Kenyan para-cyclist Kennedy Ogada feel di same kain rush of joy as im cross di finish line for Kaptagat Forest Complex on July 5. Di kain face wey show say im dey push hard for di last lap quick quick change to big smile.

Dis time, no be only di joy of reaching di podium dey make Ogada happy. Less than one year afta di Paris Paralympics, Ogada dey Kaptagat for mission wey pass di matter of medals. Dis na race against time to save di forest training ground wey dem sabi as di place wey Kenyan Olympic legends dey train.

More than 100 cyclists, including para-athletes like Ogada, ride di tough 80km Kaptagat Cycling for Nature Challenge wey pass through di misty highlands of di forest complex for Uasin Gishu County, southwestern Kenya.

Dis high-altitude area, wey Olympic champions like Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon dey use train, dey face environmental wahala. Di yearly cycling event dey try raise awareness about di mata.

Cycling don become di theme for di event. Dis na di ninth year wey dem dey do di Cycling for Nature Challenge, and e join di bigger effort to restore di Kaptagat ecosystem. Kenya Forest Service talk say dem don restore 3,000 hectares of land wey don spoil before, and di work don reach more than 95%.

"Dis na programme wey join restoration, better livelihood, and sport," Jackson Koech, WWF-Kenya head of conservation, tok.

Di initiative no stop for environmental conservation alone. Community people dey get high-yield cows for milk, horticulture seedlings, biogas units, and clean water access. All dis one dey help create better livelihood while dem dey restore di environment.

"E dey join endurance, environment, and empowerment in ways wey dey really make sense," Mohamed Awer, di CEO of WWF-Kenya, tok give TRT Afrika. "We believe say as we dey promote cycling, join di conservation work we dey do, we fit inspire athletes and local communities to take action for di environment."

Di yearly cycling challenge, wey dey bring both top athletes and beginners, dey remind people say every pedal wey dem push dey help di mission for greener tomorrow.

For Ndung'u wa Kieya, wey win di men race dis year, di race be like redemption journey. "Last year, I no prepare well, and I finish for ninth position. I gatz come back to prove myself and see how far I fit go. E pay me well as I win di race," Kieya tok give TRT Afrika. "I face some challenges for road, but e show say I still get di spirit and will to overcome dem."

For di women category, Monica Jelimo no fit believe say she win. "I dey emotional as I dey cross di finish line, hear my papa and mama dey shout… I happy say dis na race wey get impact, to remember say di Kaptagat Forest Complex need saving, and to plant more trees."

Di event end as di cyclists plant over 300 trees for di Eliud Kipchoge-adopted site. Di exercise na collective promise to take care of di ecosystem wey don help many athletes build their career.

Ogada, wey don compete for international cycling events for Portugal and UK, plus di Paralympics, dey happy say dem plant tree for im name. "I dey humbled say people go fit see say Ogada plant tree, and e do am to conserve di environment," im tok.

Di Kaptagat challenge also give Ogada chance to promote paracycling for Kenya. "I want make paracycling dey recognised as competitive sport for di whole Kenya," im tok, as im hope say im participation go inspire others wey get disability to join sport.

Champion Kieya also tok say make people see sport as joy and as way to push good cause. "If we take care of nature, nature go take care of us," im tok give TRT Afrika.