Well - the day couldn't have been better. In a country that is normally 85 degrees or more and 75% humidity - it was blissfully overcast, there was a cool breeze - and we ran. The "fun run" started at 5 AM from the Afrikiko Hotel in Akosombo. We went roughly 2 miles on tarred road - 8 miles on dirt road and then 4.5 on trail over a ridge to the turnaround point. We had great support - water food cheering from a number of folks and in the end - all three of us (coinincidentally all 38 years old) finished 26.2 miles (in 7+ hours). We were the only 3 to do a marathon - although 3 others completed 40km (or there abouts) and 3 others walked a long way.
The guys (4) left at roughly 8:30 PM the night before from 40 miles away and ran throughout the night - with head lamps and support from Paul and Joshua. And we met four of them on their way down the hill at about 8:30 in the morning - looking strong. They were at mile 36 at that point and they completed 40 miles in 12 hours - running mostly at night.
Here's an example of what the trail looked like.
This occasion was all brought on by the impending 40th birthday of our friend - M. He is also a Chief (Torgbe) of a local village - focusing on development. We were all invited to their monthly committee meeting which he hosted at his house in Accra. What a way to turn 40!
Here is a photo of some of the spectators - wondering what all these crazy folks running through their village were doing!
This is a pretty standard house along this route. People live very simply - to say the least.
