The training program, running from December, blends track workouts, specialized drills and endurance sessions. Athletes train alongside world-class squads and local pacemakers recruited by the Chinese team.

At 5:30 am, when the Chinese team embarks on 40-kilometer runs through the highland chill, they find their companions: Kenyan athletes casually overtaking them, sharing nods of mutual respect.

"Every Thursday you'll see over a hundred athletes from different camps running through Eldoret's farmlands and pastures," Xiao said. "The training atmosphere here is irreplaceable."