She began to enjoy success in athletics in 2006, becoming the East African cross country champion and winning at the first Shoe4Africa Women's 10km race. She gained her first major title at the 2007 Military World Games, winning the 10,000 metres gold medal. The following year she came third at the Kenyan cross championships and gained selection for the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where she finished in fourth place and helped Kenya to the women's team silver medal. She was the winner of the 2008 edition of the Great Ireland Run and also won the Würzburger Residenzlauf that year.