Chasing the Six Star: Ismail Koleleni's marathon journey
A sit-down with Ismail Koleleni on the road to the Six Star Medal — Boston is next.
Marcos Mzeru: Ismail, for anyone meeting you for the first time — introduce yourself.
Ismail: My name is Ismail Koleleni. I'm a proud member of The Runners Club Tanzania. I live and train in Dar es Salaam, and I'm chasing one of the sport's greatest milestones — completing the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Marcos: Five down, one to go. Walk me through where you are on that journey.
Ismail: So far I've been lucky to cross the finish line at five of the six Majors: Berlin, Chicago, New York City, London and Tokyo. Boston is next on my list, and every training run right now is aimed at earning that Six Star Medal. Each city taught me something different — Berlin taught me pace, New York taught me heart, Tokyo taught me patience. Boston, I think, will teach me gratitude.
Marcos: What does a normal week look like when you're preparing for a Major?
Ismail: Early mornings. I'm usually on the road by 5am, before Dar wakes up. Long runs on the weekend with the Club, tempo work mid-week, strength twice a week, and a lot of very boring, very important recovery — sleep, hydration, stretching. I work in technology by day, helping advance digital health solutions across East and Southern Africa, so the discipline of building something that lasts is the same thing that pulls me back onto the road before sunrise.
Marcos: You've raced on some of the biggest stages in the world. What keeps bringing you back?
Ismail: Honestly? It's not really about the finish line for me. It's about the discipline. It's about showing up on the hard days when nobody is watching. And it's about the community — the friendships forged on Dar's streets and around the world at Majors mean just as much as any medal in my drawer. Running gave me a family on every continent.
Marcos: What would you say to a Tanzanian runner reading this who dreams of running a Major one day?
Ismail: Dream big. Stay consistent. Enjoy every single step of the journey — the 5am ones especially. Don't wait until you feel "ready", because you never will. Start small, join a group, and let the miles do their work on you. The Runners Club is living proof that when we run together, we go further.
Marcos: Last question — after Boston and the Six Star, then what?
Ismail: (laughs) Then I get to inspire the next Tanzanian to chase it. That's the real finish line.
