Cheated into running a marathon… the accidental April International Marathon

Cheated into running a marathon… the accidental April International Marathon

“Aya yaya ya!,” I heard the distinct intonation from the corridor, just beyond my closed door.  It was just about to click 1600hours.

I already knew who had said that.  It could only be one person who had the audacity to shout to an empty corridor.  I knew that the corridor was empty since I had just been there from the changing room a few moments before.  I was preparing for the Monday evening run – a short run of about an hour.  

I was already clad in my ‘short run’ attire – which has a ‘short run’ set of shoes, the ones that can run within the hour without adversely affecting my feet; the ‘short run’ pair of shorts, those that do not have secure pockets for the phone, since I could easily carry my phone on hand for under the hour; and the ‘short run’ Tshirt.  Just something to get me going – not breathable, not light – just something.

“Aya yaya ya!,” I heard the sound a second time, now coming from the main entrance towards the inside of the building.  It was just a matter of time before the secret would be revealed.  This was coming from a colleague whom I know for being blunt in his statements.  He is the only one on planet earth who says it as it is.

  

He calls something ‘ugly’ when it is.  Some of us call such things ‘beautiful in a special way’.  

He calls a lazy person as ‘lazy’.  Some of us would call such a person as ‘doing things at their own pace’.

If he wants somethings, he goes straight and asks for it.  He is not schooled in the art of persuasion or seduction.  I believe you get this last statement, which has severally got him into altercations with the gals.

He calls a short dress as ‘short’.  Some of us would call it ‘long in a special way’.

“Aya yaya ya!,” I heard him for a third time in less than a minute.  He was now just past my door.  He knew that I was in.  So this speaking to the corridor to no one in particular was actually to my benefit and of my colleague Mark next office.  He was passing a message – breaking the news.

“Rockdown. Woyi!  Kwanza twenty-one days!  Woyi!  Tutakuaje?”

That got me.  I would normally have to verify any such claims by just going to the official sources which are many and easy to access, such as the presidency, state house, GOK spokesperson or even our institutional security unit.  However, this was quite unexpected.  I already knew that in the scheme of things, somehow, someday, there would be a lockdown.  

In fact, this duel between runner and Corona aka TT, and this competition on who takes many wins started for exactly this selfsame reason – to know who shall have many wins after the lockdown.  I knew that the lockdown would surely come to bear, but not today!  Not on such a short notice!  And there was no underestimating TT’s devastation in the world.  My JHU dashboard was showing 1,331,032 infections and 73,917 deaths.  My own motherland had now confirmed 158 cases and 6 deaths.

Anyway, it was time for my run.  It was now about 1605hours.  I had a curfew in less than three hours.  I had to do the evening run and get it over with.  However, a lockdown would mean that this would be my last run for 21-days!  This was bad.  Bad I tell you.

There was no time to think about this.  There was a curfew coming up and every second of action or inaction counted.  I had to make a quick decision immediately.  There was no time to verify anything.  It was time for action.  If I was to do something for this last run, it had to be done now!  

I found myself back to the changing room to change into my ‘long run’ attire – the ‘long run’ pair of shoes, the LR pair of shorts – the ones with secure pockets for my phones that run my timers and apps and almost changed into the LR Tshirt…. But did not, since the time was flying so fast and I just had to leave and start the run.

I left knowing that I was doing the very last run before being sedentary for 21-days.  I had already seen the experiences of lockdowns in other parts of the world and I knew that it was not a good situation.  It can be as bad as never stepping out of your residence for that period of three weeks.  The consequences are dire!  I just had to do the last run… and fit it within the curfew restrictions.

It was not my intention to run a marathon on this Monday.  I had already run a 2hr 30min run on Friday, just three days ago.  My legs were still aching.  I did not have any intention of extending my pain on this Monday.  But the lockdown realization was something new and needed new unplanned action, such as deciding to do this last marathon, despite the pain.

I have never run such a tension-filled run.  My heart was pounding, more from worry than from the strain of the exercise.  I was starting the unplanned marathon at 1615hours and had to be through with it, and at home by 1900hours.  

I was running it at my worst of form, after a long run three days ago.  My legs were still aching.  And just the thought of a lockdown… and no more runs for 21-days was difficult to fathom.  At some moment I got so anxious and even thought that this was the end of the world!  I was full of tension!

I do not remember seeing much on the international marathon route that runs from the generator, through Kabete Poly, crossing the Waiyaki highway to the Vet loop, to Ndumbo to join Kanyariri road, all the way to Gitaru and back.  I ran for over two hours on that route but cannot remember much.  

But I still got to observe that several people were putting on their face masks, the minority.  The parked places such as Ndumbo market remained parked – both at the market stalls and the motorbike yards.  Gitaru market was equally parked without social distance restriction nor facemasks for the people trading.  The Gitaru matatu stage was still abuzz – nothing seemed to have changed.  Was this the last day that such activities would be seen?

I would finally end the run in 02.07.42 for 25.63km.  Hitting a 4.59min per km average for the first time in many attempts.  But that was not the contention.  This was the contention – I was now on a 8-0 winning streak over TT.  Nonetheless, with a three-week lockdown, TT would be taking the next nine runs.  

That means that I would have lost 8-9 by April 27 when the dust settles.  That was bad!  I had vowed to show TT who was the better runner, but it seemed that TT had just pulled the rug under my feet by this unexpected last-minute lockdown.

“Damn you TT!,” I thought loudly, “Playing bad tricks to the last minute!”

This lockdown was not to have happened, until maybe in May!

It was on Tuesday, the very next day, when I got to read the full text of the presidential directive on the lockdown.  I was now realizing that it was the travel into and out of Nairobi and Coastal towns that had been stopped for 21-days.  The directive on use of facemasks at public places was also a new thing.  This would be a new challenge for runners – if running on the open, often deserted roads is a ‘public place’ by definition, even the toll from TT had now reached 1,359,398 infections and 75,945 deaths as at 1.07.54PM as per JHU dashboard.

I however felt cheated by the corridor-voice, into running a marathon that I should not have run, as I read article 29(iii) of the presidential speech that “The movement within the Nairobi Metropolitan Area and the Counties of Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa shall continue subject to the nationwide curfew.”  

WWB, the Coach, Nairobi, Kenya, 07-Apr-2020