Lewa Race Day..or The day that almost never ended..or the blog that almost never ended

Writing to you from Kaolack, Senegal - a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, where we stopped  for the night on the way to the edge of nowhere (Koumpentoum and Velingara Districts). But alas! There is internet here! And the hotel is pretty decent! I get really really nervous when I go out into the field in the countries I manage because you never know what to expect as far as places to stay are concerned...this tops the charts as far as small Africa town hotels go.  But, this post is about our Lewa (half)marathon day, not my trip to Senegal.
We departed Friday on the 5 hour drive to Lewa to pick up our race packets and check into our hotel.  The plan was to get a good night's rest for the big race the next day. We didn't want to risk eating food festering with salmonella at the lodge so we brough some pizzas with us so we could carb up (read: fatten up).  The highlight of the drive was passing the equator point.  At which time, everyone in the vehicle spouted off all the facts they knew about the equator to show how smart we are.  These included:
1) You are 10 pounds lighter at the equator (fact check please!)
2) Toilets flush different directions depending on what side of the equator you are at
3) Is normally very hot at the equator since you are closest to the sun at that line on the earth...but it's not the case in Kenya because of the alti
tude.
4) The longitudinal equivalent of the equator is the prime meridien (how long has it been since you thought of that word)?
Brilliance.

We arrived at the race site to pick up our packets.  We were extremely intimidated driving in seeing bus loads of tall thin kenyan men in matching sporty jumpers. We immediately regretted not coordinating our running outfits to at least try to intimidate others.

 Scott and Serg got in line and picked up our race packets - i was running under the alias of Peter Lapray so I had to hang back incognito style.  Then, we took some photos to show we were there.





Then, we made our way to the lodge.  The place was extremely rustic..in fact we saw a mouse in the sugar bowl in the reception area when we walked in! That's pretty rustic and down to nature if you ask me.  But the place was about $15 per night so expectations had to be lowered quickly.  On the plus side there were giant turkies to chase around...

You could hear every single strange sound from the woods all night long...the scariest growling sounded like it was happening literally right outside our door in the middle of the night...it was like an evil moutain lion sound or something...there were colubus monkies out the - serg thinks that's what it was..but i can't imagine something like a monkey sounding like a fire breathing dragon...serg and I were both too scared to talk about it when it woke us both up...that plus very wierd bird calls and the bass from a party in another cabin...literally alllllll night long.  Honestly, not one of usslept much more than 4 hours I would say. There was nothing else to do but wake up and get the run over with...the day that would never end had begun....

I think 237 different materials went into creating this shower

Outdoor dining at its finest - was actually pretty nice there



Byu lacing up

Freaky muzungu girl painting for runners inspiration?

Departed at 5:45am for our grumpy hour long drive to the race site.  I complained so much about not having hot water to make instant coffee with in the morning that my warrior (serg) went out at like 5am and asked the grounds keeper to heat me some water so i would shut the hell up. Love my BYU!  Scott and David were in rare form at this point since their cabins were sandwiched around the party cabin playing house music until 4am.  David literally had large enough cajones to go in the pitch dark to the party cabin, knock on their door, and politely tell them to shut the hell up..it's 3am. But by then the damage had been done.

SO we arrived bright eyed and bushy tailed....

All the local spectators came out to see Serg and I run! They heard how slow we are and had to see for themselves!



More like numbers 300, 400, and 500.

 


stretchin it out

 



And they're off! All Sergio needs is a fake mustache and he'll be in full disguise! Scott broke away right at this point...3.3 seconds after we started ;-)


The race course was extremely difficult - it felt like it was uphill the whole way! Really long gradual inclines constantly. It was really really tough. It was pretty land - you can sort of see what the scenery was in the photo above. Towards mile 12, there were herds of elephants..but it was mile 12 and no one gave a SHAT at that point. ;-)

I was okay for the first 9 miles I would say...but the inclines were just killing me ...killing everyone...As soon as the hills would start again, EVERYONE would start walking...I mean, no one had the energy to run..It was constant hills. The description of the marathon says that it's one of the top 10 most difficult and now we know why. It was really tough. Scott has run a marathon before and he said this course was killer. We saw the incredibly talented Kenyan front runners go by - Just amazing...they look like they are floating. But even they were around 20 minutes slower than their normal marathon times with this course. 20 minutes to a star marathoner is like an hour to an amateur.

Serg was having knee issues but kept going and would pull over and wait for me since I have a slower pace than him - very sweet of him but i feel like it really messed up his pace. We finished my half marathon together more or less (he did a lot of waiting for me, which is the nicest thing ever) and then he went on to complete the 2nd lap for the marathon! The funniest thing was as I was nearing the end alone, there was this small crowd of Kenyan spectators that all the sudden erupted in cheering..I was so confused since it was just me..I looked behind me to see who they were cheering for and all the sudden one guy yelled "YOU, YES, YOU!"...and they were all clapping and cheering for me all alone out there..It was very very touching. I love those people..hope they felt my love.

I crossed the finish (13.1 miles) feeling like my feet were going to fall off. Really. It was my feet and my butt muscles..they were killing me. I was just completed fatigued. I sat down for a bit and then realized that I needed to go find David. So I found some energy to get up and go walk around and look for him. I ended up in a sea of local Kenyan spectators - there were people for miles...it was a mess..people literally everywhere..nothing was distinguishable! I couldn't figure out where I was and there was sweat in my ears so everything was clogged and I couldn't hear myself speak. It was bizarre. I somehow wondered back to the finish line area and just sat down...wasn't feeling well after walking around in the hot sun getting lost. Then, I started feeling super nauseous and like I was going to pass out - I laid down and started thinking, let yourself pass out Lenna, but then I was worried that I would throw up all over myself and the other end would do something as well. I was feeling really horrible, with cold sweats - All the sudden I just looked at this random guy sitting nearby and told him I was about to pass out...then I don't remember much after that! I remember sort of being put on a stretcher and taken to the sick tent...and I do remember hearing them talk about giving me an IV...but I was kind of in a different place in my head. Like, I did not care what anyone did to me - I just wanted to shut my eyes and pass out, I had no energy left in any of my bones and my head just sort of checked out. Then I woke up a couple of hours later and realized what time it was and oh SHIT! Serg and Scott are going to be crossing any minute if they didn't already. And I woke up so I was ready to roll again! I went out and waited for the boys to come in...First came Scott, then came Sergio..then came baby in a....oh..never mind. THEY FINISHED THE MARATHON IN ONE PIECE! and they didn't pass out..either one of them. Byu was a little beat up with his knee pain but in general they did AWESOME considering that terrain.

I'll post the photos of the finish once I get them - or maybe never..since we all looked pretty gnarly by then! We rested for a bit and then got in the car for a nice 6 hour drive back to Nairobi. So our 20 hour day finally ended....but like half of the day during the run felt like 2 or 3 weeks and then the car ride home felt like 3 or 4 days..so all in all the trip was like a month long in 20 hours (if any of you have seen the Jerk with Steve Martin) you would appreciate this last line ;-)))

Short Legs

Three more days till the run! This week I'm supposed to be doing short runs only. I did 4 miles this morning, I'll do 3 tomorrow and then 3 or 4 on Thursday. I'm trying to do the short runs a little faster than my long runs.  I'm still surprised at what a slow runner I am...i mean, I know I have short legs - anyone that knows my dad and mom can see where I got them from.  We're a long torso/short leg gene pool. But I don't think I can blame my 10 minute mile on that. I used to do solid 9 minute miles....maybe that will be my goal.

As for my commitment to eating whatever fits in my palm - I'm not doing too well on that.  I'm hoping that by writing about it, it will instantaneously fix itself.  We'll see tomorrow. 

I went to dinner with Mr. Byu (serg) after work.  We got all the way home after he picked me up from the office and I started getting depressed thinking about cooking something out of nothing. So, we went to a place called Art Cafe and had pizza and salad.  Why is it that before I eat pizza I find a way to think that it's actually diet food and then after I'm finished eating, I'm so clear about the fact that it's not..at all diet food. Dang it! The mental battle is killing me! I need some motivational thoughts or something here! At least at home there was always young cute chicks that I would see going to work or shopping, or at the gym, that would give you that female competitive motivation - here I dont feel it. It's just me and how I feel about myself - which is usually okay until I try on something that is tighter than I ever remember it being..and we don't have a dryer so i cannot blame it on shrinkage.

Tomorrow is another day.

The Runs

Somewhat related to the last post, I wanted to blog about my half marathon training, since this is the only media where someone could actually publish anything about their experience of "slower than jogging but quite as slow as walking" excruciating race training.  Everything I've read on Runners World mag online is a little intense for my running level - we are talking about people actually recommending to others that they tinkle (or poop...I'm not kidding) in their pants during races in order to shave minutes off their finishing time. Wow - my nephew Julian would be great at marathoning if that's part of the deal.

Like I said in my previous post, someone dropped out of the race so I decided to take their spot and run. That gave me 3 weeks to train. I'm not completely out of shape, but I haven't been running at all. I mean, if I signed up for a 3 hour challenge on the elliptical, I would easily crush it.. No problem -that's the only cardio device at my gym that I can tolerate.  The treadmills are always broken or there is a 5 person line at the one that works and with no A/C it's just too hot for me to deal with running.  I've done some running outside here but it can be a challenge trying to actually run while basically sucking on a muffler and dodging cars flying by jumping into the forest (no sidewalks, no curbs, no nothin besides mud). Oh, and every road seems to be on a steep incline...add that to the fact that you stick out like a sore thumb jogging in your special sport gear, with your expensive tennis shoes, and your IPOD.  You just sort of feel like a freak while everyone you pass on the street is like carrying loads of fruits in vegetables in bags on their backs...or running in their street clothes as a form of transportation to get to their job. 

BUT! I HAVE TO TRAIN - so I did find one treadmill that I like to use at the gym. It's actually on the roof by the gym pool - so it's open air and nice and cool and no one knows it's their so it's always free to use. There are actually two treadmills there, but one has been broken for a full year.

I've been doing 5 or 6 miles 2 times per week and then 3 fast miles 1 time per week and then a long run on Saturday outdoors.  Here's the scenery from the rooftop of the gym where the treadmills are:

It's not a horrible view but running in the same place for an hour is not so stimulating.  On the weekends we (Serg, me, and Scott) have been doing the long runs in an area called Gigiri where the UN and US Embassy are.  It's safe and quiet with nice streets and not a lot of traffic. We have a 2 mile loop that we go around and around.  It has some pretty nasty hills but for those long runs, anything is better than a treadmill. Since we've been running out there for a while now...even before training, we would go there and run during the weekends...many of the house guards and people that work around there have gotten used to us and cheer us on when we pass them.  This one house guard that I pass counts my loops for me - makes it more fun.  Yesterday was a 10 miler - i didn't feel so hot.  Definitely did better the weekend before. I've been really congested and having a hard time pulling in air lately. Hopefully my cold will clear up by this coming weekend - for the race!  I'm doing about a 9:50 mile right now..not awesome, but not walking - which is all that is important to me!

I'll let you know how I do - Unless I have scared you away forever by writing this much about my training runs already. haha. I'm an annoying blogger - I'm aware of that.

If you have any helpful hints for race day - add your comments!
Lenna

Oh, there's that 5 pounds I was looking for!



How I look these days


Hi this is Debbie downer writing from Down-in-da-dumpsville. Somehow I got on the scale this morning and gained 5 more pounds than the amount I’ve already put on. I’m seriously baffled and not sure what’s going on. Let me explain why – for the past 2 weeks, I have been running my hiney off trying to prepare for this half marathon next weekend. It was sort of a surprise deal, someone dropped out, so I decided that it’s been a while since I tortured myself by running a half marathon without training, so I am taking their place. Plus the run is in a conservation park with lots of wild animals so I figured that the scenery would be amazing, even if I’m crawling on all fours – at least I’ll be at home with the rest of the 4 legged animals.

Anyways, so I’ve been running an average of 25 miles a week for 2 full weeks – granted I have been working out around 5 days a week before marathon training, but 25 miles a week is like 2500 calories burned…which tied with my decent low carb, high protein diet during the day, should equal a negative pound or two. But no, apparently it actually equals 5 pounds more. I fell into a deep dark depression after seeing that. I mean, really, I am gaining weight like it’s my real job out here. And I feel like I need to put it out there – no more shame, you know? Just say it – I’m getting larger and I’m frustrated as hell. So, I did a little research on this to try to figure out how to solve this extremely frustrating conundrum that I’ve been in – not just in the last 2 weeks, but in the last 3 years (more like the better part of my life). Here’s what I read about gaining weight during marathon (or half) training:

1) Some people think they can eat more because they are training and then end up eating so much that they blow the calorie deficit that they earned by running.

I’m allowing this in as one of the possibilities. During the week my diet from 8am to 6pm is the model regimen according to most nutritionists: oatmeal with nuts and cranberries for breakfast at work, fat free/sugar free yogurt, lunch of salad with chicken or chicken with some good carb like quinoa or a veggie, fruit, and a handful of almonds in the afternoon. Sounds fine right? I do just great during work hours – no issues there. After all, I have no car at work since Sargento drops me off and there is really no where to walk to for snacks/food around my office (which is a whole other issue because I literally do not move during the day from my desk..THERE IS NO WHERE FOR ME TO GO!). I digress – anyways, after getting home in the evenings, I make dinner – and the only thing I can think of is that I’m eating too much at dinner or snacking while I’m cooking. The Sergion and I eat the same exact thing usually and he keeps telling me that I’m a chick and I’m supposed to eat less but that just doesn’t seem fair! How does a person get used to eating less while the person sitting across from them eats as much as they want (and doesn’t gain weight)? How do I reset my mind to see that my portions are too high and then what’s the best way to adjust during those 3 to 4 weeks of getting used to it. OR how do I eat one thing while he eats another? I don’t know. My other issue is, why does it feel okay to eat things when someone else eats it too? It’s like I have temporary amnesia that I’m upset about my weight gain and that extra food is going to cause my issue to get worse? But I really don’t think I’m eating more now than I was 2 weeks ago before training, so why the weight gain if I’m burning more anyways?

2) Muscle built during training will add pounds to the scale.

This is the one that everyone wants to believe. But seriously, I was doing more weight training BEFORE training for the half mara – so I just don’t buy this one..sorry.

3) Training for long races causes you to drink more and so you have more water weight than normal.

Um, no – if you know anything about me, water flows outward WAY more than inward, I sweat like a polish sausage on a hot grill. Thanks for trying out though.

4) You aren’t eating enough protein to burn fat so your body shuts down.

I don’t know..i mean, maybe. But I eat like 2 chicken breasts a day – freaking Kenyans are stick thin and they eat mashed carbs all day everyday – so is this rule just for Americans? Just so I can rule this one out – I will try to add some egg whites in there somewhere, but seriously, if a couple of additional egg whites a day was the reason I wasn’t losing weight all these years, I will quit my job and open up a chicken farm.
So, really we’re stuck with #1 as the most probable cause – I’m just eating too much when I get home. Dang it. I was hoping it was something else. Okay, so to deal with this I will commit to the next 30 days of eating portions that fit into the palm of my hand for dinner. This is my public commitment (read: humiliation). If I get hungry after dinner, I will eat a handful of almonds or an apple and then lock my fridge. And yes, there is a lock on our fridge – weird right? I think it’s for people that are worried that their house help is stealing their food – either that, or it’s a protective measure because someone realized that we are the type of people that leave things to mold in our fridge so long that there is danger it could come alive and walk out.


Our lockable mini-fridge



That’s the 6.
You're welcome to give me your suggestions or take on this rediculousness.

Looky what the cat dragged in

I have been way negligent with my blog. It's now been over a year since we moved to Kenya and I've only blogged a handfull of times. I think about it all the time but my laziness prevails and my thoughts go unwritten. But now, I am here, in front of all 3 of my readers to make a committment to posting at least 3 blogs a week. There is plenty to talk about afterall.
Since this isn't technically a blog posting about anything specific I will not count this to my 3 for this week - this one is just a freebie! haha

Ourselves - the tourist attraction

So today the Serg picked up Scott and I from work and we were headed out for lunch. We were driving around with the windows down just cruising down the road when I noticed a van full of chinese tourists two lanes over just staring and smiling and laughing at us - i think a few had their cameras out - as if we were something to see in Nairobi. They continued to drive along side us with their whole group stretching their necks to get a good look at us just smiling and laughing away. Some of them were dressed like hippies which is irrelevant but still an addition to the strangeness of the whole thing. So the point of this is to say that I no longer feel bad about staring and laughing at people because those chinese people staring at us made us laugh so hard and feel so special that it ended up being quite a positive contribution to the day. That's all for now.

Rwanda

I toured a small church site today where over 5000 people (men, women, babies) were slaughtered during the Rwandan genocide just 17 years ago..their bones and clothes were all still there - couldn't help but think about all the hate language that is exchanged between the mouths of the extreme republicans and democrats in our country - how easily violent movements can emerge and spread from hate speech and propaganda..those who were once neighbors and shared coffee turned on each other - normal everyday people. Today, you walk these streets and you would never know that such a thing could have happened - all from hate and fear - it can spread like wildfire and destroy all civility.

Kigali is one of the most beautiful African cities I have ever seen. It is clean and paved and you feel so secure here. I would easily exchange Nairobi for Kigali. People appear to live in harmony here (ironic right?). It doesn't have the feel that Nairobi has, where you feel labeled because of the color of your skin and where you get the sense that people feel you owe them something...just for being there. Here, it's different. There is a feeling of sincere hosptiality - not because you are going to pay them or because you are white and you get treated differently for that, just because you are a visitor and they want to show you this place and how it is here. I went out with some local friends on Friday night and the bar was just this big fun bar with black and white and all skin tones in between just blending and talking and dancing and there was no stigma, no self conciousness, just togetherness and people being people. I realized I miss that. In Nairobi, I have met many wonderful people but there is a definite barrier to blending - not just physical..there is a social barrier. And i sometimes get comments even at work that make me feel guilty for something or comments that give me a feeling that I am part of something that was forced on these people. I was speaking to our HR person at work about the poor quality of reports that i am recieving from staff...to which he responded "English was brought to us with the dhows" - meaning: in those slave ships that (you) brought over, also came the English, it was not our language. I feel like screaming, "I'm sorry - I'm not staying long."
Anways, I guess my point was, that Kigali feels different - perhaps due to the violence that spued like a volcano and overtook everything just a few years ago...perhaps because every single Rwandan has a story about the genocide and the destruction caused by hate - perhaps they are out of energy for intolerance and suspicion. Perhaps it was the difference between the British colonization in Kenya and the Dutch/French in Rwanda..Or perhaps, we do owe something to Nairobi -