The May international in June – when the pain is delayed

The May international in June – when the pain is delayed

The pain would come in two days later.  I had thought that the worst was gone, but how wrong could I be?  I could hardly wake up this Friday, two days after the run.  My legs were hurting, especially round the knees.  I knew that it was that Wednesday run.

On that Wednesday, two days ago, I had started my run at 12.30pm on the dot.  The weather was great, with just the right intensity of sun.  The air was, however, a bit still.  I would have preferred some windiness.  There was no breeze, but it was a bit cool.  The sun was still suffering from the defeat of the long months of rain that persisted most of April and May.  School reopening date even had to be postponed by a week due to these selfsame rains that had rendered the country mostly flooded.  The rain clouds had now generally retreated and left a dry spell that had lasted for over one week.  The last real rain must have been at the end of May.  The sun has since been progressively trying to shine back to its glory while the rain clouds subside.

This lunch hour was no different.  The clouds were still trying to stop the sun rays at intervals as I started the run.  The run started well and I already had an idea of the run distant.  I was cognizant that I had missed the May marathon that was to be held on May 31.  I was however on a bus for the long 8-hour trip to Western Kenya on that marathon Friday.  I had for a moment thought that I would skip the May marathon after that miss.  However, I was sticking to the marathoners motto of ‘running is a must’, and here I was, finding myself doing a compensatory marathon on this twelfth day of the month.

“If you want me to cancel a run, then ensure that we do not cross the gate,” I have been telling my folks, and that saying remained true on this day.

I started feeling a pain on my right wheel as I started the run, hardly before reaching the exit gate.  This was just after a short warmup run of 4kms.

“Let me just push it to Kabete Poly and see how it goes,” I lied to myself as I exited the gate.  

I knew that an exit through that gate meant that I was going for the full run – come rain, come shine; come pain, come relief!  But do not take my word for it.  It was just last month during a similar compensatory run that I was rained on most of the way, and I still survived.  Sanity could have called for a dropping off, but the spirit of ‘running-is-must’ could however hear none of that.

The leg pain persisted to the 7km mark at Ndumboini market.  From there on I got some relief as I went downhill towards Wangari Maathai institute down onto Kapenguria road all the way to the river.  I would then take the 1km uphill on the same road to join Lower Kabete road five minutes later.  The sun was still overhead.  The air was still still.

I turned right towards UON Lower Kabete campus, and kept going.  The road was generally deserted of walkers, though the vehicular traffic of occasional matatus and mostly private vehicles traversed the road at intervals.  I approached two cops armed with Kalashnikovs just before the campus, also walking on the sidewalk heading the same direction.  

I thud my feet loudly as I approached their backs to alert them of my approach.  I did not want an incident where they pretend to have been run-towards and had to ‘do something’ in self-defense.  They both momentarily turn back as I get within range and soon after, overtake them.  I benefit from their “anakimbia na hii jua” comment.  I am happy that the complement is a bit mild this time round.  I have heard worse description of runners before, let me just leave it at that.

I keep going.  I meet a crowd of people around the campus.  I am running on the opposite edge of the road next to the campus compound, but even on this opposite sidewalk I do encounter people who look and behave like college students.  If it looks and behaves like one, then it is one!  But trust me, I know, have been there.  Same uni, different campus.  

Who else can display the following behaviours, if not the students?  To start with, I approach a group of three guys all of whom are walking all across the narrow one metre wide footpath.  And, do you expect them to give way?  No way!  They force me to leave the sidewalk and get around them through the rough grass patch between the tarmac and the sidewalk.  I feel like being angry, even uttering a curse, but I force myself not to.  It is the age.  

Soon thereafter I encounter another group of about five.  By this time the campus gate is just on the other side of the main tarmac.  These five are chattering and laughing loudly and animatedly.  They have no care in the world.  The world is theirs.  They almost remind me of that, and I guess are ready to tell me to ‘runner bow down’.  They even give me the benefit of a story about what they did over the weekend.  It is more of who did what to who, but I do get to listen to the eventualities, since my footsteps are already retreated.

I soon pass by that hullabaloo of the campus gate area and keep going towards Kenya School of Government, and soon out onto the leafy surburbs of Lower Kabete with hardly any walkers around.  I keep going.  The run is now imbedded into my system and I have reached cruising level.  I am just going through the motions in this quiet environment.  

I pass by the Farasi group of roads, one after another, that is, Farasi road, Farasi close and Farasi lane.  It is a relief when I finally get to Ngecha road junction just next to Zen gardens.  I check on the tower clock at the junction.  It is now 1.40pm.  I know that I have another kilometre or so, before I do the U-turn.  I keep going on the Lower Kabete road and then divert to Spring Valley road for the short run to the U-turn point above the Red Hill road.

It is a welcome relief to do that U.  The run is now at least halfway done.  I now just need to survive the run back.  I am still energetic and rearing to go.  The weather has remained good so far.  My good fortunes however come to an end when I am back to Lower Kabete road and now have to do an uphill run all the way to UON campus.  That is a whole 5km of uphill.  I persevere and persist.  I am, however, getting tired and I can feel it.  I wish for a sip of water, though I have none.  I wish for a shot of coke or a bite of a melon, but those are just wishes on this Wednesday.  I almost start losing my senses as I pass the campus heading back towards Kapenguria road.

One thing you learn as a marathoner is to learn to listen to your body and know when it can easily give up on you.  This giving up is sometimes called ‘hitting the wall’.  I start imagining that I may hit the wall.  My situation is just due to the dehydration.  I had underestimated the effects of the heat of the sun.  It seems to have been sucking the energy and fluids from me for over two hours now.  I am also losing my sense of perception.  

I know that I shall soon be on free fall if I do not do something about the situation.  I deliberately switch the phone that has my timer, from hand to hand in short intervals, just to keep my senses engaged.  That action, after about ten reps, brings me back to reality just as I reach the river in readiness for the 2km uphill run to Ndumbo.  I almost give up when imagining that Wangari Maathai hill, but I also envisage the relief from the cool orange juice in my fridge and keep running as I look forward to how it shall bring me back to life in another 20 or so minutes – if I make it.

And making it I do, when I finish that devastating hill and now has only the short run along Waiyaki way, then past Kabete Poli(ce) then Kabete Poly(tech) and soon to the finish line.

“Leo kweli uliwezwa,” the sentries welcome me back laughingly as they open the gate as I head to the finish line.

I am too tired to even respond in affirmation.  I do not even know how I get the energy to wave back in resignation.  I soon thereafter reach the finish line and collapse on my seat wondering, “Why do we even run!”.

That question is soon answered when I access that cold juice after a shower.  I am rejuvenated and my body feels different.  I cannot describe this exactly, but it is some form of jumpiness.  A mixture of tiredness and satisfaction.  Just the feeling of a run.  No, we do not run for the 27.25km distance of this Wednesday done in 2:31:10.  That would be bad motivation and we would not even want to be on the sun for that long.  There must be another reason why we run.  Maybe we just wait and find out about the real reason when we do the next monthly international marathon on the last Friday of June.

WWB, the Coach, Nairobi, Kenya, June 14, 2024

Running half naked – when running is a must

Running half naked – when running is a must

If there ever was a decision that I made just in the nick of time that turned out to be ‘healthy’, then today’s decision would be that.  Before this decision, the morning had generally been calm.  It promised to be a good day, even sunny if anything.  However, I knew that my troubles had started the day with me the moment I finished that cup of coffee with accompaniments at about eight-thirty in the morning.  It did not even take me thirty minutes to start being nauseated.  I could hardly settle down by ten, when I almost started drooling and made several trips to the washroom to clear my mouth.  It is then that I made the decision to take the day off and walked home.

That twelve minute walk seems like forever.  I finally reached home and virtually crashed the door down since my mouth was already filling up.  I went straight to the washroom where I threw up violently, almost suffocating from the continued outrush through my mouth.
“The hech,” I said loudly to the quiet house, trying to regain my breath.  Things had escalated quickly.
If I had delayed my walk home by even a second then many bad things could have happened either at the office or along the way.

I did many more spits and regurgitation in a span of thirty minutes while making the endless trips from the living room to the toilet.
“This is worse than I thought,” I thought loudly.
I was ready to get a vehicle to a medical centre.  I could not continue this way.  Any more outpouring and I was surely outa here.

My first aid training pointed to only one thing that could manifest and progress this fast – food poisoning.  There is something that I had got straight from fridge-to-mouth, and that accompaniment is what was the likely culprit.  This f-t-m was a shortcut that I now regretted.  I would normally have passed my fridged stuff to the microwave first, but not today.  I wanted to have a hot-and-cold, and now I was in for a bitter mouth and bile in the mouth.  I finally took some hot water, with the first round f the water triggering another outpouring from my belly, before my situation stabilized when I decided to take a nap in a seating position, empty pail next to the bed, just in case.


I was however lucky that this attack episode was today, and not yesterday.  Yesterday was a Tuesday.  It was the day that I decided to resume my runs after the Sunday, October 29 Stanchart marathon.  I had intended to have a week of rest after the marathon, but things happened and the break turned out to be two weeks.  I was therefore fairly well rested from that grueling 42k at Stanchart.  The intention for this lunch hour run was to do at least a 10k ‘welcome back’ marathon.

The spirit of running took me on a turn for the worse at Lower Kabete road after Kapenguria road.  I should have done a U-turn at this point and earned myself a comfortable 10k run on this dry lunch hour, the first in a long time.  It has been raining like 24-hours for the last week.  If anything, I should have as an alternative, turned left and done the Mary Leakey route and earned a 13k with no sweat.  Unfortunately, the run spirit directed me to turn right onto Lower Kabete road and head towards UON Lower Kabete campus.
“What are you doing?,” I asked the thing that was now controlling my every step.
“Turn back, you runner!”

There was no turning back.  I kept going.  My steps were strong.  I was energetic.
“Where are you going!  Turn back!,” the thing spoke.
I ignored.  I continued.  I soon passed by UON campus.  I then passed Kenya School of Government and the Post Office.  I kept going.  I at some point passed by Farasi lane school signboard.  I stuck to the sidewalk which was not there the last time I ran on this road, over five years ago.

I did not even know the end game on this lunch hour run.  I was supposed to squeeze all the run of the day to fit within the one lunch-hour hour, but here I was going and going.  The terrain was generally downhill.  I finally reached Ngecha road.  This should surely be a turning point, but no.  The spirit of run persisted.  I soon passed by Zen Gardens.  It brought back some good memories when training events used to be held in that compound… before COVID brought all that to an end.

“Turn back damn it!,” something in me begged.
I ignored it.  I kept going.  Even the walkway crossing the tarmac to the other side of the main road did not force me to turn.  I ignored the walkway and kept to the uneven path besides the road that did not have a walkway and trod on.  At this rate, I would soon be heading to the Redhill road and then Spring Valley Police station.  And of course the Lower Kabete roads terminates at Sarit Centre, and these landmarks were now becoming more real possibilities than before.  However, that would mean that the run would no longer be a lunch hour run, but a full marathon.

Finally, just before the Redhill road, I decided that enough exploration was enough and did a U-turn.  I am not sure what my ambition for this run was, but I told myself that I was exploring this side of Lower Kabete road, where I had hardly run for many year.  The roll down was equally easy on the legs which encouraged me on… but spoke too soon!  I almost came to a standstill when I did the U-turn.  The terrain of the return leg immediately turned out to be an uphill.  The struggle that I faced on those 5km back to the ‘tarmac’ junction to Kapenguria cannot be described on this generally hot lunch hour.

There would only be a short reprieve as I rolled down past Kabete Children home and KAGRI towards the river.  And I mean a really short reprieve, since I would then be facing the infamous Wangari Maathai hill section all the way to Ndumboini upto the Waiyaki way.  I almost collapsed in those 2km of real hill.  By then my once average time of under-5min per km was now thrown out of the run track.  I was likely to end up with an over-6, if this hill was to stretch even by a millimeter.

I soldiered on and managed to reach the finish line through lots of willpower despite my tired legs, stopping my timer at 24.12km in 2.03.44.  I was tired, but not as tired as the Stanchart.  I was not the only one tired at this late time of the lunch hour.  I found another run also taking a breather at the finish line at the Generator.


Josh has been in the marathon team for long.  We are in fact family friends.  I used to visit him sometime before COVID, when he stayed in Kikuyu town.  However, COVID spoilt many things including visiting each other, but I had kept in touch.  I know his family.  His spouse and child both run, and I have met them at some Stanchart events.

“You are still at Kikuyu?,” I asked, as we both sat at an umbrella just outside the Generator house, taking a short rest before we got back to work.
“Nope, niko kwangu huko Ngong’”
“Oh, you setup your own?”
“Sure, for the last two years,” he said, then continued, “You should plan to visit soon.”
“The year is still young.  I will purpose,” I answered, “How is Norah and that young runner of yours”
“Both are OK, lakini Norah hates Ngong’ with a passion!”
“Why so?”
“Wizi ni mob, houses get broken into all the time.”
“I thought you are in an estate with centralized security and all?”
“No, we bought plots and built.  Everyone just stays on their own, though we have neighbours.”

As we continued the chatter, now almost fully rested, he narrated a recent incident.  He was out of the country for duty, with the junior having gone to visit a relative, leaving Norah all alone.  On that fateful night, the bad guys jumped into his compound, which has a perimeter wall, but the wall is not very high.  The wife heard something like a commotion at the chicken coop, with the chicks making noises.  She shouted and raised an alarm.

It was not long before the neighbours woke up in their various compounds and started coming towards the direction of Josh house.  His immediate neighbor who has a domestic worker also heard the noises and sprang to action.  He jumped the separating wall and stumbled onto the thugs.  He noted three characters.  The unexpected confrontation startled the thugs who ran away and jumped hastily through the opposite wall of Josh’s compound, into another compound that is not yet inhabited, and soon disappeared into the dark night.  Quiet was restored for sometime, with the neighbours each talking loudly in their compounds, assuring all that all was well.

Finally, the domestic worker who had done the chase knocked onto Josh’s house.
“Norah, Norah!,” he called out, knocking the door, “Ni mimi, Simon.  Mikora imeenda.  Unaweza fungua mlango sasa.”
Norah finally gathered the courage to open the door, with the reassurance from the chatter in the neighbourhood and with Simon’s knock.
“Nimefukuza hiyo watu, wameenda,” he continued next to the still closed door.

Norah opened the door, relieved, but still shaken.
“Eh, nilikuwa nimeshtuka!  Haki ahsante sana, Simon,” Norah greeted him, door now open.  The dim light of the moonlight aiding in visibility and the light in the house now lit.
“Hiyo mikora ilikuwa tatu, iliruka kwa ukuta kama mashetani,” he described laughingly.
“Phew!  Ahsante!”

What a good ending, I thought.  No one was harmed.  And for sure no one was harmed and nothing was stolen this time round.  Previously, some of their chicken had been stolen in the dead of night by similar or same thugs.

But wait a minute, there is a part that I nearly forgot….

When Norah was now about to say her goodnight, she looked down the frame of Simon to note that he was armed with a slasher, but was also stark naked!
“Simon, eh, kuna endaje?,” she gestured downwards.

Simon seemed perplexed at the question, not sure he understood, before he followed the gesture of Norah's hand.
“Oh, oh, oh,” Simon responded and looked down on himself too, realizing for the first time that he was naked.

He abruptly and unexpectedly dashed off in full flight, without a word, and jumped over the fence to his compound, leaving Norah bewildered and at a loss of words.  She heard a loud thud on the other side of the compound as Simon fell over.  She did not know whether to get back to the house and lock or what was going on exactly.

It did not take long before she heard yet another thud as Simon jumped back to Josh’s compound now dressed up, still recovering her breath.
“Unajua nilikuwa nalala tu hivyo.  Lakini niliposikia nduru, nika amka tu hivyo na mzee nje,” he explained himself, and soon even forgot about the double-jump over his fence, and continued, “Lakini hiyo mikora iliruka ukuta kama mashetani!”

WWB, the Coach, Nairobi, Kenya, November 15, 2023

Marathon before Marathon - the road race of Sunday, September 30, 2012

Marathon before Marathon - the road race of Sunday, September 30, 2012

I was to do this run on Sunday morning.  However, I found myself staying in bed past nine and later having a heavy breakfast.  At 9.30am, when I was supposed to be 5km deep in the run, I found myself watching a documentary on Sports Injuries on Explorer Channel.  The lesson was that injuries can occur and that athletes are prone to these - even on simple exercises.  I had finally got the perfect excuse to stay indoors.

A glance at the 8-week marathon schedule, on my earlier blogpost, indicated a 1hr 30min run on this weekend.  This was the only opportunity to do this, after which it would be too late.  This new realization forced me into rescheduling my long run for later in the day.

Hot
The afternoon sun was hot.  I headed to the workplace to pick my running gear, with the hope that the heat would subside as the clock ticked towards four.  This was not to happen.  By 4.30pm it was still hot.  Bearing in mind that the run would take about 1hr 45min, I had to start before five, in order to finish before seven.  With a 500ml water bottle at hand, and a phone set to stopwatch on the other hand, I left the dressing room.

With the blazing heat, I started off slowly and exited the employer's main gate.
"Otsia tsimbiro? Otsia khena?," the sentry asked, even as he opened the gate.

I changed the stopwatch timer on the phone to split mode and started my run: 

0.00.00 - Start of run, just outside the gate
It is 4.50pm.  I start with the mild hilly section towards Uthiru roundabout.  The heat is just too much.  Am tempted to turn back and cancel the run, but the schedule forces me on.  I see two or three couples seated on the grassy lawns just on the outer fence of the compound.  In about three minutes I join the tarmac road from AHITI and Kabete Technical.  On my left I see a crusade in progress.  The preacher beckons, "Come here, all you sinners walking by.  Your day of salvation has come."  Luckily, am running, so am not in that category.  Just behind me, the roundabout is overflowing with weekend revellers.  There are all forms of activity in that circular enclosure - face painting, idling, chatter, photography, recording of music video.  I divert from the tarmac to the dusty road that joins the highway, just besides Kabete Police, now renamed Dagoretti Divisional Police headquarters, as per the signboard near the highway.  I cross the Waiyaki way and run to 'the wall' as I join the route that makes a circuit next to the Department of Veterinary Services.  This circuit get me to Ndumboini stage.

0.12.34 - Ndumboini stage
I press split as I hit the stage.  The noisy matatu crew beckon passengers, "Tawo thirty, Westy twenty, Ungech kumi, Gari ya masaa"
I passby, then cross the tarmac to run on the left, as I now pass University of Nairobi's Upper Kabete campus inlet road.  From here, I head downhill, on Kapenguria road, all the way to the river.  I release myself and quicken the pace, in response to the downhill roll.  The stretch is dusty, though.  Coming from downhill, two vehicles in a span of five minutes create a dust storm on me.  I however reduce pace, struggle to regain my breath amidst the chocking dust, then trudge on.  As I reach the river, and the downhill ends, I see another couple, on my right, just beside the road.  The guy in sitting across a paddle of water, while the lady is standing opposite him.  I think they are discussing how the guy has crossed the river just for her, evident from the giggles.

0.20.32 - Tank
Twenty minutes of run gets me to 'the tank'.  This is the end of the downhill and the start of the next hilly section that should take me to tarmac.  I have to contend with running against another two dust-spewing vehicles following each other.  I passby Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Centre to my left, followed by the Nairobi Childrens Home to my right.  Momentarily, I hit the tarmac.

0.25.37 - Tarmac
Tarmac at 25minutes is quite a good pace.  I join this Lower Kabete road by turning right.  I take my first sip of water, then start the mild uphill towards UON Lower Kabete campus, which is on my left.  At the vehicle stage just next to the UON main gate, I see four ladies, just opposite my running steps.  I turn back just in time to see them gesture in my direction.  I can imagine them cracking a joke, probably in praise of dudes who have such prowess, but that is just my mind playing games.  I clear my mind by taking another sip of water.  This route has remained the same as I experienced it last year.  The only noticeable change is the renaming of Kenya Institute of Administration to Kenya School of Government.  I notice this change of name on the institution as I passby, now heading towards the generally flat terrain, with housing estates and homes lined up on both sides of the road.  I run past Kabete Telkom exchange without noticing it.

0.45.09 - Ngecha junction
I divert from Lower Kabete road into Ngecha road as I passby Lake View estate.  The condition of the tarmac is good.  The last time I was here its condition was deplorable.  Anyways, just a mild hill then a downhill, allowing me a sip of water, gets me to the Ngecha-Getathuru road junction.  The next part is now the dreaded section.
  
0.52.32 - Getathuru junction
I confirm that the split shows 52 minutes of run.  Am just about to hit the 1hour mark.  I have this long hill to battle.  It takes about 15-minutes to climb this unrelenting hill.  It shall take me through Kitisuru estate, the centre and later Mwimuto.  The sun is still blazing, but it has lost a lot of its fury.  I pace on without noticing much.  A matatu blocks my path at the centre, just to beckon passengers.  I am forced to divert from the side of the tarmac to the extremity of the road, just to avoid bumping into the matatu.  I am just in time to see the 1hr mark pass through the timer as I pass by the centre.

1.06.18 - Turn off to river
Am relieved to finish the hilly section, as I turn off to my left, towards the river.  This is generally downhill, then another uphill.  My mind is preoccupied with finishing the run.  I do not notice the hill after the river.  Am jolted back to reality while passing by the Nairobi Childrens Home, second home, just before I get back to tarmac.  I hear a sound like, "Jambo.  Endelea hivyo"
"Jambo," am startled, as I look to my right to see this guy just opposite the gate of the home, greeting me.
"Endelea hivyo, ubarikiwe"
"Ahsante sana," I respond, now about ten meters past his position.  Am cognizant that we still have a few good people who can wish blessings on a stranger.

1.14.40 - Tarmac
Am at tarmac.  It is now a matter of getting myself back home.  I know the route and can even close my eyes and run the rest of the track.  I roll downhill to 'the tank'

1.19.17 - Tank
I passby the tank, without much ado.  I face the hill with determination.  I overtake some guy who is just walking at this isolated part of the road near the river.  There in nobody else in sight.  It is now well past six.  The sun is setting.  Signs of darkness can be see from afar.  My mind wonders... what if this guy just removes, say, a gun and asks me to surrender my phone?  How would I react?  I have not have time to think over this since I immediately see some three people going downhill towards the river.  My dustless run is interrupted by a vehicle that dusts me as I keep my uphill effort.

1.29.15 - End of hill
It is a relief to finish the hill.  Now there is no more hill and I just have to move on to the finish line.

1.30.11 - Ndumbo
I reach Ndumbo stage hardly a minute after finishing the hilly stretch.  I notice nothing.  I turn to my left so as to face the Vet lab circuit, which should get me to the wall.  From the wall I have to cross Waiyaki way - very busy - then am back to Kabete Police on the other side of the road.  I just wonder why vehicles speed on this 60km limit stretch.

1.37.03 - Kabete Police
Am just about to finish the run.  A dirt road, to the tarmac, then to Uthiru roundabout, then down to the gate and that is it.

1.40.53 - Stop
It is now 6.30pm.  I hit the stop button.  I still have half the contents of the 500ml bottle, which I gulp down in one go, even as I reenter the compound for my warm down, rest and reflections.

Had this been an international triumph, the national anthem would have been played. Am taken aback...
It was just past midnight when four not-so-sober guys started to sing the national anthem.  Saluting with their right hand and a drink on their left, they stood up from their highly elevated seats to sing aloud.  It was quite a strange occurrence as evidenced by the look on the faces of the bartenders.  The singers did not seem to care though.  This was team Kenya passing by the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Olympic games.  This was Friday, July 27.  This was an historic day for all citizens.  After singing the stanza, and ensuring the flag was off screen, the revelers sat back and continued their earlier interrupted chatter.

I just smiled at this episode even as I came back to reality.

Doing this run was a major achievement.  This route is usually a 21km half marathon mock.  I can bet that I shall be able to finish the real marathon, come October 28, in this or a lower time.

Would I do such a run again before the marathon event?  The schedule says so but....

Sotokoto 2011 – held in May but…

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