The Laikipia Elephants Marathon Team

"The marathon is like a bullfight. There are two ways to kill a bull, for instance. There is the easy way, for one. But all the great matadors end up either dead or mauled because for them killing the bull is not nearly as important as how they kill the bull. They always approach the bull at the greatest risk to themselves, and I admire that. In the marathon, likewise, there are two ways to win. There's the easy way if all you care about is winning. You hang back and risk nothing. Then kick and try to nip the leaders at the end. Or you can push, challenge the others, make it an exciting race, risking everything. Maybe you lose, but as for me, I'd rather run a gutsy race, pushing all the way and lose, then run a conservative, easy race only for a win." - Alberto Salazar, 1981

It sounds very cocky when a champion runner says -"this year I was abit slow I only did the 21km in 1:17.20."

Lewa marathon was for me a completely new awakening. I dont know what drug one takes and becomes hooked on the first try but the organisers can count on me being there next year. I am hooked and proud of it. But then you may ask why? Here is my story.

4.30 a.m. 23/6/2006 - I am awake. We decided not to camp at Lewa as Nanyuki is near enough. I have showered and am only waiting for a call from either Max or Tobias at about five. As I put on my trainers a few thoughts pass through my mind-"will I blister my feet like I did in training?" Will I finish?.

Max and Tobias are right on the dot 5.00 a.m. and thats a good omen. We drive very first and register with more than 30 minutes to spare.

6.40 a.m. - We have assembled three 'elephants' but the rest of the elephants are not yet at the start ramp. We can't call because we have left our phones in the car and we may just have to meet after the race.

6.50 a.m. All the elephants are in place and Tobias encourages me- "surely we not be the first but we wont be the last either". I say Amen to that. I have trained but not well enough. Just behind us there is Paul Tergat -the world record holder for marathon. We point him out to Max and he says he needs to be that lean to win a marathon. I think I need about a decade to be that lean.

Christina and the rest are all upbeat. Her energy and enthusiasm is infectious and I think i might finish after all. Peter and Nicholas are quiet -they will do the all talking in the field.

7.00 a.m. or thereabouts. The race starts and boy, Tobias takes off so fast. I struggle abit to overtake and seem to be doing a good job of it. I look behind and I cant see Max. Ok. bye bye Max. I make an effort to catch up with Tobias and I can see his red shorts untill the 2km point. The gap is widening, the runners are more spaced out after 5km and I cant see Tobias anymore.

6km mark - I regeret why I didnt take water at 5km. I guess its all in the mind beacuse am not even sweating. Am starting to feel the strain and i dont want to think about the no. of kilometers left. At 7km there is a nice downhill stretch and I let my body go -bad mistake. At the end of the downhill there is the most daunting hill I have ever done.

I encourage myself -"I will do this without walking" and go halfway. My whole body aches and I am not even 10km. I immediately rename the hill-"heartbreak hill". At this point I only want to finish and just ahead of me I spot Hon. Danson Mungatana and I am motivated to race him and possibly beat him. I try his pace but the guy is so strong.

At 10Km Hon. Mungatana overtakes me and am more motivated now. I have done half and i could finish. kumbe!. At 10.5 km, the man whose company makes 17 billion profit is cheering on and I feel refreshed. I might make it to number 1 and I share in the billions. I lose that thought as fast as I get. Mungatana zooms past again.

15km mark - I start believing I cant do it now. Only 6km to go. I take water and I started feeling good again. It changed from physical to mental now. Mungatana here I come. At 17 km i overtook Mungatana and never looked back. At 17.5 km the downhill again. this time there will be no mistakes. I take it slowly and I can hear the MC - citizen TV's Torome Tirike urging guys on. At 19 km, I feel I am doing it but the body gives up again. I walk for 50 meters and the brain says run again.

At 20K Christina and Adam are breathing down my neck. Am not gonna let them beat after I come this far. I try and the story is the same. I remember R.Kelly's song - my mind is telling me yes but my body.....Christina zooms past, gives encouragement and 500M to go.

20.5Km - I can see the crowd. I want to walk but a lady in a wheel chair shouts - kaza kabisa (give your best) and a surge of energy bursts in me. I give it my all to the finish line. My time 2: 11. 22. I really dont care about time but the fact that I have done it.

21km and 5 meters - I have never been so glad to see Tobias. He did 1.53 and has rested. He takes me to the physiotherapy people and we wait for the rest.

I see Hon. Mungatana finish and I congratulate myself. I was beaten by 267 guys but I did finish before Mungatana and ....before i forget Dr. King and Max.

P.S. We might not have have the team event but we sure had the coolest T-shirts in the whole race.

And guys I am really proud of our team. Anybody for next year?

Time