Couple run stories

(killing an hour while it rains, just toured Rotary high and now off to a meeting in the next town, thought I’d post some stuff I posted recently on running club forum)

i cant belive i got on again.

Sunday FEB1

this mornings run started in the heavy heat of 730am. I was feeling sluggish. passing all the people on their way to church, I jogged up my road to tyhe stadium. im amazed that people living in mud shacks without water or electricity can emerge so sparkly clean. Everyone slim and fabulous looking. I think I know where all those bridesmaid dresses wind up.

I got to the dirt track and did about 12 laps at 2:10 per. My fast lap was 1:37.

Wayne, I got your newsy email, did you get my reply?


After the run we toured the homes of widows out in the boonies that have been given seed and planting lessons. they have the cutest little farms that are very productive, they are almost totally self sufficient now, annd very proud. on one little 1/4 acre a lady was growing pineapples, avacadoes, mangoes, passion fruit, sugar cane and bananas. It was a LIVING smoothie farm.

My total run was about 54". Sorry Donna, i forgot bug juice again, but I did almost wear sunscreen. I also make sure not to wear a hat, sunglasses or stay hydrated. But apart from eating cooked food at least once a day iam eating a ton of fruit. "our guy" at the market thinks we are crazy buying so much.

You know Julie from FitEx? We are hooking up with her in Nairobi after our safari, so we will get a chance to tour a real slum.

Im still waiting to get my contact from the Running Centre at Eldoret (a 2 hr matatu ride from here). I want to run around and get autographs and be starstruck by the Paul Tergat disciples. I love the sports section here- 2 pages on running EVERYDAY!! (50% of newspapers and TV is in English- we get one fuzzy channel)

Im gonna try a long run soon-maybe tomorrow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mon FEB 2

its 1am your time, I trust all GOOD CVRRers are fast asleep allowing their bods to recover. im finding this site easy to load, so I give you little updates while im waiting fo oter sites to load. for every hour in cyber cafe I get 10" of things done.

Donna D must be powerful; our forum loads quicker than gmail or blogspot. in her honour I squirted on bug juice about my ankles and took off for the hills.

I had seen them in the distance and was jonesing for a long run so I off I headed at 0645 (first light).

So nice and cool. The teachers strike is over so i saw lots of adorable kids in their uniforms trudging to school. one little herd of 2 footers huddled close together , eyes wide as I appraoched, too startled to cry "howareyou" "howareyou". I finally had some success getting lost. I asked one guy how far to Kakamega? he said 200 meters- I was looking in the right direction down a 5 km stretch of road. I gave up trying and just kept running. it was getting hot. I shoulda brought water or some shillings.

Out off the main track one lady with barefeet and a big smile gave me a shilling coin- I have no iddea why. I saw a couple stuck trucks. The cry of the day was "good, good, keep on, keep on!"

in total 1:17. really good run, VERY hilly. It was nice to be out in the boonies, no cars, very quiet and shady running yunder avacado trees.

on wed we head to the masai mara (game range, wide open sopaces, no fences, not allowed to get out of the vehicle), I dont think I'll be running for a few days (although I plan to break any rules if posed, only fear of death or guns will stop me-I wouldnt even be a challenge for a lion to kill would I?). So far everywhere I go they tell me its too dangerous to run, and I run anyway, so I shall see.