Running the race with endurance

Well I really did it.  I ran a race in Uganda.  And in some ways it was better than anything I could have ever dreamed of.  I arrived late on Saturday night, got a few hours sleep and then was up early to make it to the race site in time.  I was so thankful for friends to drive me there and cheer me on at the start and the finish.  As I was walking over to pick up my registration kit these three Ugandan guys passed me, and I’m not even joking they looked like they could have won the Olympics.  And I was wondering what the heck I got myself into.  I was very impressed by the level of organization displayed by the run organizers and it was such a blessing to be part of such an event.

The weather wasn’t too hot with some rain showers, so it actually ended up being quite ideal for a morning run.  I was worried I would be last across the finish line, but I actually think I was somewhere in the middle of the pack.  Although there were a lot of really fast people in front of me.  There were a few hills that I thought might do me in, but I was sure happy that I had ran a 10 km a few weeks back in Birtle with some nasty hills, because that helped prepare me mentally.  Both times, I refused to walk even one step up those hills even though my body and my mind were battling with me to quit.  I was reminded what it means to run a race with endurance and the kids I was running for inspired me to do my best.  It was almost dream like to be running through mud huts and red dirt roads along with other people.  Usually at a race there are people along the way cheering the runners on.  And to be honest sometimes these people give me the inspiration I need to put one foot in front of the other when all I want to do is lie down and quit.  This time, there were village children in tattered clothes jumping up and down as we passed by saying things in Luganda that I couldn’t understand with excited eyes and happy smiles as they put out their hands for high five’s as we ran past.  What better inspiration could I have asked for?

After the race I was able to take a boda boda (motorcycle) over to visit one of my favourite eMi families.  It was such a blessing to be able to spend a short amount of time with them.  As I was on the boda on my way over, these guys on this other boda kept on racing up and yelling things at me, and I realized that as I was riding in a skirt and it was windy out, perhaps I was showing a bit more mzungo thigh than was appropriate in this culture.  So I tried to tuck my skirt in a bit better, ignored them and carried on.  I love riding on bodas, they are so fun:)

So in closing, it was one of my favourite runs to date. I hope it will not be the last in this place I love.  Today I am off to Masaka and am so excited to see all people I love there.