Last weekend I ran my first road race in Kenya.
Most of the road races take place in beautiful hilltop villages and are an attempt to identify “talent.” Prizes are the perfect incentive for poor young men and girls to migrate to high-altitude training centers, where they meet shifty agents looking for fresh talent.
At these training centers, hundreds of athletes turn to the streets at 5 every morning and again in the evening, to race around in the hills. Although only a tiny proportion of the runners will ever make a name for themselves internationally, the effort is outstanding. This particular race was in Kisii, a lush land known for its bananas, tea plantations and malaria. The heat, high-altitude and hilly landscape was enough to make any casual runner a bit worried.
As usual the women were up first and so were able to miss the mass of testosterone in small running shorts and matching brightly coloured sneakers. I lined up beside the lithe teens at the start and waited out the usual 30-minute delay during which wordy ministers promoted sports in Kenya as an opportunity to gain votes for the elections next year.
And the race was off.
All 60-some odd women runners sprinted off into the distance – leaving me the steady tortoise in the back. The course was a challenge to say the least, especially in the 10 am heat. Kilometers 4, 5, 9 and 10 were straight up hill.
I finished the race with a roar of delight from the thousands of people waiting at the finish line. I placed 36th out of about 60 participants in a time of 49 minutes. Before me were a bunch of 15 year olds training at the high-altitude centers. Next up – the Nairobi marathon!
Anjali Nayar, Young Professional in Media Alum – Kenya, 2006/07
