Sotokoto 2011 – held in May but…
When I left the house at 8.15am for the morning run, I deliberately put on the Sotokoto marathon T-shirt issued last year. This was to enable me compensate for the third annual edition of the run that I had surely missed. The inaugural run was held on May 15, 2009. The 2010 run was held on May 23.
Bad memories
I had heard little about the Sotokoto Safari marathon since the year began, apart from it being held in May as per tradition. I was not surprised that Sotokoto had not publicised the run. It has been their bad tradition to do everything wrong in organizing this marathon. Take last year for example. They had launched the run about six-weeks to the event and indicated registration centres as AK offices, Equity bank branches, Uhuru gardens secretariat and KWS offices. None of these listed centres were aware of this run weeks after the inauguration. Even the KWS headquarters offices seem to be lacking in details of the registration process. By one week to the run day, only KWS offices were accepting registration and payments, though they did not have the running kits. The kits were availed a day to the run. By run day, registrations were still ongoing. We did not get any medals or certificates. Enquiries one year later have not yielded any information on the fate of the participants certificates. That is what I mean by badly organized.
Revenge
My Sunday run was to be a slap on the face of the organizers. I was confident that the Safari marathon was being held on this Sunday, the 29th day of May. Their lack of proper publicity had prevented me from registering. Nonetheless, there was a good level of satisfaction, as I started my run with the Sotokoto kit. Revenge felt good. I would run my half-marathon at the comfort of the routes that I knew, even as the real Sotokoto took place on Langata road.
I had forgotten to carry my stopwatch from the workplace, having used it last during the Friday mid-day run. Nonetheless, I still had to determine my run time. The wall clock read 8.15am as I left the residential compound for the walk to the main road to start the run about a minute later. I started the run slowly to navigate the busy Uthuri main street, now crowding with church going people and noisy matatus, which have specialized in stopping anywhere in the middle of the road. These same brand have no respect for pedestrians or runners.
No runners
I took the flyover to Ndumbo at a slow pace and headed for the Vet loop at an increased pace. By the time I was through with the loop back to Ndumbo, I had settled on a comfortable pace. I went downhill toward the river, then uphill to ‘tarmac’. The run on Lower Kabete road to Ngecha diversion was uneventful. For the first time during a weekend run, I failed to meet a single runner! I usually meet one or two on this stretch. The Ngecha road to Getathuru road, a stretch of about 10 minutes, was fairly downhill, on road section that is in dire need of repairs.
The Getathuru road towards Kitisuru estate is uphill all the way to the diversion to the river and upto ‘tarmac’. This ten-minutes section was a big stress. At the Kitisuru stage, I pass a group of bystanders. They observe my approach having muted their conversation to let me passby. I glance backwards just in time to see one of them pointing in my direction while saying ‘Wanjiru’.
Thirty minutes after hitting the tarmac, I manage to retrace my route to Ndumbo, back to the Vet loop through the flyover and back to my residence. I read the wall clock at 9.59am. I had just conquered 21.5km - just like that. (G-map says 21.3km, but it does not cater for the terrain. My pedo has averaged 21.8km after about five runs on the route over time)
Happy
I am happy that I managed to do my own Sotokoto marathon in good time – 1.44.00. This is prefect revenge for the actual run that should also be finishing at Uhuru Gardens. After refreshing and even taking a day out to visit a colleague, I was eager to watch the evening news and confirm that the Sotokoto event actually happened. Why the sports news is usually the last part of news still puzzles me. (Probably a proof to humanity that sports issues are more trivial that we make them look). I had to wait until about 10.00pm for the sports news to be broadcast. There was nothing on Sotokoto. Was it because of the Wembley UEFA Champions League finals excitement where Barca trounced Man U, and in good fashion too? (From ‘trounced’ to ‘fashion’ are not my words. That is what the broadcaster said). I was left puzzled by this lack of mention to such an event that should have closed a major city road for over 3-hours.
Last laugh
The event organizers finally had the last laugh, when I visited their website…
Welcome to Sotokoto website – the third edition of the event shall be held on 31st July 2011. Countdown 61days 12hours 36minutes 40seconds.
WWB, Nairobi, May 30, 2011
