Q: Why Are Kenyans So Good? A: Hills + Altitude

I have been getting by pretty well so far training. But today I was served of piping hot plate of Kenyan style training. I am not sure if I have run harder before, but I can guarantee that I have never been so tired.
My travelling buddy Bernard was out visiting relatives, and I was left under the guidance of a local friend, who happens to just run on the European track circuit. We meet up and pick up a few 13:30 road racing guys, along the way. After a 40 min warmup(!) rolling through the rural countryside, we came upon a rotten looking hill that dropped down out of sight. Isaac, the group leader, said, " Ok we will do 15 repeats up this 300m hill which will equal 1 hr of hills. I tried to not show my fear, so I just peed over by a fencepost (which I was informed is acceptable anywhere in Kenya).
We ran it sort of Indian run style, in a line with each guy taking a turn at the front. The first 6 were at an easy pace, and then it was game time. After #6 on I was told that 'the pace may increase' translation just get ready for all the countryside kids to laugh at you as the pack Kenyans destroy you up this hill. I could manage to hang the first half but come the last 150m the pitch increased and everytime I was droppped handily.
#10 saw the most talkative guy quit in the middle of a repeat. That was the last thing I needed, an excuse, but I remembered why I came here. From there on, they insisted I start when it was my turn, but always halfway in saw 3 wooshing bodies lope past me. My lungs hurt like nothing I have every experienced in my life, and my legs cursed me for the dripfeed of oxygen they demanded. I picked up pace on all of them relatively but still got dropped on each. When we finished, the less fluent in English guys said to Isaac, "This man I do not want to race in 3 months". It was a nice compliment, but I can't tell if it was their version of a pity clap.

Sum it up, I have started to train like I expected. Time to buckle tight.