The last long run - I did it, but....

Disclaimer - Do not attempt the described event at home. The author has had over 1 year of training but still hardly managed the event. The last time he attempted this event he ended up in an hospital bed with a 1,000 dollar bill.

Oct. 5, 2008
Our jogging schedule indicated that we needed to do the 'last long run' on the weekend of Oct. 4, 2008. I usually jog on Sundays, so I had set my last long one on Oct. 5, 2008. The long run was to be anything between 32km and 38km. I opted for the higher extreme.

The general route was meant to be: Uthiru-Naivasha road-KK/church then U-turn back to-Uthiru-then flyover-Vet Lab twist-Ndumboini-'Tarmac'-Wangige junction then U-turn back to 'Tarmac'-Proceed to Westlands then U-turn back to 'Tarmac'-Ndumboini and finish at Uthiru

4.45am - Woken up by alarm clock that I had placed 5m from the bed. Wise move since I had to wake up to 'shut it up' (Had it been near the bed, I would probably have just switched it off and went back to bed)

4.50am - Made and took breakfast. This move being part of the lessons learnt when I ended up in hospital in the June tragedy (but read elsewhere on the blog for this story)

5.00am - Went back to bed, realizing that I had nothing else to do. Set the alarm clock for 7.00am and kept it at its usual distance.

7.00am - Woken up a second time. Dressed up in my jogging attire and gathered my stuff i.e. two timers (just in case one failed), two half-litre bottles of water (just in case one failed) and mapped out the route by drawing it on paper.

7.20am - Left the house with my stuff and walked to Uthiru roundabout. A slight drizzle was starting to manifest.

7.30am - Started my run on Naivasha road towards Car wash all the way to the church (opposite KK), then turned back towards ILRI and to Uthiru roundabout.
Weather condition - drizzling, high humidity, low visibility
Observation - I met two other runners near the ILRI gate on may way back

7.56am - Headed towards fly over then Ndumboini. Did the 'twist' by taking the Vet Lab route. I had noticed signs of some part of the route being closed, so I did the route clockwise instead of the usual anticlockwise. I took the first short break near the Vet Labs.
Weather condition - light rains begin. The air is now quite thick with very low visibility. Am tempted to abort the run, however at Ndumboini after the twist, the light rain gives way to light drizzle as visibility and humidity improves as I head towards the river, tank and CAIS.

8.23am - Hit the tarmac I. The road is marked 8+400. By this time the water bottles are getting heavy and bothersome. Am tempted to throw them away. However, conventional wisdom dictates that I 'carry my burden'. Despite it being quite cold and not feeling thirsty at all, I still take two sips of water as I headed towards Mary Leakey junction. I continue with the tarmac as the weather gets worse. The drizzles resume and the chill starts hitting me. I start questioning my decision to continue the run.

I keep going while vehicles spray me with water from the wet tarmac, completely ignoring the 'Loose chippings - Speed limit 30kph' sign.

The length of run towards Wangige junction is hilly and unrelenting. I can sense that my pace has slightly reduced, but only the time(r) will tell.

At Kamuti-ini on the 11+000 mark, I overhear murmurs of 'mundu muguruki' only to turn and see a group of men sheltering on a nearby kiosk as a retreating hand is pointed in my direction. I assume that they are congratulating me for my good pace. I persist alongside the hill and the drizzle.

8.45am - Makes a U-turn at Wangige junction on the 12+250 mark. The drizzle has slightly reduced but is not ceasing. I take another sip from the bottle whose contents is now reducing. Am however far from taking a quarter litre. Am not even thirsty! Matatus keep spraying me as they go along in both directions. Am maintaining the right side of the road. At Kamuti-ini there is a matatu whose tout is calling for passengers. The loud music says 'nikilemewa nishike' (when am overwhelmed get hold of me)
Road profile - generally down hill upto 'Tarmac'

9.02am - I hit Tarmac II. I continue running on the right side of the road. The drizzle has stopped and visibility improved. I take a second short break. The rest of the route is generally downhill being Posta - Telkom exchange - Ngecha road junction - Loresho ridge. I meet the first group of runners on this stretch near Ngecha road - one runner, then four pairs, then another one. We exchange raised hands as we go our opposite ways. At this point I cross over and start running on the left.

At Loresho ridge am faced with a slightly steep hill towards Spring Valley police station. I take two sips of water from the bottle that is now about three-quarter drained before hitting the hill. By the end of the hill am reading the 2+500 while the road is wet, though there is no drizzle.

I start running on the right side after Spring Valley police station. I intend to be able to meet oncoming vehicles and avoid being splashed with muddy water from pot-holes. As if reading my mind, a minibus speeds towards me and ensures that it has splashed brown dirty water on my once white 'Stanchart marathon 2007' T-shirt. I shout loudly "Crazy Kenyan drivers!". Two policemen about 20m in front stiffen and adjust their AK-47s as they look back. I pass them 5 seconds later and they can see my soiled T-shirt. I guess they understand my disgust.

Before I know it, am crossing Peponi road and can see Sarit Centre staring me on the face. I jog to the roundabout at mark 0+000.

9.43am - I make a U-turn at the Lower Kabete road junction, just at the fence of Sarit Centre and head back the same route I had used. Am jogging on the right side of the road. The road profile in hilly all the way to Spring Valley police station. Before Spring Valley Caltex station, a white saloon flashes its bright lights at me as the driver greets me. I can not see clearly without my specs, but I still raise my hand back and continue my way. I drain the last bit of water from the first bottle and shove it into my left side shorts pocket. I immediately open the second bottle and sip as I come down Spring Valley police station heading towards Loresho ridge. This down hill stretch of about 1km is welcome relief after the uphill from Westlands. But lo! I thought too soon - am immediately faced by a tough killer hill from Loresho ridge towards Ngecha road. I agonizingly persist the uphill on this generally cold morning.

Am jogging at a steady pace and feeling nothing. I continue sipping at will.

Ngecha road to Posta is another hilly stretch. I persevere and keep at it.

Posta to 'Tarmac' is generally slow downhill stretch. Am relieved to just keep going.

10.28am - Am at Tarmac III. As I make the turn to CAIS, something hits my legs and I start feeling wobbly. The feeling last for about a minute then disappears. Thereafter I start feeling shock in my upper body with every step that I take. I sip in succession as I head to 'the tank' and river, but the shock of each step gets more painful with every step. I know that I can relieve this by stopping the run and taking a walk, but I can see my destination nearing. I remember reading about 'hitting the wall' as part of a long distance race encounter. Am guessing that I may have hit mine, though I do not seem to see any wall in my vicinity.

Am faced with the long steep hill that runs from the river to Ndumboini. Nothing in my body is improving, if anything, every step I take causes pain on the back of my legs, while the shock of every step is not ending. I persevere and continue hitting the wet hilly road. I see families of adults and children, Bibles in hand and excitement on their faces heading towards Ndumboini. I painfully pass them. I know that am now completely out of fuel and must be running on determination only.

After the hilly stretch, I pass by St. Raphael Catholic church to see worshipers being ushered to the church. The worshipers are singing the modified version of 'My hope is built on nothing less...'. I think they are singing in Kiswahili, however, am concentrating on finishing the race. The stepping shock has reduced and the pain on the back of the legs seems to be relieved. I take a few sips and the water bottle is now about three-quarter drained. A new surge of energy gets into my system and am revitalized as I get to the fly-over and down towards Uthiru roundabout. One minute after the roundabout and am at my final stop.

Both timers agree that I have ended the race in 3:21:48

10:52am - I have finished the race and still ready to go. However, on reaching the house I discover that my legs have a problem - I feel discomfort on both legs and therefore can not sit. When am standing the legs pain so much that I decide to do some stretches, which makes them even more painful. Am in so much discomfort that I do not know what to do - can't sit, can't stand, can't stretch, can't rest. I down a little of orange squash and force myself to sit with the discomfort. Few minutes later am back to normal.

Am I doing this race again? Of course not, unless you are reading 26th on the calender!

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