{"id":25662,"date":"2018-06-23T12:56:34","date_gmt":"2018-06-23T16:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.runkevinrun.com\/?p=25662"},"modified":"2018-06-23T12:56:34","modified_gmt":"2018-06-23T16:56:34","slug":"june-23-2018-day-trippin-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/runkevinrun.com\/?p=25662","title":{"rendered":"June 23, 2018 – Day Trippin’ Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

The main focus of the morning was on previewing the route for tomorrow\u2019s marathon.\u00a0 Apparently the owners of the Moshi Club, the original starting location which was 1km from where we were staying, wanted to jack up the price for the rental fees.\u00a0 Marie Frances wasn\u2019t about to pay triple the previously agreed price so reworked everything to have the Lutheran Uhuru Hotel and Conference Center, where we\u2019re staying, host the pre- and post-race festivities. As well as serving as the new starting line.<\/p>\n

This last minute (or last day) adjustment meant the distance markers that had previously been painted on the trees had to be adjusted mentally (as I guess the local race director wanted to repaint the numbers but Marie Frances was confident the Americans were smart enough to figure it out\u2026 though it was phrased a bit more\u2026 um\u2026 antebellum-ish?).\u00a0 Anyway, at each kilometer marker we were told we had to subtract one.\u00a0 Thus the 1KM marker right outside the hotel was actually going to be 0KM and the\u00a0 new starting line.<\/p>\n

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And when we got to the 2KM marker, we were told it was actually 1KM.\u00a0 This was repeated at 3KM (which is now 2KM) and 4KM (which is now 3KM) and so on.\u00a0 The turnaround was moved to a place right by a large shipping container and a world map.<\/p>\n

They had to paint a new turnaround arrow on the road for us\u2026 which seemed marginally unnecessary as we were told there\u2019d be a water stop and someone there to tell us to turn around.\u00a0 But better to be safe than sorry.<\/p>\n

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And as we turned around and headed back the way we came, we passed more kilometer markers and were reminded to subtract one.\u00a0 I had finally kinda had it with the whole thing and tried to make light of it to hide my growing frustrations.\u00a0 So when we reached the 7KM marker before anything else could be said, I used my game show host voice and said, \u201cAnd here we are at 7KM which means we are *really* at what kilometer marker, folks?\u201d\u00a0 To which all intoned in unison, with a bit of comic relief, \u201c6!\u201d<\/p>\n

And as we continued on, I decided to resolve the ongoing discussions by once again Monty Hall-ing it \u2013 \u201cSooooo… how many here are doing the 10K?\u201d\u00a0 John raised his hand.\u00a0 \u201cSo on a 10K-ish loop, how many loops do you need to do?\u201d\u00a0 In unison we all said \u201c1\u201d but John being a class clown said, \u201c16\u2026 er, I mean, 1!\u201d<\/p>\n

And then I said \u201chow many here are doing the half marathon?\u201d\u00a0 A few more hands went up.\u00a0 \u201cSo how many 10K-ish loops are you going to do?\u201d\u00a0 \u201cTwo!\u201d was the rejoinder.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how many for the marathon?\u201d\u00a0 A few more hands.\u00a0 \u201cHow many loops?\u201d\u00a0 \u201cFour!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat!\u201d I exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cI really think we\u2019ve got it!\u201d<\/p>\n

And yet at the 9KM marker we were reminded that we needed to subtract one to get to 8KM.<\/p>\n

Sigh.<\/p>\n

The turnaround at this point remained the same and it was just past a rickety old bridge, built by the Germans in late teens or early twenties and still in operation today.\u00a0 Marie Frances told us she loved this bridge, not for its aesthetics which has nothing on the Italians, but for its long-lasting feat of engineering.\u00a0 Me?\u00a0 It reminded me of that old Universal Studios fake bridge that the tram car would go over and collapse hydraulically for a bit of a thrill.<\/p>\n

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