First Lady’s marathon 2015 – The story that is yet to be written
I cannot believe that it has taken me 2-weeks of waiting, just to fail to write this story. This relates to the second edition of the First Lady’s marathon that took place at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium on Sunday, March 8, 2015.
I was eager to have this run. I had missed the inaugural one last year and I surely needed some experience of this type of run added to my running CV. I also subscribe to the cause - the quest to ensure that each of the 47 counties have access to maternal healthcare. Though we gathered for the run that was to start at seven from 7.00am, it was not until just around quarter past the hour, did we start this run. Good riddance though, since I was at the risk of missing out on the start. I had to sprint from University Way to Nyayo stadium, after my matatu delayed on the route from Uthiru, dropping me near the uni just 10 minutes to seven.
The excitement at the starting line was high. It became worse with the arrival of the first lady, as the starting line was literally swarmed by runners who were surely not runners. The first lady and group took the front line, while the rest of us runners were pushed back about twenty meters.
When the run was flagged off, the runners overtook the first lady’s running group, though they had to do this by running past them through the narrow passage on the extreme left or right of this group. The madam was completely enveloped by these ‘runners’. I know that running is no mean feat, and would therefore not want to discredit any of my compatriots, but these shield of humanity around madam 1 were surely not the regular type. I passed them about 30 seconds after the start of run, and noticed the bulge on the right trouser pockets of at least four of them, when I overtook them from the right size. It left little to the imagination that the ‘chicken foot’ was surely the hidden culprit – without a doubt.
Being in the first group of runners, I was able to avoid the crowds that usually obstruct the running path after the starting point. I therefore did my run on a relatively less crowded route as we did the first round of run through Upper Hill then Mbagathi road. My pace was good, though I did not have a stop watch. I know this, because I was back to the stadium after the half-run mark when the city clock was at about the 8.00am mark. Later on, as I hit the Mombasa road stretch, towards the Ole Sereni Hotel turning point, the first runners were heading back to the stadium, with the lead vehicle showing a 0.47.15 time.
I did not know my time as at the extreme turning point on Mombasa road back to the stadium. It was however a relief that I would now just be facing the last 5km. Mid-way through my way back, I met the First Lady’s team on the other side of the road – running alongside a large convoy of vehicles. I could smell power, but just momentarily, since I had to keep going onto my destination. I also started feeling tired, though I did not let this show, nor did I desire to slow down. In fact, I started thinking of breaking some sort of record on this run, which I had planned for a time of 1.35 to 1.40.
The finishing was not spectacular – just crossing the timing mat and being ‘forced’ out of the stadium, where there was no water, no medal and no certificate. The only presence was water on sale and the big contingent of armed security personnel. I checked my post office box, took with me the few mail items and started my walk out of the stadium and back home. I joined my colleague JC, who had finished his 10km run, at the Bunyala road roundabout, and walked the 5km upto Westlands. He left for his residence near Westlands, while I got a matatu to bring me back to Uthiru.
I had a gut-feeling that I had broken some sort of record in this run. From the only evidence that I had, being the time stamp on the photos that I took at start time and at the finish ramp, my time calculation was in the 1.34-1.36 range. It was easy to know the timing for the mens event winner, who clocked 1.01.28 and his ladies compatriot who conquered in 1.04.05. They had their timing conspicuously displayed on the lead car and elaborately discussed in the media. However, for me, the final time could only be proved by the official time that the organizers promised to release on Monday at 4.00pm. I know this because I saw a poster to that effect when I went to pick my run Tshirt from the event exhibition centre at KICC, three days before the run. I recall seeing the same message flashing through the organizers website the whole of Saturday, one day to the run.
OK – This is why I decided not to write this story – I was expecting to confirm a record breaking time… but two weeks down the running road, the organizers website still states that, “Certificates Coming Soon”, while showing a few people having medals that they won during the event. Which event, again?
Barack Wamkaya Wanjawa, Nairobi, Kenya, Sunday, March 22, 2015
I cannot believe that it has taken me 2-weeks of waiting, just to fail to write this story. This relates to the second edition of the First Lady’s marathon that took place at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium on Sunday, March 8, 2015.
I was eager to have this run. I had missed the inaugural one last year and I surely needed some experience of this type of run added to my running CV. I also subscribe to the cause - the quest to ensure that each of the 47 counties have access to maternal healthcare. Though we gathered for the run that was to start at seven from 7.00am, it was not until just around quarter past the hour, did we start this run. Good riddance though, since I was at the risk of missing out on the start. I had to sprint from University Way to Nyayo stadium, after my matatu delayed on the route from Uthiru, dropping me near the uni just 10 minutes to seven.
The excitement at the starting line was high. It became worse with the arrival of the first lady, as the starting line was literally swarmed by runners who were surely not runners. The first lady and group took the front line, while the rest of us runners were pushed back about twenty meters.
When the run was flagged off, the runners overtook the first lady’s running group, though they had to do this by running past them through the narrow passage on the extreme left or right of this group. The madam was completely enveloped by these ‘runners’. I know that running is no mean feat, and would therefore not want to discredit any of my compatriots, but these shield of humanity around madam 1 were surely not the regular type. I passed them about 30 seconds after the start of run, and noticed the bulge on the right trouser pockets of at least four of them, when I overtook them from the right size. It left little to the imagination that the ‘chicken foot’ was surely the hidden culprit – without a doubt.
Being in the first group of runners, I was able to avoid the crowds that usually obstruct the running path after the starting point. I therefore did my run on a relatively less crowded route as we did the first round of run through Upper Hill then Mbagathi road. My pace was good, though I did not have a stop watch. I know this, because I was back to the stadium after the half-run mark when the city clock was at about the 8.00am mark. Later on, as I hit the Mombasa road stretch, towards the Ole Sereni Hotel turning point, the first runners were heading back to the stadium, with the lead vehicle showing a 0.47.15 time.
I did not know my time as at the extreme turning point on Mombasa road back to the stadium. It was however a relief that I would now just be facing the last 5km. Mid-way through my way back, I met the First Lady’s team on the other side of the road – running alongside a large convoy of vehicles. I could smell power, but just momentarily, since I had to keep going onto my destination. I also started feeling tired, though I did not let this show, nor did I desire to slow down. In fact, I started thinking of breaking some sort of record on this run, which I had planned for a time of 1.35 to 1.40.
The finishing was not spectacular – just crossing the timing mat and being ‘forced’ out of the stadium, where there was no water, no medal and no certificate. The only presence was water on sale and the big contingent of armed security personnel. I checked my post office box, took with me the few mail items and started my walk out of the stadium and back home. I joined my colleague JC, who had finished his 10km run, at the Bunyala road roundabout, and walked the 5km upto Westlands. He left for his residence near Westlands, while I got a matatu to bring me back to Uthiru.
I had a gut-feeling that I had broken some sort of record in this run. From the only evidence that I had, being the time stamp on the photos that I took at start time and at the finish ramp, my time calculation was in the 1.34-1.36 range. It was easy to know the timing for the mens event winner, who clocked 1.01.28 and his ladies compatriot who conquered in 1.04.05. They had their timing conspicuously displayed on the lead car and elaborately discussed in the media. However, for me, the final time could only be proved by the official time that the organizers promised to release on Monday at 4.00pm. I know this because I saw a poster to that effect when I went to pick my run Tshirt from the event exhibition centre at KICC, three days before the run. I recall seeing the same message flashing through the organizers website the whole of Saturday, one day to the run.
OK – This is why I decided not to write this story – I was expecting to confirm a record breaking time… but two weeks down the running road, the organizers website still states that, “Certificates Coming Soon”, while showing a few people having medals that they won during the event. Which event, again?
Barack Wamkaya Wanjawa, Nairobi, Kenya, Sunday, March 22, 2015
