Times in Tanzania: Kilimanjaro Marathon

The start of the marathon!

For the last 12 years Moshi has hosted the Kilimanjaro Marathon. According to the website:

The Kilimanjaro Marathon (42.2km), Half Marathon (21.1km) and Fun Run (5km) is going into its 12th year! As a fully registered IAAF race, the marathon has official marshalling, time-keeping and refreshment points at regular intervals. It may be used as a qualifier for Comrades. The race is run under the watchful eye of Mount Kilimanjaro, with the altitude gain being quite manageable and with the entire race being completed between 830–1150m asl, on good tarred roads.

The marathon is a big event in Moshi and my organization had a few runners for the 5km and half marathon. We were theoretically using it as a fundraising effort but I'm not sure things got off the ground as we would have liked. Either way, it was a good out-of-work activity for people to attend and the event provided a lot of excitement for Moshi town. I knew it was a big deal when I was in town on Wednesday and noticed the influx of touts asking me, "Hello friend, are you here to run?"

Runners making their way to the finish line.

Runner's doing their thing: running.

The runners were very lucky today as Mt. Kilimanjaro was clearly visible in the morning. I've written about it before but Mt. Kilimanjaro is frequently obscured by clouds and it's not unrealistic to think someone could come here to run the marathon and spend a week without even glimpsing the famed mountain. Since we are entering the rainy season the weather was very cool and without rain it was nearly optimal running conditions.

The marathon began early in the morning and the 5k (with the majority of the runners) finished around 8AM. The race ended in the athletics field of a local college which was set up with various tents from local businesses, food vendors, and a stage for music. It was pretty funny because around 8AM the local power shut off and not only did the music and hype announcements stop, but a gigantic inflatable sign dramatically deflated sending children scurrying to avoid being trapped underneath.

Inflatable sign deflated from the lack of power.

Finish line!

The event was pretty well organized but there were still some questionable oversights. Several runners complained that the route was not well marked and they ended up in different parts of Moshi before someone either corralled them back to the route, or they gave up and took a taxi to the finish. At the end of the race participants could exchange their number plate for a goody-bag but this was not well organized. Initially there were a few lines but as the majority of 5k runners finished it got chaotic. Those who were distributing the bags were eventually forced up into the back of the trucks holding the goods and people swarmed them. The sight honestly reminded me of refugees receiving supplies from the UN or something like that with people frantically waving their numbers and pushing to the front of the line.

If you want your goody bag, you will have to fight.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a variety of food vendors. Since it was still early, most of the vendors sold soup or other small bites. Still, it didn't stop many of them from firing up an all out barbecue. I sampled some meat kebabs and some sausage though I was disappointed because I had eaten breakfast and I hadn't yet worked up an appetite!

All in all the event was a lot of fun. I found it amusing because I saw nearly every single person I had met since coming to Moshi. I don't think there are a lot of big events so people made sure to come out and make the best of it. I also enjoyed the fact that the event took place in the early morning; it felt like a jam packed day and I was home by around noon to enjoy the rest of my Sunday. Who knows, maybe next year I'll try the full marathon?