaged for shipment around the world. <\/p>\n Internet sales will jumpstart the company’s efforts, but the Enda Athletic crew believe the sky\u2019s the limit for future retailing efforts once the brand is established. <\/p>\n The Enda Athletic start-up team worked with Jones and Vining, a firm with 80+ years of experience developing shoe lasts to make sure fit is precise. <\/p>\n These shoes are designed with a 4mm drop inspired by the gait of Kenyan runners who land on the balls of their feet. A wider toe box means no squashed toes, there\u2019s 21mm of cushioning under the heel and 17mm under the forefoot, yet these lightweight shoes weigh only 7.9 ounces. <\/p>\n A full rubber outsole promises protection on pavement and a solid grip on trails, so if you encounter rugged terrain, your foot is going to compensate for the change automatically thanks to the outsole design. <\/p>\n When you shop for shoes, you rarely find styles that pay tribute to the country in which they\u2019re made, but Enda Iten is all about symbolism, color and pride. Shoe colors are drawn from the Kenyan flag, the company logo incorporates a powerful, iconic spear tip, there are 12 lines on the Enda Iten\u2019s lateral sides to pay tribute to Kenya\u2019s independence day on 12\/12 and heels emulate Kenya\u2019s Great Rift Valley, home to most of Kenya\u2019s world-famous running stars. <\/p>\n If you check out the shoe\u2019s sole, you\u2019ll see the word \u201cHarambee.\u201d This is Kenya\u2019s motto: \u201cAll pull together.\u201d Repeating triangle motifs and geometric patterns, each representing Kenya\u2019s vividly-patterned fabrics and beadwork, are embellished on the outsole, the heel strap and side mesh areas. <\/p>\n Like all maiden voyages, the Enda Iten team has built plenty of lead time into their start-up plans so literal and figurative bumps in the road could be ironed out before bringing these first shoes to market. <\/p>\n![\"(Left)](\"http:\/\/www.runsociety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Enda-Kenyan-made-running-shoes-4.jpg\")
Overcoming the odds<\/h2>\n
First class engineering<\/h2>\n
![\"Big](\"http:\/\/www.runsociety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Enda-Kenyan-made-running-shoes-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDesigned to pay tribute to Kenya<\/h2>\n
When can you get yours?<\/h2>\n