This weekend I have family, friends and loved ones descending upon our humble abode, here to cheer me on as I run the Boston Marathon this Monday, April 16th, as a charity runner for Boston Partners in Education.
When I've mentioned the marathon to people while I was training I heard a few comments that made my pause like, "Oh, you're African, you'll be fine. YOU CAN WIN!"
Um...no.
First, let's just say I have an "interesting" runner's build. My dad is over 6 feet tall and my mom is 4'11. So inherited my dad's height but my mom's tiny feet.
Second, let's be clear, when it comes to the Boston Marathon, EAST Africans have it on lock, so much so that I wonder if anyone from the Boston Athletic Association has considered renaming it the "Kenyan-Ethopian Marathon in Boston."
Us West Africans, we'll stick to soccer...football...sprinting...basketball, those sports that give us a minute to take a break and catch our breath. Although at one point during our training long runs, I was a bit concerned spectators were beginning to think I was Kenyan because of my coach's tendency to yell: "Like a Kenyan baby! Like a Kenyan!" while watching me run.
But on a serious note, I've been truly humbled and amazed through the entire experience of training for the Boston Marathon and raising money for my charity. This past week while doing my last, short training runs by the Charles River, I caught some of these elite Kenyan and Ethiopian runners also doing runs. "Wow,"I whispered to myself, "those aren't just Africans, those are marathon Africans."
For those of you interested in keeping abreast of my progress on marathon day you can sign up for the AT&T Athlete Alert. My bib number is: 24925
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