Running in Zanzibar has been something of a challenge. It is hot, all the time, and now it’s the rainy season. Also, women aren’t supposed to go around wearing shorts and sleeveless tops, and it’s not a great idea to go running alone. But I like running, so I find a way.
In the past 7 months, I’ve had some pretty interesting running experiences. I’ve run with a variety of expat women that I’ve met who’ve been here for anywhere from a week to 6 months. We put on our long pants and sleeved shirts, we meet at 6 AM (when it’s light enough but not yet as hot as it will be, if it’s not pouring rain), and we run on the beach or on the streets. I’ve run up the famous “100 steps” from the beach to the main road, I’ve run through a Hindu crematorium (weirdly, the happening place for exercise in the morning), I’ve done hurdles over and under ropes tethering fishing boats to the beaches, I’ve run through streets next to crumbling buildings made of coral rag, I’ve run barefoot on the beach .
And, today, I ran in—and won—my first marathon! At a time of 19:58!
It was pretty exciting, despite a few caveats: the “marathon” was only a 5K (and maybe, given my time, not quite up to USATF race certification standards), I won the women’s division and not the entire race, and although I had a number, I wasn’t a legitimate entrant because I’m a townie and not one of the people who flew (from places as far as Canada) in to run the race. But still, I feel pretty good.
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