Day 3 (17th Feb) : Wake up late – at 6am…unbelievable!
I had planned to wake up at 5am and leave the house by 5:30am so as to avoid
the morning scorching sun but alas, here I was late like never before. Another
20mins gone while dressing up and stretching. On the road at 6:30am feeling
angry at myself…in low spirits which make me feel heavy both body and soul. My
movements are laborious in the first 2kms and I feel like I will not even
manage a 21km run.
Join Jogoo Road, a clear stretch
and see another runner about 1.8 to 2 kms ahead – decide to chase him down despite my low morale. But as the saying goes ‘appetite comes with eating’ and my
enthusiasm came to the fore a few paces thereafter. Catch up with the runner after 5kms – he can
surely run too. He leaves me breathless
after City Stadium. He takes a turn back to Industrial Area as I proceed to
town. My legs are gone already – at this rate I will not even make it back
running.
Tremendously slow down my pace
just to catch my breath and have blood flow back to my feet. On passing
Machakos country bus I get a small surge of energy which takes me through the
small climb below the flyover. I am now completely out…I reach Railways roundabout in 44mins (which is a shock to me) despite my slow speed after City Stadium – it means I
really chased down that runner in a high speed hence my lack of energy.
 | |
| Thats exactly how it feels! |
Should I make a turn towards
Nyayo Stadium or go through upper hill?...to be or not to be? – I am not
chickening out of Upper hill even if I am running on empty. Charge at that hill
with renewed vigour. I am completely out again immediately after NHIF…walk for
30 seconds coz I was literally chocking. Dehydrated and yet I have no water. The morning sun is already out - burning as ever. Gather myself and proceed again – at City
Mortuary by 61mins and take on Mbagathi route which gives me enough time to
catch my breathe. At T.Mall in 75mins (15kms) and join Lungalunga in 1:45 (21kms)
at Donholm in 2:05 (25kms) – the last 2kms are a complete drag, half run and half walk,
completely dehydrated - stop at 27kms in 2:17. Fall short of my target by 2 mins
which I could have easily managed if I set out early before the morning sun. Preparation is key! To
make up for it in the next run. Keep running.
