Marathon Cairo🐪

Published January 24, 2020

Singapore – Dubai – Cairo ✈️

Hurry hurry, rush rush. Luggage carousel. Does everyone have a Visa? Customs queue. Long line, bag inspection. Wait outside the door, count for 6. Busy, dusty, hot. Post-midnite transport. Big city on the Nile. 45-minute drive south to Maadi. 3 hour sleeps – race ready, tote packed/downstairs 5am. Continent #4.

Surprisingly not the legs, body adjusts. Lack of sleep. Brain turns off. You get strangely emotional, teary. Luckily, Triple 8 travels in a pack. Follow the leader. Dark streets and stray dogs. Scary, dirty on the outside. Today’s race however… its people-support & energy, would make it FAN FAVOURITE of all 8 ⭐

No bike path, no loops. 26 miles of actual road. Traditional marathon. Pace groups, race announcements. Thin guys lined-afront pushing to WIN. Pre-race Triple 8 pic, then a day-run with brand-new players – the 5 hour pace group. Whatta gift! Fresh energy, conversation, upbeat enthusiasm. FAAAANNTASTIC!

Four miles of city lights & runner head lamps. Maadi Runners – whatta conscientious group. Pot hole on your left. Outside-crowded us from cars. Volunteers held traffic as we crossed intersections, up/over bridges. ‘Ash’ [Go!] Shouts back-n-forth in Arabic. Encouragement, SMILES. ASH!

Same tight pack first 12 miles, ‘til the Halfers peeled off. New runners added. 4-hour marathoners who’ll try again next time. Great energy! ASH! ASH!

Tall city skyscrapers, crazy car traffic & exhaust. Windy, dusty. Folks riding donkeys, camels on the median – everything & more, I’d ever dreamt of Egypt (and 25 degrees cooler than Singapore). Traditional water stations. Maadi Group vans filled with FRESH FRUIT. Strawberries, dates, oranges, almonds, bananas. Whatta treat!

And… a long stretch along the Nile. YES!

Walked the last bridge incline at mile 23. Walk/jogged last 3 miles; gas left in the tank. Four more to go! Whatta life experience, literally running the streets of Cairo.

To my pacer Peggy, the Maadi Runners – and all Egypt – THANK YOU! ❤️

Fast shower & a quick walkabout Giza. The mighty PYRAMIDS. Trip complete.

First class/business, rest of my journey. Next up: Amsterdam 🇳🇱 Winter is coming.