PEACE MARATHON in BURUNDI

After a week of what we think was amoebas (= fever/stomach issues/diarrhea) and thus against general common sense and my Dad's advice, I ran in Burundi's first marathon last Saturday. Well, I did the half. It was one of those deals that I knew if I didn't at least try, I would regret it. So, I went with the mind-set to at least start… to be a part of the festivities and history (as it was the first official race in Burundi and with the goal of bringing people together for peace.)

What a day it was... Very fun. But very "Burundi." I got up early and headed out the door… I attempted to wake up a very groggy Seth, but he hadn't been sleeping well and couldn't be moved. I headed into town on Rumonge road (the main road into town), and it was jammed packed! Police had barriers up and they were letting NO ONE through! Not even race participants. So, I jetted down to Avenue du Large (another road into town that parallels the lake, near our house). That too was jammed packed! I couldn't even get to the race! I INCHED forward… and told an officer "I am running! I need to pass!!" He just shook his finger at me in an emphatic NO.

But then, in a instantaneous change of mind, he decided to let me pass… but instead of dropping the rope barrier, he made me drive around the road block, through the rocks and grass along the side of the road, to get through.

I met up with our friend Jim at his office and about 15 of his colleagues, and we walked to the stadium where the race would begin. Some people were not able to pass through the car barriers, so they ended up having to run/walk 5-8km to even get to the stadium! There, we met up with some other friends there who were running and others who had just come to be part of the event…

So, the race did not start on time. Eight was the official start. At 8:30am, race officials herded us to the start line (out of the shade… and it was getting HOT!). Then the pre-race festivities began… Burundi style… for another hour and a half... an off-key marching band… speeches… the president of Uganda… another speech... and our president with his entourage. And we had to wait… roasting in the sun. And then, without any fanfare or shooting of a gun (who knows what kind of riot that could have started), we were suddenly off.

I seriously wasn't planning on running very far … but then, probably the adrenaline of the day, I decided to continue. I ran with a few friends, and we all decided to take it easy because of the heat and my stomach.

I was actually quite impressed with Burundi. The whole course was well guarded by police (lots of guns, but at least it was well-marked!). They had water and sponges every 5k and had several ambulance vehicles taking care of people along the race. Even official race numbers and a souvenir t-shirt!

The streets throughout the 21k were lined with Burundians- some saying "courage!", some blankly staring (typical), and a few that were even laughing and pointing at us. Some friends came at different points to encourage and take pix, and it being the small country that it is, I inevitably happened to run pass people who I knew at various points … Gervais the tennis coach who ran with us for a small bit… Melissa and Maria who were coming to cheer us on... Gilbert who plays tennis yelling out from his balcony… another Gilbert who was simply walking to work… and Theodore from church randomly walking along the route, Bible in hand, with about 50 other pastors? Oh, this place can be so random! I love it.

The finish was classic… we ran (triumphantly, I might add) into the stadium and around the track. Some friends had finished before us and others who came to watch were there. So, there were actually people calling out our names in encouragement and taking our pix as we rounded the track for the final stretch. And then, it was done! My slowest half-marathon time yet! But still proud to have taken part.

I was pretty wiped after, obviously, and we all hobbled back to Jim's office and then I made it home to Seth and some post-race ice cream.

And that was the day. A run for peace in a country still struggling for it. But I felt proud to be here. To be a part of it... the race itself...and to be part of the progress of this country towards peace in our own small way through our work and ministry here.