NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — A Catholic church in Eldoret, an epicenter of global long-distance running in the north Rift Valley region of Kenya, is in the spotlight after a runner prayed there and later won the London Marathon. In the process, he broke a record many once thought was impossible. Sabastian Sawe , 31, maintained a blistering pace and clinched the April 26 race in a record time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming the first human to run the 26.2-mile distance in under two hours in an official marathon. He made his marathon debut in 2024, in Valencia, Spain, winning the city’s marathon with a time of 2:02:05. His win drew wild celebrations across Kenya, the East African nation often referred to as the home of long-distance running, where athletes have dominated middle- and long-distance racing for decades. It also drew attention to the connection between distance running and faith for Kenyans.…