TRIP REPORT
Zimbabwe, Namibia,
South Africa
06/24 -07/08/15
Part 1
Race Results:
Sun, Jun 28/15
Victoria Falls Marathon
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Marathon # 376 – Country # 125
5:47:43
I wanted to run this race for a number of reasons:
1) Seeing
Victoria Falls was on my bucket list
2) Completing
an 8th country in Africa was an important goal since it is the
continent with my lowest number of races/countries
3) Completing
country #125 was an even more important goal
After the past few marathons earlier this year I was not
sure how many more marathons were left in the ‘old’ bod? I wanted to at least
round out my total countries and World Record to 125! Since I figured it might
be my last trip to Africa I decided to do it properly. Nicole and I would visit
Victoria Falls, run the marathon and then enjoy a few weeks in Africa. We wanted
to do another safari and also visit the Namib Desert. By the time I prepaid the
flights and all the excursions it was already the 2nd most expensive
marathon trip we ever made! We would finish in grand style if this was my last
race?
We departed on a Wed to allow a few days in Zimbabwe to
recover from jetlag and to have a few days to explore Zimbabwe & Zambia.
However Delta and Mother Nature wrecked those plans! Our first flight to
Atlanta was diverted to TN because of thunderstorms in Atlanta and we missed
our flight to Johannesburg (JNB), South Africa. And Delta didn’t care that we
had to spend an extra day in Atlanta, pay for a hotel at the Atlanta airport,
lose the prepaid hotel in JNB, lose the prepaid flights the next day from JNB
to Victoria Falls, and buy new air tickets at triple the cost for one day
later! In total, that storm cost me more than $800 and Delta didn’t care –
because the delay was caused by weather!
I was hoping that our trip insurance would cover those
costs but I have been informed that our claims are limited to a max of $150/day
for trip delays – hence we might recover $300! Oh well! Shit happens!
With lots of anxiety and last-minute scrambling we
re-arranged our travel logistics and arrived in Victoria Falls on Sat
afternoon. We realized that any plans/hopes of visiting Zambia had gone out the
window with the weather & flight delay. After checking into our hotel we
met up with friends (Edson & Dieter) from the Country Club and strolled
around VF looking for souvenirs. VF was much smaller than imagined so it did
not take long to explore and enjoy a few (Zambezi) beers. I had read that the
economy was in shambles in Zimbabwe and that hyperinflation had destroyed their
currency and the $US was the de-facto currency. Street hawkers were selling
packages of Zimbabwe currency worth $500 BILLION for $10 US- and that price was
negotiable! Sadly the street vendors and hawkers had not adjusted to reality
and were demanding ridiculous prices for crafts. One shop demanded $75 for a
souvenir teaspoon? Granted it was sterling silver but when I pointed out that
it contained less than $10 worth of silver he wouldn’t lower his price! It was
worth maybe $30 tops! I walked away!
That evening Edson joined Nicole & me to walk into
town for pasta dinner. The first restaurant had run out of pasta but we did
find another to get our carbo fix.
Sun was ‘M’-day! The race started at 6:45am. Five members
of the Country Club met at the race start for a photo. Unfortunately, Dieter
had broken his toe in the bathroom the night before the race, and could not
participate. Several $$thousands down the drain! But he was at the start line
to cheer us on. The weather was cool – so cool that most runners wore a
throw-away top.
The first few Km of the course ran across a bridge
between Zimbabwe & Zambia and provided spectacular views of Victoria Falls at
sunrise! Many of us stopped for a few Kodak moments before continuing across
the border into Zambia. The course continued for about 500m into Zambia before
we had to turn around and return across the bridge.
Around 5Km the course turned into Hwange National Park
for two loops in the Park and around VF. Around 8Km, two friends, Peter, Yen
& I encountered a family of baboons. I cautioned them to walk on the far
side of the road so as NOT to threaten their territory! At the same time we
heard gunshots? A Park Ranger had fired his rifle a few Km ahead of us to scare
away a bull elephant that was threatening other runners. Yes- we were running
in a Game Park and trespassing on game territory. But no runners were harmed!
When I passed 8Km in 1:00:18 and a split of 7:37 min/Km I
was on pace but my legs were already tired? There were plenty of water stations
–about every 3Km – so I started walking through them to rest my legs. By the
time I passed 16Km in 2:00:15 and a split of 7:23 I knew it was going to be a
long day! My legs were tired & sore! I wanted to walk the rest of the race?
I figured it had to be the hills – the course was a never-ending series of
rolling hills! I never even considered the altitude (3,000 ft)? I just figured
that my only option to finish – and I HAD to finish – was to run and walk. And
I would walk the whole damn race if necessary!
I passed the Half in 2:42 but my splits had slowed to
8:00/km. It was going to be a long day! And it was getting very warm now that
the sun was up. The 2nd half was not fun! I think I walked as much
as I ran?
With the 2 loops I got to see Edson and a few other
runners I knew a few times on the course which helped to keep me motivated.
Only when I passed 32Km in 4:11:27 and a split of 8:28 did I have confidence
that I would finish. I could walk the final 10Km if I needed to! At 40Km
(5:26:21), my splits had slowed to 10:17/Km as I reached the main street of VF
and had to climb a long gradual hill to the stadium. I crossed the finish line
in 5:47:43 just as they were starting the awards ceremony. The Sports Manager,
aka, Nicole was waiting for me. I posed for a mandatory finish line photo,
collected a ‘small’ T-shirt (they had run out of L & M shirts?), and went
straight back to the hotel for a long, hot soak in the tub. I can’t remember
the last time my legs were so sore at the end of a race?
Later, when I learned the elevation, I realized that the
combination of altitude & hills had just been too much for my old bod and
weak heart! I had once again pushed the old bod beyond its limits. But the good
news was that I had mentally decided during the race NOT to run any more races
if it was going to be that difficult & painful. However, now understanding
the reasons, I believe that I can run more races if I choose my races and
courses more wisely! And more good news was that I had finished marathon #376
and country #125 – the new World Record!
It was time to celebrate. Our marathon package included a
sunset cruise on the Zambezi River so we did not have much time to accomplish
other tasks. Nicole still had not seen Victoria Falls. While she walked over to
and across the bridge to view the Falls I scampered (well- limped is a better
term) into town to negotiate the purchase of the mandatory souvenirs. We both
accomplished our tasks and were ready for the shuttle at 3:30 pm.
The cruise was pleasant and a nice rest. We were treated
to as much booze as wanted and plenty of hot snacks such as crocodile skewers
while we watched animal life along the Zambezi River – crocodiles, elephants,
hippos and giraffes. Then we enjoyed a magnificent sunset over the river before
disembarking for a buffet dinner and dance/party on the river bank.
On Mon we were to be transported to a safari camp in
Hwange Park. After breakfast, we walked over to the Victoria Falls Hotel (over
100 years old) for spectacular views of the bridge and the Falls.
Then it was a long drive to the SE entrance of the Park
about 100 miles from VF. It was made longer by the fact that our shuttle and
driver were stopped about every 10 miles by police to check the vehicle &
papers. This vigilant police work is just a cover for bribes and corruption for
drivers to continue the journey. I found it very annoying but the locals have
learned to accept and live with it?
Our camp – the Miombo Safari Camp – was located close to
the Park entrance. But it was not as described in the brochure! Our private
thatched cabin was nice and had a beautiful four-post bed complete with
mosquito netting – BUT – the toilet and shower were outside the cabin? It was
very inconvenient and damn COLD to take care of duties after the sun set &
temps dropped into the mid-30s!
I won’t go into more detail but we didn’t use the shower
during our 2-day stay!
There were 13 guests – a group of Germans, a couple from
South Africa and us. All had arrived that day shortly after Noon so they served
us a light snack and then we departed for our first safari drive. It was a
20-min drive to the Park entrance where we had to buy a pass each day to enter
the Park ($20/person).
The SA couple & we had our own safari guide &
vehicle – a 4WD truck with open-air seating. No protection from animals? We saw
a lot of animals on that afternoon safari – elephants, springbok, hippos and a
den of lions feeding on an elephant carcass. The lions were either too busy
gorging themselves or too fat & happy to be concerned about us! The safari
usually ended at a water hole & platform where many animals came to drink
at the end of the day.
We returned back to camp in the dark and sadly/painfully realized
that we had under-dressed for the temps that dropped quickly after sunset. It
was a COLD drive! Dinner was not too exciting – a basic, set meal washed down
with free booze. It was a cold walk to our cabin in the dark. And even colder
when I had to make frequent potty breaks during the night! Since the morning
safari left the camp at 6am we didn’t bother to take a shower in our
rugged/outdoor shower in the dark with temps hovering around the low 30s. This
time we dressed more appropriately with 3 layers – and still almost froze to
death on the drive to the Park in the back of the truck. If our guide hadn’t
provided blankets to wrap ourselves in I doubt we would have survived? We saw
more animals – we requested zebras & giraffes – and our guide came though.
However I am not sure the views and animals were worth suffering with that
friggin COLD!
The afternoon safari was much better. Warmer and the
final stop at the water hole provided more wild animals in their natural
environment than I had ever seen in one place before! There were hundreds &
hundreds of animals of different varieties sharing the water hole. Quite
spectacular! After another cold drive back to camp in the dark we enjoyed a BBQ
dinner followed with entertainment by a group of Zulu warriors performing
traditional songs & dances.
The next morning we had to leave early to go back to the
airport in VF. Once again it was too COLD to take a shower. After 2 hours of
running the same police gauntlet we arrived safely at the airport. After
checking in and going through customs/security, etc we visited a small
bar/restaurant in the departure lounge for a snack. We ordered a plate of
‘chips’ and a couple of Zambezi beers. Oh what luck & joy! The chips were
hand-cut and fried while we waited. It was the best meal we enjoyed in
Zimbabwe!
Then we were off to Namibia for the next stage of our
journey. And I will leave that story for Part2 of this report.
Stay tuned!
1 comment:
Congratulations John.
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