Sports and peace are the themes of this post, specifically as they relate to the Kigali International Peace Marathon 2017 and our Conversations with America - Sports in the U.S.A session at the American Embassy. "Amahoro" means peace in Kinyarwanda. In Swahili, the word is similar - "horo." However, like "shalom" in Hebrew, "amahoro" has a larger meaning than just "peace." "Amahoro" is everything to do with peace and connection and wholeness.
Amahoro Stadium was the venue for the 13th running of the Kigali International Peace Marathon 2017 whose theme was "Run for Our Heroes." This year's race honored the lives lost (approximately one million) during the genocide 23 years ago.
Kigali International Peace Marathon 2017
The May 21st event was preceded by an event the night before - the Peace Torch Relay. The torch, a symbol of unity and harmony, was relayed 8.2 kilometers and included a wreath laying ceremony at the Nyanza Genocide Memorial. We missed this event as we were at home carbo-loading on spaghetti and tomato sauce and hitting the sack at 9 p.m. with our alarm set for 5:30 a.m. the next morning.
Training for the Marathon
Before delving into the details of this memorable day, let us brief you readers on our preparations to conquer the Thousand Hills of Rwanda (well, at least the many Kigali ones that will test all except those Kenyans that thrive on climbs). Our training initially began with a 1 mile jog up to the "Plateau," which is a .6 kilometer flattish circle around a park close to our apartment in Kimihurura, Kigali. Ten times around is a 10 kilometer run. Add the mile up and back from our place and - voila! - an 8-
miler is accomplished. However, 8 miles is about 5 miles short of a half marathon and 16 miles short of the full marathon. Our alternate days at Waka gym were devoted to weight training, core building on the abdominal machines, the rowing machine, cycling for Mark, and the elliptical machine for Sheila.
Gradually, more and more hills were added to our training program, including the half-mile climb up Trattoria Hill in our neighborhood and 10 hill intervals while doing the plateau workout.
Training was ramped up significantly after our island holiday in the Seychelles towards the end of April. Yikes! One month for Mark to get in his TWO long runs and an easier month for Sheila to advance from a 10-miler to a 13-miler. Time to leave the plateau and train on the course (or what we thought was the course). Picture this. It is Mark's first long run at 3:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning. He rouses Nathan, the security guard, to open the gate. He heads out the door and then up Trattoria Hill and as he passes, music is blasting from the restaurant. A large group of moto drivers wait outside for potential customers to end their night of eating, drinking, and merry-making. An hour or so later, Mark arrives at the stadium to begin the marathon route and passes more night clubs with people streaming out of them. At 7 a.m., he's running on the sidewalks weaving his way through the pedestrians who have begun their day. Rwanda is most definitely a country of walkers. He completes his run and wonders if he needs to get up earlier to avoid the crowds of partiers and pedestrians.
Two weeks later, and exactly two weeks from the marathon, both of us head out the door at 4 a.m. on Sunday to run the course. Sheila avoids Trattoria Hill and heads up to the stadium along well-lit roads on the sidewalk. The streets are quiet until she reaches the stadium road of nightclubs. By 7 a.m., Kigali is teeming with traffic and pedestrians. Her Peace Corps shirt and above-the-knees stretch exercise pants attract some attention. 13.8 miles later she is back at home thinking, "I might just jog the downhills and walk the uphills." Mark, on the other hand has the philosophy, "It is all a mental game. Put one foot in front of another and slog up that hill. Shut up legs!" His 22-mile training run drained him, but he was happy he did it and knew his legs would get a nice rest until the following Sunday.
The Day of the Event
You would think that two experienced marathoners would have things figured out as far as race day preparations were concerned. We had a somewhat vague notion that we were expected to be at the stadium at 7 a.m. We also knew that there was going to be different start times for the 7-km Fun Run, the half marathon, and the marathon. We were told that both the half and full marathons would start at 8 a.m., a few minutes separating them. Here are some things that we had not counted on.
All roads leading to the stadium were closed to all traffic early on race day. We left the apartment at 6:30 a.m. counting on 15 minutes to get to the stadium. We later learned that security was especially tight and that the roads closed at 4 a.m. due to the presence of the Rwandan First Lady and Kenya's First Lady at the event.
It would take us over an hour to get to the stadium looking for a back way using Google Maps. Finally, we waved our race numbers at a police officer and were allowed to cross the barrier and continue to the stadium.
Parking in the stadium parking lot was not permitted. Finding parking along a side street near the stadium was problematic at 7:45 a.m.
The half marathon and the full marathon started together at 7:45 a.m.
At the entrance to the stadium, police were checking all bags and persons wishing to enter. The men's line was much longer than the women's line.
The 7-km Fun Run participants were the only ones left in the stadium when we finally made it inside.
At 7:58 a.m. after taking a few photos, Mark and I realized we were the only runners left in the stadium and had better join the fun runners who had just started.
Mark followed the fun runners and missed the turn for the half marathon and full marathon course. Sheila asked a policeman and made the correct turn. He made up for this later as there were loops in the course.
Mark would do the entire marathon alone (except for some walkers) because of his missing that first turn (and starting 15 minutes late).
Sponging stations and water stops were every five kilometers, but there were no signs of porta potties on the route (although the course map had indicated them at the stadium and about 6 kms. from the start).
The course map posted on the website varied slightly from the route on the day. It went farther than what
appeared on the map and included a killer of a hill for the last kilometer of the race. This slight change plays havoc on the psyche which is not prepared for that extra distance.
Finish medals were only given to the first 200 runners most of whom were fun runners and their accompanying families.
The roads along the marathon route were opened to traffic at noon (4 hours and 15 minutes after the start of the race). The assumption, on our part, was that they would remain closed for 5 hours.
When Sheila crossed the finish line, it was a non-event as no one was there to give her a medal or even a bottle of water. She wandered along the track thinking she had missed the tent or the official to congratulate her on her accomplishment and put a medal around her neck. There was a hiphop singer, however, entertaining the crowd on the track.
Shortly after she took her seat in the stadium next to a very friendly Rwandan family of fun runners, the awards ceremony began. The First Lady of Rwanda, Jeanette Kagame, and the First Lady of Kenya, Margaret Kenyatta, presented awards to the women half marathon and marathon 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. For the first time in the history of the Kigali
International Peace Marathon (2005 being the first year), a Rwandan female, Salome Nyirarukundo, placed first and received the gold in the half marathon beating out a Kenyan. Kenyan men and women swept all places in the full marathon. The winning time for the men's race was 2:19:49, while the women's race winner won in 2:46:38. Later, the men's winner commented that the course was very difficult. Oh, yeah!
The stands were packed for the awards and the closing ceremony. There was an Olympic atmosphere in the stadium as the Kenyan national anthem played for the winners of the men's and women's full marathon. Hundreds of yellow-shirt clad spectators cheered wildly with the announcement of Salome's half marathon win in 1:15:28 and then stood up for the playing of Rwanda's national anthem - Rwanda, Beautiful Rwanda.
Shortly before the end of the closing ceremony, Sheila told her new Rwandan friend sitting next to her that her husband was doing the full marathon and wouldn't be in for another 2 hours. Sheila then asked the man where he and his family got their medals and was informed that only the first 200 finishers got medals. He then removed his medal, handed it to Sheila, and instructed her to put it around her husband's neck when he crossed the line.
When the ceremonies ended, there was a mass evacuation from the stands, leaving Sheila with only a few other stragglers (mostly kids picking up empty water bottles to turn in for change). The inflatable Finish Line archway was deflated. Tents were taken down. All the cones were removed from the track. The place had that day-after-race-day look. When Sheila spotted Mark entering the stadium to make the final 300-meter run to the barely visible finish line, she started screaming like a wailing banshee, "Whooohooo. Go Mark! Go Marcus!" This got the attention of a group of people having a post-race meeting up in the stands who joined in the cheering (more subdued than Sheila's!). The awarding of Mark's medal was done by First Lady (and General) Sheila as Mark crossed the computer strip on the track.
Here are some final reflections on this experience.
We're in the stadium, so where are the half and full marathoners? What?!? They started 15 minutes ago? (Mark & Sheila)
We'll just join the fun runners and catch up with the half and full marathoners later. (Mark & Sheila)
Yikes! We're the only runners left in the stadium. Let's join the back of the fun runners. (Mark & Sheila)
Oh, no! Just realized I missed the turn-off for the marathon. I'll get into that loop when we circle back. (Mark)
Hill number one...not too bad. (Mark & Sheila)
There's the marathon turn-off now...only me on the course! (Mark)
And another blasted hill! (Mark & Sheila)
These Kenyans passing me make me look like I'm standing still...which I almost am trudging up this mountain of a hill! (Mark).
Sure is lonely out here. (Mark)
What happened to the cool morning?!? It's darn hot...stay cloudy, oh, Mama Nature! (Mark)
This marathon is for "serious" runners (translation: younger and faster runners). (Mark)
No! No! No! Not another hill?!?! (Mark & Sheila)
I'm soooo glad I did the half. (Sheila)
Why didn't I do the half?!! (Mark)
Never again! (Sheila)
A very determined sadist put this course together. Harder than doing a full Ironman! (Mark)
Glad that's over. (Mark)
Conversations with America - Sports in the U.S.
Two days after the Kigali marathon, we held a Conversations with America session on sports at the American Embassy. May is National Fitness and Sports month in the States, hence the reason for this talk which drew about 10 participants, one of whom was a young woman from Rwanda who was a Fulbright award recipient and completed a master's degree in applied linguistics in California. Before the session began, Marie Giselle shared her experiences travelling and living with an American family while attending school. She is now running a small school out of her home tutoring people who want to learn English.
Three Strikes and You're Out, POTUS!!
A lively conversation followed the presentation which focused on the 10 most popular sports in America with a couple of short videos on American football and baseball. We also spoke briefly about our marathon experience and shared our love of triathlons. No one had heard of an Ironman event.
There were many questions after the talk, and as was the case with our other talks, the one-hour session extended to an hour and a half. A student from our current TOEFL preparation class and a student from our first semester's Introduction to Teaching Methods class were in attendance. Conversations carried on after the session and email addresses and WhatsApp numbers were exchanged. These conversations have provided us with wonderful opportunities to connect with the community. As in all volunteer work, we have given far less than what we have received.
The video below is four minutes long and captures our experiences at the Kigali International Peace Marathon 2017 and our presentation at the Conversations with America - Sports in the U.S.A. at the U.S. Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda. The soundtrack is Finlandia, sung a cappella by Joan Baez. We hope you enjoy the video, and peace to all!
Suggested Reads
Albert Camus said, "Peace is the only battle worth waging." A book worth reading or revisiting is The Stranger by Albert Camus. This is an exquisitely written book about an ordinary man drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach. Here is an excerpt.
I knew that I had shattered the harmony of the day, the exceptional silence of a beach where I'd been happy. Then I fired four more times at the motionless body where the bullets lodged without leaving a trace. And it was like knocking four quick times on the door of unhappiness. (Part 1 Chapter 6)
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