When tired…. Accept and run on

When tired…. Accept and run on

Monday was my usual day of run.  I was good to go, after a three-day rest period.  I started the run at 11.40am and felt fairly well as I did that first kilometre.  The weather was good, being sunny with the morning sun.  However, it was a bit hot, even as I finished the first k and started on the second.  I was on the same good old ‘new’ route from Eldy town to Kipkenyo centre and back.  The turning point at the centre is on the 8km mark, and that is where I was aiming for.  My tiredness started being manifest on the second kilometre.  I just felt tired thereafter and almost turned back.  The spirit was however willing but it was residing on a weak body on this day.  Was it the heat?  Was it the high altitude?  Was it just the day to be tired?

I however kept going with a view of ‘stretching’ the run to the very limit of collapse, then see how it shall go.  This stretching would get me to the 8km turning back point at ACK Kipkenyo Secondary.  I was just glad that I had made it to this turning point.  But now the real task was just about to start.  I was now 8km from home and I was as tired as a log.  I had to somehow drag myself through the uphill that runs from 2000m above sea leave at the 8km mark, to the 2100m at the finish line.  This run back has been difficult every time that I have been on this run.  Today it was twice difficult as I was the most tired ever.

What must be done must be done, and so I just turned back and started the slow uphill hill over the eight-thousand metres.  That distance was long!  It is just the dream of hitting that finish line eventually, at some point, that kept me going.  I would otherwise have just given up and probably taken a matatu back, in my sweaty form.  I did not take the matatu, but instead kept going.  I usually do not carry money with me, and hence the matatu option would also have not worked anyway.  

My tired body pounded that tarmac somehow, all the way to the 15km mark at the junction where I would either turn to the left to go back to the finish, or turn right to increase my kilometre-age through Langas Kisumu Ndogo.

The mere thought of turning right was already just painful, leave alone forcing my body to turn to the right when the time came.  Finally, I was at the junction and…. And I surely turned left and headed to the finish line.  There was no way I was going for anything more than a k.  I was just glad that I would be finishing the run in another five minutes.  I eventually finished run!  How I managed the 16.32km in a time of 1.28.26 is still a wonder.  That 5.25min per km pace was the most painful pace I have experienced in a long time.  

I was exhilarated that I had managed to finish the day’s run ‘somehow’.  The tiredness would just momentarily evaporate, just like that, since I was back to normalcy immediately after the shower.  Despite this, I wanted to forget the experiences of this run in a hurry and be ready for a better experience next time.  Nonetheless, the body dictates and decides on how to carry itself – some days are good, others days are bad and yet others are ugly.  Today was one of those Mondays.

I would momentarily be seated for the afternoon rest.  The next major event of the week was to be the announcement by the GOK on the next stages of COVID-19 restrictions, since the current modalities were set to expire tomorrow, Tuesday.  I expected that announcement same tomorrow.  I thought that that is the date of announcement as already promised.  It was therefore a real surprise when I heard the prime news item that the announcement was actually on this very day.  I am however already used to extension of restrictions, and was therefore not expecting any better, whether the announcement was today or tomorrow.  

Corona aka ‘the thing’ or TT was still causing havoc on planet earth.  Worldwide confirmed infections now stood at 33,492,659* with 1,005,057 fatalities (3% mortality rate) and 24,801,703 recoveries.  At number 69 in the world, ranked by number of infections was Kenya with 38,168 infections, 700 deaths (1.8% mortality rate) and 24,681 recoveries.  In Kenya, the rate of samples that are being confirmed positive from any sample size was now about 4%, from a high of 14% in June.  This reduced positivity rate had already generated a debate that corona was now a goner, and that life should be reinstated back to ‘normal’.  I was not holding my breath on this end-of-TT prediction.  And it is even good that I did not….

There were no surprises when the night curfew was extended for another two months, meaning that night events would continue to be off until December.  Despite this, more extensions during that December festive month is the likely scenario.  This thing is likely to run until 2021.  The curfew hours had however been shortened to 11pm to 4am, unlike the previous 9pm to 4am.  

Other extensions of restrictions included public gathering still being limited, but to 200 people instead of 100, while the tax reprieve for individuals and corporates would remain in force until end of year.  Attendance at places of worship would remain restricted, but the maximum numbers had now been revised to one-third of the building’s capacity.  Schools and educational institutions would however remain closed, until the ‘how’ of their operation upon reopening was addressed.  

Finally, it was a reprieve to liquor business since bars would be opened for the first time in six months, and they would operate until ten.  Other eateries which could not sell liquor previously, despite being open, would now also be allowed to offer ‘kanyuanji’ to their revelers.  This was a long time coming and I know that hell shall break loose when these restrictions are lifted from tomorrow.  

Well, marathons remain suspended and maybe being tired today was just a good thing, as I can continue resting in readiness for the time when the runs resume.  It could have been a disaster if I would have felt this way during one of the September marathons such as Ndakaini.

*All data from worldometers website

WWB, the coach, Eldy, Kenya, 28-Sep-2020

Six months later…

Six months later…

Today has many significant events worth remembering.  It is 9-11.  Yes, the date in 2001 when terrorists attached the twin towers buildings in the US and brought them down, causing death to 2,996 people and damage to property.  Thereafter, the terrorists affiliated to the event have continued to attack, damage and kill people in different places in the world, especially on or around this date.

It is also on 3-11, six months ago, when the World Health Organization, WHO, declared that a new virus, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus version 2 of 2019 (SARS-CoV-2-2019) as a global pandemic.  The disease caused by this virus came to be known as Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19).  The virus and disease originated from a food market in China’s Wuhan City in Hubei province in December 2019.  The virus then started spreading from China to the rest of the world… one country at a time.

On that date that WHO was declaring ‘the thing’ aka TT as a pandemic, the world had recorded 123,416* infections and 4,641 deaths.  Those 124 thousand infections were distributed in regions as follows Americas had 1010, South-East Asia 189, with 22,320 in Europe, 9966 in Eastern Mediterranean, 71 in Africa and 89,860 in Western Pacific.  The deaths were distributed worldwide as 28 in Americas, 1002 in Europe, 2 is SE Asia, 364 in E-Med, 0 in Africa and 3238 in W-Pacific.

In the same month of March when WHO was declaring that pandemic, and in response to this pandemic did Kenya also initiate a dusk to dawn curfew and lockdown of four regions, including the cities of Nairobi and Mombasa.  On that 3-11 date, when WHO was declaring the worldwide pandemic, Kenya had 0 cases of Corona virus.  

The new virus was spreading through breathing in respiratory droplets (cough, sneeze) from an infected person.  The infected people exhibited symptoms such as fever, dry cough and tiredness as common ones, with some reporting loss of smell and taste.  The virus incubation period was determined as 14-days, leading to such a duration of isolation after travel to a hot zone or self-isolation when one suspected that they had the infection.  

However, only a few of those with the disease required hospitalization, and most would just suffer the discomfort of the infection symptoms and get well without the need for medication.  Getting rid of the virus from their body in two or so weeks.  At the period of disease, those ailing are advised to take lots of rest, avoid interactions with other people, be on a balanced and healthy diet.  Visiting the hospital should be the last resort, when home rest is not helping at all.  

It was therefore a virus that was serious and not serious at the same time.  Serious because it was new, with many unknowns and spreading exponentially, but not serious due to the low mortality and hospitalization rates.  

Unfortunately, some of those who needed hospitalization would turn out to be surely badly off, with respiratory failure and hence needed assistance to breath by use of ventilators.  This need for ventilators posed a new medical challenge since this required a higher level of hospitalization facilities with associated equipment and expertise costs.  This is where the disease was considered a serious thing.  Lack of such intervention would surely mean death.  This is serious I tell you.

Six months later and the world is different.  There are no more social gatherings or any grouping of more than ten.  Bars and night clubs are closed.  Hotels and restaurants are mostly operating take away service or minimal occupancy with short operating hours.  Night life ended, as most countries have night curfews from nine.  People have to put on face masks when in any public place, including while using public or private transport.  

Temperature checks and handwashing or hand-sanitization at entrance to public spaces such as supermarkets, public transport systems and office blocks has become the new norm.  Humanity have to keep a distance of at least one-metre from each other wherever they are, be it while using vehicles or while being served in a supermarket.  This restriction on number of people at any gathering has meant that sports and social events are now cancelled for the year.  

All marathon events are not possible this year.  The organizers of the Stanchart Nairobi International marathon that was to be held on Sunday, October 25, 2020 have already communicated the cancellation. The event is now pushed to next year and is scheduled for Sunday, October 31, 2021.  However, this remains a tentative date, meaning that the possibility of another postponement exists.  That is how badly things have gone.  Ndakaini marathon that should have been held tomorrow, Saturday, September 12 is off.  The Mater Heart run of May was cancelled (read the list of marathons on this earlier blog, where anything scheduled since April 1 has been cancelled)

Our own monthly ‘international’ marathons remain cancelled since March.  I do not see possibility of holding any such event this year.  Nonetheless, individual runs are ongoing just like the one I did this lunch hour, despite them being lonely, boring and non-motivating.  I was on the same route from Eldy town to the 8km junction at Kipkenyo, then back same route then added a twist on the 15k mark leading to a finish on the 22.32km mark.  That was a 1hr 52min 46sec run.  I was glad that I was not rained on, for the first time in many runs.  The last time I took this selfsame route was on Monday.  The rain hit me through the last five minutes of that run.  Today I was lucky, was I not?

But not being rained on did not prevent the world from the reality of Corona virus as we mark the 6-month anniversary of the declaration of the pandemic.  While the total cases were only 124,116* on 3-11, when TT was declared a pandemic, the infections now stand at 27,972,386* with 905,413 deaths.  The infections per region (and fatalities) being 14.4M in Americas (0.5M), 5.1M in SE Asia (89k), 4.6M in Europe (0.2M), 2M in E-Med (54k), 1.1M in Africa (23k) and 0.5M in W-Pacific (11k).  The infection numbers have multiplied 226 times in that 6-month period.

Good news is that the fatality rate for TT remains relatively low at 3.2% world average.  Nonetheless, loss of life remains a serious thing and we do hope that this COVID thing shall be defeated soon.  Several vaccine initiatives are at advanced stages of development, while Russia already has a vaccine available for its masses.  It is now just a matter of time before TT is defeated.  Let us enjoy the secluded moments while they last.  We shall be soon back in the midst of big crowds… laughing out loud in crowded eateries…. while looking back at how 2020 was a totally messed up year.  

Enjoy the moments while they last.

*All the data used in this article are from who.int

WWB, the coach, Eldy Kenya, Sep. 11, 2020

Beyond zero that almost become zero

Beyond zero that almost become zero


When I was traveling back from TZ on that Monday after the marathon, my mind was still grappling with the possibility of running another competitive marathon hardly six days after the TZ full.  This was against the background of a chatter, that I had already had in the shuttle, that the folks were ‘not boarding’ this run.  They were giving it a wide berth since this run brushed the wrong side of their political convictions.  

Their stand was that it was the government that should be in charge of medicare, and not the runners!  Of course, this type of debate is hard to win.  After all, doesn’t every run have a cause that the government should be in charge of, but we still go for them?  Ndakaini for water, Stanchart for ophthalmology and Mutuini for literacy?  

However, believe me when I tell you that you cannot win an argument over political convictions.  The other argument that you cannot win is one on religious convictions.  I have learnt to respect these two philosophies according to points of view of the people involved, and would change the topic in a hurry when these topics come up.

So there I was, seated on ‘jampu siti’, listening to the backbenches saying that the BZ marathon was a no-goner.  As already stated, I did not wish to join in.  From my point of view, the only reason why I was likely to miss this run was just because I was tired from the Kili.  My political view on this event was hidden from view.  

Due to the various points of view, this marathon was therefore not mentioned much on our WhatsApp discussions.  It was as if all were afraid to talk about it.  I kept my quiet too, even as people shared all manner of things on WhatsApp including some meme about some football in EPL, which is responsible for many lost bets.

I made a final decision to participate in this marathon when that SMS that beeped on my phone on a Feb. 26 came through.  The deal was just too good…
Register before Feb. 28 and have your running kits delivered for free within Nairobi… 
 

Imagine being seated at Uthiru and you see that BZ rider coming your way with a kit – without even raising a leg!  Who could resist such a do nothing at all, free delivery of the kit?  Not me!

Little did I know that there was a catch to this message?  The catch came about when I registered online, paid up by card and had to make a choice on how to get the kit.  And as sure as the sun rises from the East, there was no option for ‘free delivery’.  What we had on that website was a choice of either ‘collect from KICC’ or ‘collect from AK Nyayo Stadium’.

“Liars!,” I shouted loud while looking at the computer screen, two thousand shillings already deducted from my card.
“These lying #$%@,” I could not resisting vitrioling. 
I almost called my bank to have the transaction reversed, but what had been done had now been done.
I had egg all over my face as I painfully selected ‘collect from KICC’.
“KICC indeed!,” I could not stop.

However, that was not the end of it.  I was not going to take this lie lying down.  I went to the contact pages of the BZ marathon as indicated on the website and called the telephone number provided of the organizers.  The phone rang answered.  I called the second number listed on the page.  It rang and timed out.
“For crying out loud!,” I cried out loud!

Finally, I got to one of those ‘fill the form below to contact us’ website sections and filled it up, stated to the IMG organizers that they had promised delivery of kits and they had no choice but to deliver the kit to my address in Uthiru, which I indicated on that form.  I went further to tell them that I would be expecting that kit by the time I am would be back to the city.  I left my contacts in case they had a rejoinder….


But… Here I was, traveling back from TZ on a Monday.  There was no response from IMG or BZ.  Then… Then it just occurred to me that I could as well collect the kit from KICC, now that my shuttle would be dropping me at their city centre’s office near Jeevanjee.  

I would lose nothing by walking the 1km to the KICC collection point, though I was still feeling cheated, even as I guided my footsteps through Muindi Bingu street, then City Hall way before getting to KICC.  I passed through security and was at the KICC grounds to collect my kit.

More bad news awaited….
“I have come to collect my kit, and that of my colleague Barbara.”
“Let me see, let me check,” the lady at the 21km registration desk started on the list, four other eyes from her two colleagues following suit.
“Sorry, your name is not in the list,” she said, “Let us try Barbara’s.  What is her other name?”
I told them.

They repeated the routine of looking at the list.
Two minutes later, “Sorry your names are not on the list.  Did you register?”
“Why would I be here?,” I thought of responding.  Instead, my good nature took over the conversation, “Of course.  See this confirmation from Beyond Zero,” I showed them the phone screen, where the email confirmation was already open.

They did another check, and another “Your names are not on the list.”
That is when the lightbulb hit them and they asked for new data, “We need the reference number that you got from Pesapay.”
While mine was one email down my inbox, I had to call Barbara and wait for her to respond, which took about ten minutes.  However, she got me the long reference number.

That would not be the end…..
“What cause are you running for?”
“Are you people for real?,” I almost shouted.  I do not know why that shout did not come from my mouth.
“But I already provided this information during registration?,” I said, surprised that I was this restrained.
“Yes, but we do not have the registration details.”
“You people are messed up!,” why I failed to say this statement of truth still makes me wonder upto now!

They would finally read this information from the same message that came from Pesapay.  And just when I thought that I would have a good ending….
“There goes,” she handed me a Tee and a number, “that is for Barbara.”
I held it, in a manner of to confirm the two items.
“And that is your,” she handed another duo.
 

I remained put.
“Anything a miss?”
“Yes!,” I responded, “Where are the bags?”
The three looked at each other.  Can you believe that they just said a casual, “We do not have them yet.”

I left KICC vowing not to participate in this run.  Enough was enough!


Barbara would later send me a message that she was looking forward to yet another marathon with the very coach.  But the clincher came when Beryl sent a WhatsApp message that we shall be running on Sunday to compensate for the IKM ‘running for love’ marathon that she missed. 
That does it!

 
I was going for this run.  I could not let the gals down.  This run was happening….


And happening in did, when I woke up at five on this Sunday morning and took an early breakfast.  I had hardly slept for five hours, having gone to bed around one.  It is the alarm from the two phones that got me out of bed, cursing.  The phones were so far from my reach, and were set so loud, that I just had to get up and be sober by the time I had managed to silence them.  I just had to be read to leave. 

I left the house at ten to six and walked to the Nakuru highway to get a vehicle to town.  I was in a matatu by five past six.  The vehicles traveled smoothly until we got to Westlands, when we faced the traffic jam.  I already knew what it was… road closure.

I disembarked at Villa Rosa, as all vehicles were being diverted to the left, onto the road next to that Villa.  The time was just about 6.40am.  The road towards town, just after Rosa, was free of any traffic.  I would soon start meeting up with the runners as all walked towards Nyayo.  

I would soon start jogging towards Nyayo, a distance that turned out to be four kilometres.  I should however be thanking that jog, since I reached the starting line at 6.58am and hardly had any time to settle down before the run started at exactly seven.  And the start was without any fanfare, just a countdown and off we left.

The weather was cool, following the previous night’s rains.  The run started on Uhuru highway outside the Nyayo stadium and we started running on the way back towards Villa Rosa. 
“I should have just have waited there!”, I thought out loud. 
 

We ran on the overpass at Museum hill roundabout and were once again down onto Uhuru highway to run back towards Nyayo.  Two runs within the city centre, at Parliament road and Haile Sellasie avenue made up for some distance, before we were back to Nyayo stadium to take a left turn on Bunyala road, all the way to Jogoo road, and back to the stadium via Lusaka road.

There was plenty of water available to the runners at the various water points along the route, each point about five kilometres from the previous one.  The weather remained cool.  The weather remained good.  Back to Uhuru highway and we had to take some bit of Mombasa road upto Belle Vue and back.  It was quite a relaxed run, and I did not feel any strain at all.  The run was just pure fun, no pressure, lots of company, lots of water…. And of course, the very fine weather.

I would finally get to the finish point at Nyayo stadium, clocking 1.38.08 for 21.46 (4.34min/km pace) according to Endo, while Runkeeper gave me a 1.38.15 for 21.24km (4.38min/km pace).  As per convention, pick the worst of both world to get your final stats – so 21.24 in 1.38.15 it is! 
Let me see if the official results shall tally. 

Apart from the tight security within the stadium, where runners were hardly being allowed to stay around, all seemed well and all finishers were jovial.  However, one thing was still missing…

“Where do we collect our medals?,” I approached some lady at the stadium, who was adorning a nametag in a manner to suggest that she was part of the organization of the marathon.
She looked at me, unsure.  The response did not surprise me, “Eh… Ah… I also do not know!”
Some runner would soon appear within the stadium with a medal hanged on his neck.  He is the one who directed me to get out of the stadium and get the medal ‘somewhere out there’

WWB, the coach, Nairobi, Kenya, Mar. 8, 2020

20 runs in 20 20

20 runs in 20 20

Need I say more...

	Run	Date	Venue	Runs	Notes/Ref
1	IKM January International marathon	Fri., Jan. 24, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
2	IKM February International marathon	Fri., Feb. 14, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
3	Kilimanjaro International marathon	Sun., Mar. 1, 2020 (6.30am)	Moshi Coop, Moshi, Tanzania	42k, 21k, 10k, 5k	www.kilimanjaromarathon.com
4	Beyond Zero half marathon	Sun., Mar. 8, 2020 (7.00am)	Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi	21k, 10k, 5k	www.marathon.beyondzero.or.ke
5	IKM March International marathon	Fri., Mar. 27, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
6	IKM April International marathon	Fri., Apr. 24, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
7	Mutuini half marathon	Sun., May 10, 2020 (7.00am)	Dagoretti, Nairobi	21k, 10k, 5k	no website
8	Alliance classic marathon	Sat., May 16*, 2020 (7.00am)	Kikuyu, Nairobi	20k, 15k, 10k, 5k	www.ahsobc.org/events/acr2019/
9	Kigali International marathon	Sun., May 24, 2020 (7.00am)	Kigali, Rwanda	42k, 21k	www.kigalimarathon.org/events-2/events/
10	IKM May International marathon	Fri., May 22, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
11	Mater Heart run	Sat., May 30, 2020 (7.00am)	Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi	8k	www.materkenya.com/menu/heart.php
12	Sotokoto marathon	Fri., Jun. 21*, 2020 (4.00pm)	Muguga, Nairobi	21k, 10k, 5k	www.sotokotomarathon.co.ke
13	IKM June International marathon	Fri., Jun. 26, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
14	Safaricom Lewa marathon	Sat., Jun. 27, 2020 (4.00pm)	Lewa Conservancy, Laikipia	42k, 21k, 10k	www.safaricommarathon.com
15	IKM July International marathon	Fri., Jul. 24, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
16	IKM August International marathon	Fri., Aug. 28*, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
17	Source of the Nile marathon	Sun., Sep. 20, 2020 (6.30am)	Jinja, Uganda	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.sourceoftheniletrailrunchallenge.com
18	IKM September International marathon	Fri., Sep. 25, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
19	Family Bank Eldoret marathon	Sat., Oct. 3*, 2020 (7.00am)	Eldoret town, Eldoret	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.familygroupmarathon.com
20	IKM October International marathon	Fri., Oct. 16, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
21	Standard Chartered Nairobi International marathon	Sun., Oct. 25, 2020 (6.30am)	Uhuru park, Nairobi	42k, 21k, 10k, 5k	www.nairobimarathon.com
22	Ndakaini marathon	Sat., Nov. 7*, 2020 (7.00am)	Ndakaini, Thika	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.ndakaini.co.ke
23	IKM November International marathon	Fri., Nov. 13, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com
24	Kakamega Forest marathon	Sat., Nov. 28, 2020 (7.00am)	Kakamega forest, Kakamega	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.kakamegaforestmarathon.com
25	IKM December International marathon	Fri., Dec. 18, 2020 (4.00pm)	Uthiru, Nairobi	21k, 15k, 10k, 5k, any-k	www.wwbonline.blogspot.com

WWB, the Coach, Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 4, 2020