Getting on the plane to head to Africa is always a great privilege and invariably marks the start of an adventure.
The context for my trip is training for Run Britannia (Land's End to John o' Groats) in the summer. After running the West Highland Way in a very modest three days, back in September, I realised that those 95 miles were merely the equivalent of half a week, of the 1030 mile, five-week challenge I had signed up for. Facing up to the enormity of this, I set about finding myself three, week-long challenges that might simulate the sort of effort required during a typical week of Run Britannia. The first two of these challenges took place in the late autumn: The November Nightmare Event - 7 Marathons in 7 Days, shortly followed by a solo, 7-day run the length of Wales. The third of these week-long challenges would be slightly shorter, but arguably slightly tougher...
Having Googled around in an effort to find a multi-day ultra in February, I stumbled across Ultra X Tanzania, a five-day, 220km run in the Moshi and Kilimanjaro regions of Tanzania. It is a part of the world I know reasonably well having worked in the Moshi area fairly regularly in 2018 & 2019. I'd also been there as a student way back in 1988 to climb Kili. As chance would have it the Ultra X race would take place from Monday to Friday, with a return to Moshi on the Saturday, enabling one to pick up a race number on Saturday for the Kilimanjaro Marathon on the Sunday. And thus the challenge was set: to complete the 220km Ultra X Tanzania event and then, after a day's rest, the Kilimanjaro Marathon. It is the first year the timing of the events has fallen like this and so it is the first time it has been possible to have a go at running arguably Tanzania's toughest Ultra and hardest "road" marathon in the same week.
Friday 14th Feb
The flight out to Tanzania was pretty straightforward. Thanks to the efficiency of KLM, it is possible to wake up in Peebles and be going to bed the same day in Moshi, Tanzania. And this is what I duly did.
Saturday 15th Feb
After a hearty Tanzanian breakfast, I needed to sort out some admin of getting a Tanzanian eSIM up & running on my phone as well as picking up some local currency. I then met a friend (from my time working in Moshi) for lunch with his family. He then kindly took me along to the Weru Weru River Lodge where the Ultra X competitors were beginning to assemble, ahead of a welcome diner in the evening.
Sunday 16th Feb
A 9am start for a fairly detailed race briefing including course overview, kit check protocols, wildlife briefing (including crocodiles & snakes), medical brief & welcome from the president of the Tanzanian Athletics Federation.
Then on to a fairly rigorous kit check. We were allowed a weight allowance of 20kg in total to cover all kit, including five days of food, all running kit, sleeping bag etc. I was pleased to be under this by a full 50 grams. I'd therefore managed to max out my allowance of flapjack!
With most of us through kit check, it became apparent that one of the group was just arriving sadly without any of her baggage thanks to the shortcomings of Ethiopian Airways. Her name was "Bagi" and she quickly adopted the nic-name of "No bags Bagi". It is a set-back that would have flawed many but, with the help of the other 57 competitors she managed to pull together sufficient kit to enable her to clear the kit check and join the rest of us as we boarded the busses out to the first camp.
Camp for the first 3 nights would be at Namalok Nature Reserve about an hour and a half on the bus from Moshi, along first tarmac and then dirt roads. Our arrival there was spectacular with zebra, monkeys & wildebeest all in evidence as we approached the camp. The campsite had been set up by the Tanzanian support crew and they had way exceeded expectations by also setting up bucket showers and a generator, to which a beer/soda fridge had been connected. To say it felt a privilege to be arriving there is an understatement.
Accommodation was in 2-person tents, although I had decided to pay a little extra to get a tent to myself. My ability to faff before a race is such that I can even annoy myself, so I thought it best not to inflict this on anyone else. It was also helpful to have plenty of space for sorting kit.
After a race briefing and the first of many dehydrated meals it was early to bed for most. Despite the well ventilated tents it was still hot, long after night-fall. My Scottish sleeping bag was clearly far too warm for such temperatures and I found it difficult to get comfortable. I was clearly not alone, some ten minutes after everyone had retired to their tents a lone Aussie voice could be heard from a tent a few doors down "For **** sake, can someone turn the air-con on?"
Monday 17th - Stage 1 Namlok Loop 31.2km 144m Ascent - Start Time 7:30am
At 5.30am the generator came on, illuminating the central eating areas and providing the prompt for folk to emerge from their tents for breakfast, which for me was dehydrated porridge with raspberries. Much faffing followed and around 7.15am, 58 of us from over 20 nations, including 14 Brits, assembled on the start line for photos and final briefing before the off.
The final 5km or so were very hot, now well into the 30's. The day was billed as a "warm-up" day and it certainly provided a flavour of quite how warm it was going to be.
I finished the day in 6th and after a brief visit to the beer fridge, set about the "admin" of the afternoon. ie Get showered, get a massage and then eat & re-hydrate. What was to become very evident over the next few days was that finishing early allowed for more recovery time & less time in the mid-day sun.
The generator kicked into life at 3.30am as we all prepared for our first start in the dark. The early starts were a real bonus enabling one to cover ground before it got too warm. It also meant we got to experience the dawn light. Being pretty much on the equator, it gets light pretty quickly, and there is a period of around 15 minutes where the sky is orange, heralding another warm day ahead.
The profile of today's race was flat for the first 20km then a climb of around 900m in the space of 4km, over very rocky terrain and through thick thorny vegetation. I am not alone in adopting a strategy of trying to get to the climb quite quickly to try and get as high as possible before it gets too warm.
The landscape is stunning, with Boab trees in abundance and views across to Kilimanjaro. The only down side is the thorny bushes which inevitably lead to bloody scratches on my arms and head.
I thankfully reach the day's high point before it gets too warm. Although the descent proves to be quite technical and a couple of the French guys pass me. As the terrain starts to ease the path gets kinder and the running faster. I then happen to notice some rather large animal dung, about the size of cannonballs. Later in the day I have a conversation with some of the other competitors about this, one of whom was fascinated by a rather colourful Dung Beetle she had seen. I have to say at no point in the following half-hour was I thinking "What do I do if I come round the corner and meet a family of Dung Beetles?" I was more concerned with how elephants had been omitted from the wildlife brief but console myself that if there are elephants around, then it's likely I will be forewarned by the presence of two squashed Frenchmen who are somewhere in front of me.
My elephant thoughts come abruptly to a conclusion with a searing pain in my foot. I've trodden on a thorn, some 2 inches long and it's gone straight through the sole of my Speedgoats like a nail. I stop and after a few minutes manage to extract the full thing from my foot and shoe. It is an episode which repeats itself an hour or so later.
Having descended the Blue Mountains the run back to camp was hot and draining. For me it proved to be possibly the toughest hour or so of the entire week, but I made it to the finish and began the recovery process.
The demands of the day were particularly hard on some. One lady fell on the descent and broke her wrist, and a few others failed to make the cut-off times. In all there were 6 DNFs today. Those who did finish towards the back, had a long afternoon in the sun and I for one was glad to have the majority of the afternoon to rehydrate & refuel.
Wednesday 19th - Stage 3 "The Big Day" 58.4km 1,177m ascent 4am/5am Start
It had been announced the evening before that there would be a split start today, with the main field heading off at 4am (so a 2am alarm call!) with the top 10 overall leaving an hour later at 5am. Being 9th overall this put me in the second group, and whilst initially I was disappointed at losing an hour of cooler running, having the distraction of passing other runners would prove helpful in the first 32km flat section before the long climb of the day.
From the 32km mark it is a solid uphill effort, before a levelling off and a run down to Marangu village where our new camp is located in the grounds of the hotel. After running past plantations of bananas, avocado and mango I am delighted to discover I can get diced mangos at the hotel bar. I finish the day 9th and remain in 9th overall.
Thursday 20th - Stage 4 "The Kili Day" 48km 2,087m ascent. 5.30am start
The danger of Wednesday being badged as "The Big Day" is that it could lead you to believe the following day is not "big" but with over 2,000m of climbing, it was clear this too would be another "big" day. Again we start in the dark and the ascent is steep from the off. I quickly pass one of the top female athletes, Yasmin which is a surprise. She's clearly not happy and sadly her race ends only a few hundred meters further on due to sickness. I'm soon running alone with the leaders way out ahead and others out of sight behind. It's pleasant running in the dark and eventually the orange dawn arrives.
I'm moving well and just as Kili comes into view so do Bernard & Jacqui who are second place man and woman in the overall race. I manage to catch them up and we run together for a while before we all agree we just need to stop and take some pictures...
We continue to contour around to Marangu Gate, the main gateway to the Kilimanjaro National Park and the entry point for many of the tourists going up Kili via the Marangu route. The reception from the crew at Marangu gate is fantastic. I am the first of the Brits and with most of the crew coming from the UK, I've been getting great support. Passing through the gate our route goes initially up the "escape road" which is used to evacuate people, before picking up the Marangu route and then turning off to the Maundi Crater. I've elected to power walk up this section with the aim to conserve energy for the descent. At this stage we are very much in the rainforest section and it is refreshingly cooler than earlier in the week.
The descent back to Marangu Gate is quick and it is satisfying to pass a number of parties, complete with porters on their way down. From Marangu gate we take a really tough route through undergrowth for a couple of kilometres before picking up a dirt road down to Marangu to end a thoroughly enjoyable day.
Friday 21st - Stage 5 "The Victory Lap" 38.6km 978m ascent. 6.30am Start.
Whilst this was billed as an easy day to finish, the ascent, heat and distance meant it still deserved to be treated with respect. Much of the climbing was early on, followed by a long 20km or so, gentle downhill towards Lake Chala on the Kenyan Border. I run for an hour or so with Elliot one of the other Brits and the km pass quickly. I've got one eye on the watch as I'm trying to complete the five days in an aggregate time of under 31 hours which will earn me a white rather than blue ribbon on my medal. I've calculated this gives me 5hrs and 22 mins to complete today's section. Whilst I am tracking just ahead of that, I know the final few km will be tough so it's good to have a modest time cushion.
With the long descent complete we leave vegetation behind and reach the final checkpoint of the race. Just 8km to the finish but it is now 35c and there is almost no shade. My speed is slow but I manage to keep a slow jog going as we head down to the Kenyan border. The final 3km are tough, with a climb up to the crater rim of Lake Chala. The views are dramatic, and whilst I had hoped for an easy final run in, more thorny bushes demand respect and a cautious but efficient speed is adopted.
At last I hear & see the finish area. It is a relief to finish and collect both a medal and a cool beer, before heading off to get cleaned up. The afternoon and evening are spent relaxing in the "boma" (an open shelter perched spectacularly on the crater rim overlooking Lake Chala). In the evening there is a big celebration BBQ and prize giving. I'm delighted to be presented with my white ribbon for getting home in under 31 hours.
The race is won by Rukara Faziri of Rwanda in an unbelievable time of 21hrs 34mins with Lindy-Lee Folscher from South Africa winning the ladies race in 25hrs 34 mins. I finish 8th (5th bloke and 1st of the Brits) in 30 hrs 44 mins. In all, 47 of the 58 starters manage to complete the course including "no bags Bagi" - an incredible achievement on borrowed kit!
Saturday 22nd - Rest Day
As breakfast spots go, Saturday will take some beating, as we watched the sun rise over Lake Chala, before loading up for the drive back to Moshi. The bus on the way home is the only time anyone was level with Rukara all week and I am finally in front of Benjamin!
Sunday 23rd - Kilimanjaro Marathon 42.2km 610m ascent 6.30am start
It is still dark as the taxi drops me near the sports stadium. Marathon day is a big deal in Moshi and whilst the numbers for the marathon are modest (around 800), the half is very popular with around 6,000 people and there is a mass-participation 5k fun-run too.
I'm conscious this is not going to be a fast experience. My legs are weary, the first 10km of the course includes around 400m of climbing and my stomach is a little wobbly. I conclude that I should just try and enjoy it and take in the party atmosphere.
It is a relaxed start as we weave our way through the university grounds and out on to the road. The running is on tarmac initially but eventually this gives way to a dirt track as near the top of the climb at Banana Hill. To my great surprise, three of the Ultra X crew are at the top of the hill spectating and cheers and fist bumps are a real boost to morale as I begin the second 10k which is sharply down hill back towards Moshi. While my legs are happy, my stomach is not and I am grateful for a timely pit stop.
Around the 19km mark the route splits and the half-marathon runners head back to the stadium, for the full route there then follows an out & back section past the Weru Weru River Lodge. I am scarcely at the half-way mark as the lead runners come flying back towards Moshi with just a few km to go. It is a reflection of how slow I am running but I don't care and just focus on getting some fluids in an and keeping the legs ticking over.
The turn is at the 32km mark and I decide it is time to put some tunes on and tough out the last 10k. Running back past the Weru Weru, a number of the Ultra X runners & crew come to cheer me on. It's a huge boost to have that support especially so far from home. I manage to keep some sort of shuffle going and my speed quickens as we reach the final run in to Moshi which is thankfully downhill.
It's crazy around the stadium and at times it's difficult to discern the route through the crowds, but eventually I get there and cross the line. The stadium is rammed with people, mainly half and fun run finishers with their families. It's fully 35c and I'm spent. There are plentiful stalls selling food and drink. I find a shorter queue and buy a couple of Kili beers and head off in search of a shady seat. These are in short supply but I manage to sneak into a sponsors tent and proceed to have my recovery beers. Initially, everyone is chilled about me being there, but then there is a flurry of activity and I am politely told that the guest of honour is about to appear. I take this as code for "please leave" but before I can gather myself, the other occupants are smartly lined up in two rows at the front of the tent to meet the Minister for Sport. His visit is brief and I am thankfully hidden from view by the others.
I eventually summon up the energy to move and catch a tut-tut back to my accommodation. The Swahili evening meal is a communal affair and the remainder of the guests are members of a running club in Nairobi who have been doing the half and 5k. Despite being the only mzungu (white person) I am warmly accepted into the conversation. One of their group is buzzing as she's just finished her first ever 5km. They're up for making the most of their weekend trip and are planning on going clubbing until dawn before catching the bus back to Nairobi. They invite me to join them clubbing but with 262km in the legs, it's all I can do to stagger back to my room.
Monday 24th - Final Day
I have a few hours to spare before getting the evening flight back to Amsterdam. I take the opportunity to go and visit my friends at TAWREF (Tanzania Women Research Foundation) who are based in Moshi. The charity I used to work for, partners with them and it is bitter-sweet to catch upon with them. They are very welcoming and pleased to see me but their news is not good. USAID have served "stop notices" on much of their work and so 18 of their 23 staff have been suspended pending the outcome of the US funding review. It is desperately sad and will likely have a devastating impact on many of the excellent programmes they run including HIV/AIDS support work.
After such a wonderful and self indulgent week, it is a stark reminder of quite how fragile life is, especially in this part of the world. And it is with a grateful heart that I head back to the airport.
It's been a great trip and once again Africa and Tanzania has delivered another adventure that will live long in the memory. Asante sana Tanzania!
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