Long-distance runner Abel Chelangat knows what it means to lack, and that has somehow shaped his humility, work ethic, and commitment to giving back to the running community in his area.
In August last year, following a cry over the unavailability of transport means to compete in the Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon, the event organizers arranged transport for athletes, including Chelangat himself, from Kapchorwa to Kasese.
Chelangat won the 42km category of the 2024 Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon, and ever since then, he has had an eventful transition filled with exciting opportunities and new challenges.
He was scouted by Adidas representatives in Kasese and got an invite to Portugal to compete in the Porto Marathon in November. He won the event, pocketing $5,000 (approximately Shs19,000,000) worth of prize money. In April this year, Chelangat, sponsored by Adidas, won the Rabat International Marathon, pocketing $15,000 (at least Shs55,029,495).
Ahead of the fourth Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon slated for August 23, 2025, Chelangat has gone out of his way to help fellow runners in his area. The Shs10,000,000 prize money he earned in the previous edition didn’t just go into his own development; he has also used it to fund training camps, transport, nutrition, medication, and gear for both himself and fellow runners in Bukwo.
“I know what it feels like to struggle just to prepare for a race, so when I got the chance to do better, I decided to also make it easier for others. No one should miss an opportunity just because of lack of basics,” Chelangat said.
With a huge cast of budding athletes from Bukwo and beyond set to storm Kasese for the Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon, Uganda’s only World Athletics certified marathon, Chelangat has tipped the youngsters to bring heart and commitment to the sport. “You really have to like running. You can’t just run for money.”
Chelangat trains daily in Bukwo. His days start at 5 a.m. with light mobility and strength work, followed by 25 km in the morning and another 10 km in the evening, at an easy pace of 4 minutes per kilometre. Speed work takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with long runs on Saturdays, often up to 38 km.
Chelangat takes a calculated approach to hydration. “It starts three days before race day,” he explains. “During the run, you don’t drink, you take small, small sips.”
Chelangat believes that the toughest part of running lies not in the body, but in the mind. “You should not have a mind that is tortured. You should have a free mind,” he says, adding that most injuries aren’t from overtraining, but wrong training: a lack of strength and mobility work.
“The terrain where we’re born makes us strong. I see the hard training we’re doing; it makes us fight easier when we compete,” he added.
Denise Paula Nazzinda, the Brand Manager for Tusker Lite at Uganda Breweries Limited, says that the brand prides itself in impacting communities through the marathon, not just by promoting wellness and fitness, but also by creating opportunities for athletes, supporting tourism, and championing environmental conservation.
“We are not just sponsoring a race; we are building a platform that brings real change to communities on many levels. Together with our partners, we’re happy to see positive growth, stronger communities, and opportunities opening up for so many. We believe that the fourth edition of the Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon will take us even further in creating lasting impact and inspiring a new generation of athletes.”
The 2025 Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon, stands to be its most impressive edition yet: nearly 6,000 runners from up to 50 countries, heightened global and government engagement, eco-conscious operations, vibrant race events, and major impacts on local economic and tourism horizons.
