I heard from Haron Lagat today, he's on his way to Boston to run the Two-mile race this weekend. I told him to run 8:03, I hope he does.
"The training for 400m is so much harder but I'm thinking about it." U. Bolt. Interesting perspective from the biggest insider.
Last night at Tony's house (so big one can play hide and seek in here--that is a Manhattan joke), we had our first Shoe4Africa Action Jackson meeting and in attendance, HotDog from F.I.T. (Aka Kara Lewis), Jessica Hansen from the Fashion World, George & Shay Hirsch from the publishing and Running World, Kiet V. from the Thomson Reuters World, Susan H. from the charity world... and Stella Artois from the refreshments world... first on the agenda, our first party of the year.
02/05
Boxing update to come as I left my camera... but it was super fun and we watched the #4 man in the world win a bout, and Eilon also won his bout too. As I say, more when I include a pic.
Thanks to everyone who has donated a dollar to the Hospital fund we started last September. We now have $380,000!
I had lunch with Michael D. today at Brassiere on East 53rd. Packed like packers for the lunch time crowd, but the place handles the rush well and it never seems overcrowded in there. The waitress was good and we got the express plate that came with a lentil pea soup (fair) french fries (kool), salad (As a side salad much better than was to be expected), and salmon (nice and fresh). The table bread was a mini baguette (fair enough) and the plate came with some little choco/tart like desserts that were nice.. but you did leave the table a tad thinking wear would a nice slice of cheesecake be now? All is all a great midtown spot that will not disappoint. Full marks for the Heineken which might sound odd, but I swear some places in NYC serve you some very iffey bottles Heineken -- this tasted real mcCoy.Anyway the relevance with today's picture and the Give a Dollar is to thank Michael and Mary for their help to Shoe4Africa. Michael also expressed an interest to help out with the Orphans Sports Day which is going to be something else...
On that note I am collecting NEW kids SMALL running shoes for this event. I need about 70-pairs. I currently have 40-pairs but if you would like to help and give a new pair to an Orphan please let me know. This is a special project I am doing, not a normal one when we use old shoes. I want to give every kid a new pair when we take them out to the country for a sports day. We will have a picnic, they'll get a Shoe4Africa T shirt, we will have a race, every finisher gets a pair of shoes... they'll be doing jumping jacks! And it will be for many the first day out of the Slum and into the country. Let me know if you can help. I think it will be a very special day.
On the run front; it looks like the Bronx will be warm weather this weekend. I ran that race with Paul Mwangi the Spaghetti Kenyan one year and before the start he was talking about running 65-minutes as it was his debut then. It was a hot day in July, when the event was in the summer. Anyway the gun goes and off we pop. We are running along with a group of about ten and I am looking at the watch, so I mention to Paul the fact that if we keep on at this pace he is going to run 1:15 not 1:05. The next mile we ran in 4:40 and suddenly it is me and him, then he slows to a 5-something, then the next mile speeds up and up... it was a yoyo like that till ten miles when sadly I was no longer able to challenge him. It was the most up and down pace wise half I ever ran in my whole life... and I only have my big gob to blame... but I was trying to be helpful.
Great to see the Senator Meb in the London field. That looks to be the race of the Spring with Lel the Gazelle, Wanjiru, and Tadesse in the field... If you don't go with this threesome then what do you do? They are missing no one but Geb and as he has already tried a number of times to conquer London one could say they have the beans capissa.
02/04
Met a most interesting chap who lived in Tanzania in the 1950's or Tanganika (or how you spell it) as it was back then, then he moved to Kenya in 1961 till 1969, just before the famous guy whose name escapes me now got assassinated (who he was working for), then he was in Paris... great talking and learning from his stories.
Also went to the offices of the designer of LODEN DAGER if you have heard of them, for the stage of the T shirts plan of Shoe4Africa with Jeanine and Tony. I was amazed that the box of chocolates that was in their house last week was still there (and they have four kids!) Even more happy when I starting gobbling them and Tony said, 'finish off the box' ha ha. Sweet life is.
Anyway, for a swing to the right I am off to Brooklyn, I have ringside seats for the fight night. Never been to a boxing match before!
Also lookign through the Flipcams, or just starting to, and finding some great moving stories there! Life in Kibera, coming soon.
02/03
At Millrose, I wandered down to the track side for the final race and took a couple of shots. I have a better one from inside the track.. for later gator.
Slumdog Millionaire. Mary told me I would like this movie. I wonder why. I wish the millionaire connotation but I have a feeling the former, maybe the name Toby and dog?
S4A Ambassador ‘MARA YAMAUCHI appears to be in the shape of her life as she heads towards this April’s Flora London Marathon. The 35-year-old, who finished sixth at last year’s Olympic Games consolidated her position at third on the British all-time list with a PB of 68:29 in Marugame, to defeat her Second Wind club-mate Yuri Kano by a decisive 53-seconds.’ Way to go Mara, which translates as what in Swahili? Today’s quiz.
Yesterday downtown with Global when we worked out that our combined income sets us six feet below the poverty level. Ah retirement in Ethiopia is looking sweet with this climate anyway. Actually there was a blast of rays in the sky yesterday that brought out so many more runners in Central Park; startling to say the least.
Achilles H&P race is June 28th, please save the date and come and support this worthy cause, and race 5-miles.
Before that why not go down to the 6th ST track on Thursday and see the RedBull (not dog) snow board jumping. There is a $100,000 prize!
Out and about in Starbucks on First Avenue. I was right that the East Side serves you better. I got a fresh coffee. Woowee.
02/02
Mizuno/Morocco's Adil Annani wins Beppu-Oita Marathon in 2:10. Jason Mbote, a 2:07 man pace makes the race.
Bizarre: At Starbucks 86th ST & Columbus (yup West Side issues), I was asking for a latte skim whatnot and a plain black coffee. The server says, -There!- Pointing to a coffee already sitting on the counter.
I would like a fresh one please.
Sir, She says, It is fresh.
Can I have a cup specifically poured for me, with no space for milk?
Sir, I do not want to waste coffee. Next!To make things bizarre we are sitting waiting for the Latte thing, as you do, and after ten minutes and no customers I am like, -Is it soon ready?- They had no even started making it!
Bizarre as I say reminds me a time with Mike Boit in midtown when we were at a starbucks and a cup of tea was sitting on the counter. We get drinks and sandwiches and I don’t check the receipt, but Mike tells me, "I bet you he charged you for that Tea that was a mistake-" We check the receipt and sure enough! As if this company does not make enough! Lordy.
Speaking of Lordy I cycled past a church and remembered how much I enjoyed going to the that Church on the West Side last year, but as I was dressed in a tracksuit, with wet hair and carrying a cheesecake I decided to keep on pedaling.
I went to Millrose on Friday night, I go every year and usually stand down by the track, but this time I sat down in the stands. Diane Dixon was there, and Marcus Sullivan came over to say Hi - what a nice guy he is, and there is no one in the world who has ran more Sub 4-minute miles than he. The actual mile race was a bit of a disappointment. Five finishers and two marquee names. The Millrose needs a Coe n Ovett combined character to lift up the event, with two thirds of the seats empty and a program that had many breaks to the continuity it is fighting an uphill battle; but they are trying with Dan O’Brien doing great commentary and Ian Brooks for the High School races setting a great tone. I really liked the alto sax version of the national anthem.
Talking of summertime music? (ed's note, was I?) If Amy Winehouse had a mother? Undisputed Queen is HERE. Getting all these gremlins in my text, god knows why but please excuse the mess, that is why the lack of inverted commas!
01/31
Triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt was handed a gift of a third-of-an-acre of land valued at some $6.5m (Jamaican) from developer Stafford Earle in recognition of his sprint achievements in Beijing last summer.
From the West Coast and TGV, "I USED TO FREQUENT A PLACE CALLED THE BANGKOK HOUSE ON 1ST AND 77TH
DONT KNOW IF ITS STILL THERE...BUT I DRANK ALOT OF SINGHA THERE OVER THE YEARS...AH..... NEW YORK CITY, I DO MISS IT (BUT NOT THE WEATHER)" Ah, ha.. that was the beer name!
So I was leaving the park on Tuesday night, waited for the lights to change, started then boom as the cars stopped a cyclist came bombing along the road, between the cars, did not stop and slammed into my back wheel. The biker fell off, anyway he was okay. Two days later I am cycling and I get a flat tire. I was staying down in mid town, so the next day I went to Mobil on Sutton Place 62nd ST to get air. The machine needs 75-cents, no surprise this is Manhattan.Well I only have a $20 note, so I go in the shop to ask for change. Can't get change unless you buy something to open the till, so I buy some junk. The till opens. No quarters., "It's early, we don't have change." I am like what do you mean, you are 24-hrs!" So we wait, then someone else comes and buys something. I get some quarters. I inflate the tire, get one block and the tire is flat again!
Anyway, to cut a long story short an hour later, after walking home, blah blah, I have the bike wheel off, and what do I see? The biker that ran the red light and smashed into my back wheel has buckled my back wheel! Very nice.
Whilst I am on a moan, begrudgingly I was watching TV as I had forgotten my walkman whilst at the gym. VH1 had a reality program about some popstar - so bad quality they did not even bother to play his music during the show. No no, it was about a girl falling off the stage, albeit a 1-foot stage as this was not a big popstar in any sense of the word. They replayed, and they replayed. The other girls talked about it, she did, the popstar did; is this the drivel people are wasting money to wake, are there people who watch this junk?Worse still I saw more TV later when on a real show they were showing an hour (thank goodness I only saw minutes) of people in public disturbances, I think the show was called Shocking. I mean, after an hour of watching this show do you say 'wow, shocking, glad I did watch that.'
Moan, moan, moan. No wonder I am so unproductive these days.
01/30/09
The Official Shoe4Africa Kibera Soccer Team. Powered by Soccerade.
Sounds like we might have some fun people running for S4A this year at the ING NYC Marathon!
Talking Mizuno; Derartu Tulu joins the RAK half field, the best race in the Half Distance coming up in Feb! What a legend that woman is, still going strong since the Olympic Gold in 1992
New York City. Snow, sleet and sludge. We ran three loops of the rez today before a power Shoe4Africa day sitting in Tony's office planning our progress - the consensus is that we have all these balls up in the air and we have to get them organized, so how to do it. It will happen, in fact it has to. Lunch was at Land, the place on Second Ave at 82nd that serves Thai food - can I recommend the Shrimp Thai Pad, the vegetable dumplings the Thai beer beginning with a S_? Super good. Also the choco dessert, forgot its name. Perhaps they can have a big more music in that place as we were sitting next to a table of Cops who left their radios on. Yuck.
01/29
ONE LOVE, ONE HEART.
I met the Elephant man at a party the other night, the man that does Elephant�s art work � you know �they� paint! A nice chap called David. I told him as a promo he should get people to dress up as a green painted elephant and join the St Pat day parade.
Lunch at Blaggard�s on W38th. The only thing that was good was the Guinness and the Cheesecake. The salmon tasted as dry as sand, the French fries were undercooked and as sharp as a cheese cutter, the vegetables, hmm, and the rice was as plain as rain.
Speaking of which snow, and snow as more is expected next month � always the snowiest month, La Febba.
01/28
Coming to Millrose this Friday: Bernard Lagat, two-time Olympian, six-time Wanamaker Mile champion and 2007 World Outdoor 1,500m and 5,000m champion.
Eamonn Coghlan, 'Chairman of the Boards,'� three-time Olympian, seven-time Wanamaker Mile champion and former world champion. And coming to Boston; John Hancock Financial announcing that four-time Boston Marathon champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya and women's winner Dire Tune of Ethiopia will return for the 113th running of the race on April 20.
It is the GridIron 4-miler in CP this weekend. I would like to run this race, but based on the fact it is zippo degrees I don't think I will be doing it! The night before is the NY Flyers Annual Gala and I have to present the Coach Award; not biased but this is the best award they give out! He he. I wonder who wins it? I got an email saying all speeches have to be one minute long.. think I can do that! Also in the pipeline, I am going to Washington to give a speech next week.
01/27
Back to NYC, and the ground is solid! Went for a run and the face is total freeze. The soil feels like a rock, and you like the idea of moving that little bit faster. It is shocking how the weather changes from being in and out of warm with that little bit of latitude.Miami was fun but getting back to NYC at 1am and then back to the usual was tiring, especially as the night before I only got four hours being up at 4am to be at the ING Half. It is a great course and I was there for a great cause - Team Lifeline. I met the owner of Upstate Eli's Bagels, a taxi driver who used to live in Los Gatos (long story), and ran with a group of inspirational people before spending an evening at the Hotel poolside bar overlooking a Floridian sunset and feeling the warmth of a glowing sun.
JetBlue airlines gets the prize as the Do it Yourself bucket airline - loved the blinking TV screen, and heard someone the row behind complain and be told that if you fill out a complaint form you get a $15 refund, woweee. I did not have any intention of watching the defunct TV actually myself... They have a weird method of checking to see how is on board by a voice system of calling out names and asking for a hands up count, rather like being in Infant School again...
Anyway, Masami told me that the Half int he Park, Manhattan, was 14 degrees F so all in all what can you say. Tony has a sore throat but we did some good planning and wrote out four strats to getting the dollars moving... hope it works as I would really like to get the hospital thing going a bit faster, and more than that tonight it is off to Cynthia Gale's party, the Jeweler.
01/26
Christmas at Martin Lel's house (Martin next to me).
Down in Miami, today I was going for a nice walk on the beach thinking about 200 things, and the only stress was avoiding stepping on suicidal seagulls who kept on swooping down. I am eating lots of Kosher food as I am with the Team Lifeline group and there are so many people with interesting stories here (as they come from all over the world) I felt like I was in a geography lesson at lunch time with the news and views from the table talk. The desserts down here are super rich, mostly chocolatey (it seems Floridians don't like Cheesecake) and the only coffee place is a 7-11 God forbid. Take me back to Nairobi! Joking aside, I am really enjoying this mini break away from the perils of a hard NYC winter (What a wimp, I have only had about 10-days of Winter in the last 14-months).
01/23
Shoe4Africa All Stars team's Robert Cheriyot dribbles past Carolina for Kibera defender Mercy Akinyi as teammate Martin Lel (left) closes in during their celebrity football match, on Saturday. (DAILY NATION).
Feb 1st Chicago Marathon opens its door, quick before it closes.
You will also see the Simba attacking the World Record for the 10k in Puerto Rico. Each year there is supposed to be a new name to challenge her, and believe me they have gone thru the lists. This year it is Shalane F of the USA. People thought Defar would do it, but the Simbzz beat her by a minute. Quite frankly, unless Paula gets to the roads of PR, then I can't see it happening! People thought La Simba (as we call her in Puerto Rico) was fading out, but she is fading IN! And with six wins who'll bet against her?
Constructionville! Gosh to live on the posh side of town. Here on First Avenue, as long as I have lived here, there has been construction. We do not have a Woody Allen to campaign for us, thus the buildings are not kept uniform with the environment, or heightwise to the old building.. it is a case of Higher, Like a Lion, in Lionsville. Permits? Nah, what for? That�s why I nearly got walloped by a crane this year.
Speaking of which, in a moment of boredom on a plane I watched Rock n Roller. Only because Pirate of F.I.T. told me it was good. Well if I was a film critic then it would be, The Director has obviously realized that the Cocky selling angle has yet to be exploited in the male macho Anglo-version of Oceans 11, or whatever number they are at now. Some good acting plays by a re-re-re-run of some story not even worth following of what is billed to be drugs, sex and drama yet is a dubbed over Italian Job with more acting, less stunts (a plus) yet fails to issue more than making you realize that two hours have passed by and it is a title to tick off a list more than remember.
New Year next week, for the country of China. Of course Cotton Lloyd will be doing his usual bash ont he Upper East Side on Tuesday.
Is this a world record--"Also last week, Merrill Lynch reported a loss for the final three months of 2008 of $15.31bn."
1/22
REVIEW: It used to be the secret neighborhood place, but now it has become the known good food place. Island on Madison Ave at 93rd ST. A house salad starter was super tasty, I forgot to ask for salad dressing on the side but it was not drenched as in most places. Beer I went for Stella and Groltsch (or how you spell it). I could not decide so I ordered both to compare sip per sip and the Groltsch won! For the main course I went for the pasta Fetuccine dish sans bacon (who would want a dead pig�s carcass sitting in the stomach?) It was really good and had that homemade feel� unlike the dessert, Pumpkin cheesecake, that tasted a bit like it came from a box. The service and ambience was top notch. This place comes highly recommended.
Running news? I am so far out of th loop these days I migh as well talk about badminton. I was coaching in Central PArk the other day and saw allthese groups zip by and I have not a pot of glue what clubs they are, or what what. As far as local races go I hear that thisweekend is the half marathon that used to be the one done in August that is now called the Nike Half, which may not be the Nike Half any longer? What nots.
Any roads, I am off to Miami, lots of food, drink, and the beach. Not really a beach person, but what the heck - one degree of fareinheit does that to a tusker. Besides, I am missing my friends in Kibera too much.
George Hirsch, Lornah Simba Kiplagat (ran the coffee loop today, see More Fire book) at our press launch with Tony in Nairobi.
1/21
My first article in KENYA's DAILY NATION newspaper! This is a cut version.
In January Shoe4Africa started a Women�s Soccer Team in Kibera. Soon we�ll have a page on the web site designated to the team, but, as a prelude meet Josephine. Josephine will be the team captain. By the age of six she had lost both her parents to the AIDS virus. By the age of nine she was looking after herself. And at ten she moved into Kibera. She would knock on the doors of refuges and churches looking for food. A Pastor helped her, but he chastised her for playing soccer, the game she loved to play to take her from life�s cruel reality.
�Yes, many times I asked �Why me? Why is it me that has to face this life?� She pronounces the word Why with such passion, and with such length you cannot help but stare into her eyes, and they are happy eyes, eyes with hope.
A couple of years later her sister died, leaving her with a new born niece to foster. She lived in a shack with walls that were falling, where in rains the sewage would wash over her floor. �In the night time I would undress and my clothes became both my mattress and my blanket,� she tells, �And for cooking the evening meal (and she ate just one meal a day) I would first cook the Ugali (maize meal) then empty the pan so I could cook the vegetables as I only had one pan.�
In the evening she would tried to study to put herself through school, if she could afford five shillings for a cup full of paraffin to pour into an empty used tin that had been redesigned with a wick to use as a lamp. Life was hard. �I liked soccer too as when we play a match we get 100-shillings ($1.25) food allowance, so I can buy a piece a bread for myself, and take the rest to feed my niece and my daughter. And yes, I love to play soccer, it makes me feel alive��
Lunch for the inauguration; Of course it was The Australian on West 38th ST. The place smells of vinegar which may be attractive to some. If you want good service then, urm, try Blaggards next door. The house salad was okay, nothing out of the box, dressing in one. The main course, the only dish bar a boring plain pasta I could find with no meat � Fish and Chips. 5/10. I did want a dessert but someone called for the cheque before I had time to shout out cheesecake. Beer Toohay�s or something in a bottle, Oz stuff. Tasted pretty Carlsbergie. Ambience? Call this place a fast business lunch minus the word fast.
01/20
Shoe4Africa kids. A great day yesterday, I met Ilana & Billie Jean King for afternoon tea at Sarabeth's with Tony. Some great ideas coming forward for the next step of the Hospital Project. Called watch this space.
Snowing like crazy here, who would have thunk it. Afterwards we walked through Central Park and it looks like Christmas again. Tony is off to Sundance tomorrow as he has a film coming out with Minnie Driver (daughter of Screw & Reverse) and Uma Thurman called Motherhood. Minnie has a band who will paly at the party no less...When I got back through the door the phone was ringing and it was Diane who was mentioning about Millrose (She won the 400m at Millrose for ten years), and it is amazing to think it is Millrose time ever so soon again. Not sure what names are running this year, but it is Friday Jan 30th and Tirunesh Dibaba will not be there as she is making her season opener the week after in Boston's Indoor.
Coming up this weekend is Miami, and I am happy to say I will be there, inthe Sun, out of the snow.
HAPPY OBAMA DAY. The world smiles, and a dream is finally realized.
01/18
Brandi Chastain who scored the winning goal for the US Soccer team then wrote the book it is not about the bra, she has a NFP over in CA for kids to get involved in soccer.
I ran in 7-degree fareinheit weather this morning, a far cry from my runs in NAirobi that were so pleasant. Y'know I would come to the end and think, wow have I really ran for an hour? Whereas here in NYC it is more like, gosh those two miles seemed like ten. I hav not been tot he gym since the start of November, I think I may be back there again soon!
A little video about the Kibera Project; CLICK HERE TO SEE.
Pizz guide - tried a new place on Second Ave with Wams, I think it was called something like Angelo's, yes that was it. About on 54th, on second avenue (West Side). It was nice, a thin crust with tasty ingredients. I had the house Shiraz and it was super good. Plus we shared n Argula salad, not as good as Nick's, but good for midtown. For lunch I had eaten six bagels so I did not think I would be that hungry, but I was. Speaking of which I have not been food shopping since I got back apart from bagels and beer... Oh well, there goes another New Year's resolution!
01/15
Well to say it is cold in NYC is an understatement. Ouch -- out on the bike and no limbs apparent. Tony and I cycled down to Nobu for lunch to meet David from Octagon (a group that manages celebs like Micheal Phelps & Paula Radcliffe)... in the competition of who had the best dessert we all came out equal - Tony had a banana thing, David had a Frobre, and I had a Bento Box... it was a chocolate thing, okay, but nothing to shout about.
Word on the street is that Friday is going to be the coldest day, I am already planning ahead when I go to Miami! What to do? Some work, and hopefully some lazing about too. Pieter & Lornah (Starbucks & Simba) had a great beach holiday in Thailand, so why not. I had some good runs with Lornah in Kenya cruising along and chatting about this and that.
Register for a great cause: "Concern 2009 Fun Run�Saturday, April 18: 9.30 AM in Central Park
Join Concern Worldwide US�a non-governmental, international humanitarian organization dedicated to the elimination of extreme poverty in the world�s poorest countries�for its annual 4K Fun Run/Walk and help raise money to fight hunger in the world�s poorest countries. For more information and to register, please call Joop Koopman at 212 557 8000. Runners and walkers of all skills welcome!
Also, whilst we are on good things John Hanc's new book is out - The Coolest Race on Earth. Go to his book signing in Tribeca on Feb 16th -- he's on facebook for all details. His writing style is super good, so a great read is promised.
01/14
Back in the States of America... in front of the Kenyan delegation that includes Pamela Jelimo & Sammy Wanjiru. I was honored to meet Jesse Dylan today, a friend of Tony's, and son of the great Bob. A renowned film maker (who did the Will I can video/Obama thing.Glad to see that NYC is not as cold as I thought it was. The flights were good and smooth -- thanks BA! Now we just need a direct flight to Kenya!!
01/12
Linet Masai, who ten days ago was saying she was starting her season with a warm up race only, storms to an easy win in Edinburgh BUPA XC. What a talent. Meanwhile, back in Kenya at the Eldo XC Pauline K. also shows true dominance as the two former World XC Junior Champs look like the mainstay of the Kenyan challenge to take on Ethiopia in the World Cross.Funny though you say Ethiopia as a team, but really it has proven to be Ethiopia as individuals -- take away Tirunesh & Meseret and what do you have? Take away Shihine, Haile, and Bekele.. and you have... Anyway, Kenya has high hopes for Jordan this year and it is a welcome to see Abraham Chebii back on top in the men's race at Eldo.
Continued to be blown away in Kenya. Today I had a meeting with Elias, of the Daily Nation. I am beginning to write a column for this paper in 2009. Then Hilary Choge came to Java. Hilary was a man I used to hang with in Kenya in 1995! Have not seen him since, these days he is in Japan working as an assistant Professor. Then my good friend Salim comes and asks if I want to go to town.We went to town, then took a big sound bus to near Mathare Slums, the second biggest slum in Nairobi after Kibera. We took a small walk to Mama Fatuma's orphans home. The journey home was just as musical.
Spending time with the kids there is a mindblowing experience, a gift! Kenya is the most giving country and you learn so much about yourself.
The night before I was in Tena, a district in the East side where I had drinks with George & Johnny Black, good guys who want to start a drugs/drink rehab place with sports as a tool... any one want to partner with these guys?
01/09
A day in Kibera. Cantar and I walked all day long round and round. The only rest we took was when we met Josephine, a soccer lady. Tomorrow we go back to interview her for the 'tell your story' part of this journey. We walked through Lindi,the poorest area, where people are illegally tapping the electric. We saw the pipes that take water being tapped off and the spillage that the locals get and sell for 3-shillings a gallon.Back at the CFK clinic a group of Americans had arrived to see a medical clinic the UNC is supporting. They are from Harvard Business School. Salim comes in, "What are they wearing?" He has to tell one girl that if she walks in the skirt they'll be mob attacked for disrespect -- the skirt is so short it is not there. Mary also finds a shawl for another lady who is exposing way way too much cleavage; you can guess this is their first trip to Africa, "She will be beaten, a mob will come quickly." Meanwhile I am looking for a tree to fall asleep under; I had picked a nice one but got attacked by a thousand ants. I am dying for another cup of coffee, it is all I like to drink. Cantar and I had gone to Cafe Arusha (near the carwash) in Kibera for lunch -- this place is true Africa, no cutlery, and you should eat only with your right hand (If you are coming from Harvard that is).
Last night I met Sam Tannehill, an old friend from NYC, at Java Coffee house. Shah was leaving, she is flying to Dubai of all places before going to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand or something. Sam is building a school here and if you want to help her then visit kidsfortomorrow.org to learn how. She was going to come running this morning but I think it was a little too early for her. Prior to that my afternoon meeting was with Isaac Kalua who was the CEO of the World Cross when it was in Mombasa Kenya -- he made the event the first ever green champs with no carbon footprint. Now he works on a tree project with Prince Albert of Monaco. My next meeting is with Hilary Choge who I last saw in 1995; he was then the captain of the Nairobi University Athletics team. So many meetings, I can not believe I am soon back home in Manhattan!
01/06
Oh my gosh, a long time since an update! For the last two days I have ran straight into Tegla Loroupe.. out on my morning run, and bam, there she was! She is just living round the corner to where I am. Which is, Nairobi. Just spoken to Sleepy Sylvia Kibet who is very happy about her 31-minute 10km that she won. She will try the 10,000 on the track this year after first concentrating on XC. Her sister Hilda 'Airlines' Kibet is coming to Nairobi tomorrow for a day on her way to run Egmond in Holland.
Right now I have just returned from Kibera where I have been wrapping up the Kibera Donations. I have some great photos of a large group of women who came to pick up the shoes and went carrying big boxes on their heads. Based on weight (And no I did not count) I think we have now given out 12,000 pairs.Today's shoes went specifically to two places; Kibera Primary School, and also to Little Rock School (Many orphans and deaf children).
Meanwhile we are forming a team here, and if you click on this link you can see them play (they are in yellow). In the green team is Anthony Edwards aka Tony, Martin Lel the Gazelle, Robert MwAfrica Cheruiyot, Matthew Olympic Gold Birir, Douglas World Champion Wakiihuri, Chris 2:08 NYC Cheboiboch, Elias Mac Makori, et moi. -- HERE!! I am on a slow internet so I can not watch it as yet, but I hope they included my goal!
More than that all is good here, every day continues to bring fun and adventure and more happenings; 2009 has kicked off in a beautiful way -- A Happy New Year!
12/28
iten: A nice guy from Britain arrived the other day, so the next morning I showed him the local roads of the running routes. I noticed he was quite zippy, anyway it turns out he is called Mo Farrah, 13:07 5000m guy - we ran the pound loop in 55 and he was not even breathing! Life in Iten is super sleeping, infact most of the time you sit around waiting for the next training run. So to break up the day a day later or two we went to Eldoret. after standing on the road for too long waiting for a taxi I phoned Chris Cheboiboch who kindly took us. I had arranged to meet Sally Barsosio for lunch at the Clique.Then after we walked around Eldoret for hours; first trying to find a way to get the Internet for a Zain sim card phone, then after inserting my safaricard sim into his phone we went looking for a sim card with a good number, and then tried to hook it up. We also found the one Internet cafe that is open on a Sunday, bumped into a few friends, saw a muddle of runners, before heading back to Iten.
Walking to the taxi stand we bumped into John Litei, then Shaheen when alighting in Iten. Then Gilbert K and Edna Kiplagat -- the latter I went for a cup of tea with.
12/23
Landed in Eldoret, said no to the taxis and thought let me walk to the main road where I can get a public communal taxi. So I set off and tried to call Claudio to tell him I had a copy of More Fire for him... a person passing heard the conversation through their open window, and was the taxi driver for Martin Lel, before you know it I was off to Eldoret!I was actually looking forward to going in a matatu though. I went straight to Gran Prix where I had breakfast and talked with Moses Tanui, then for lunch I was talking with William Koila, then Sally Barsosio came to meet me. That was yesterday. Today I met Godfrey Kiprotich of Kimbia fame and we had lunch, then Kimutai Kosgei, second in Boston, winner of Amsterdam, came to join us, then Daniel Komen the only man to run two consecutive 4-minute miles... then also I met Patrick Sang, Olympic Silver and an old friend. If you have read Train Hard Win Easy then you know Patrick and I did some good training with him prior to his great summer of 96 when he ran 8:02 for the Steeplechase.
I heard a sad story about Phillip B. (a man who has run 7:59 for the steeplechase) and is now living in the bush, and also William Kemei, a great 1500m runner, who is now dead. There are many hard luck stories in Kenyan athletics!
This morning I ran on the roads of Iten with Coconut for 90-minutes, I was expecting to die, but it was good. Tomorrow I told the group we go for 2 hrs, surely my downfall but what the heck!
The weather here is perfect, but I hear it is freezing back in NYC.Earlier today I went back to Murala Centre, where the refugee camp is where I had a race in August. I was sad to see the camp is still there, although it should not be by now. So I took sacks of maize for the people there. The children came running and at first I was happy that they remembered me, but thinking about it I was sad, because the truth of th matter is they remember me only because nothing else has happened at that camp since August. They sit and wait for the Government to assist. Good luck. I don't know. I want to do something for them at Christmas. If you go to Youtube and search tobytanser you can see a little film I made about this camp. I did the film as an appeal for people to want to help. Nobody did contact me, and even as I went to the market today to buy maize I could not rally others to help join me. Somertimes I think I am am swimming against the current, everybody sees but me.
Then there is that endearing moment that gives you belief again, and with a phonecall back to Kibera it happened... More on that later!
12/22
52% of Kenya is made up of women. How many women are in Kenyan politics? (200 men 22 women). The future? YES they CAN.
Another day in Kibera, hanging around, eating rice, lying on the floor, watching the world going round. Many churches were active, with loud electronic music blaring out. Umi was in a bad mood as her mother disappeared with her shillings she was saving for Chocolate. Loads of men turned up at the Kibera Primary School thinking that there was going to be a Shoe4Africa race for men. In fact there was an AK race and a few Kiberians went there, and were disappointed to find that it is not every race in Kenya that hands out free shoes, and free T shirts!Today I travel north for a few days, up to Eldoret, to the Great Rift. It will be a nice change of scene, though I will miss the spirit of Kibera too much, I just know it. Talking on the phone to Chris Cheboiboch who is running Dubai with Geb as he hunts another $1-mil bonus world record. Talked to Catherine Ndereba who is back after her week in Costa Rica... Joshua Kahuga who is training to get back in form, Sally Barsosio who is trying for her marathon debut in 2009....
12/21
Following the Shoe4Africa Run for Peace & Soccer match we gave the ball to 'Computer' (Alison). Computer lives in the slum with her sister Lucy, pictured. When I was there in November Computer fell over and broke her arm. As she lives in the poorest place she had to walk, and walk to where a vehicle could access her. We then drove her to the General Nairobi hospital. This was late afternoon, early evening. It was not till 1pm the following day that Doctors got round to even seeing her, let alone treatment.
Life is killing me in Kibera. The close compactness of actuality is too much; only at this time. It started when I wished someone a happy Christmas. The people around me looked back as if I had been a live body in a coffin. A person answered, "I am just hoping the day passes quickly, so I can sleep at nightfall." Expectations are always high, especially when you have nothing, you hope for any change, as change from rock bottom only has one direction.
The fact of the matter is this Christmas, due to a food shortage and rising maize costs (the staple food of Kenya), many Kiberians will be eating only watery porridge for Christmas.
Worse, worse still is that Kenyans are really hospitable people beyond anything you can imagine. I have seen firsthand how they will give you their very last to accommodate your welcome. Yet, this year, people I talk to are saying they are ashamed to answer the door and pray for a short silent Christmas as there is no food in the house (hut).
Manhattan -- Kibera, what is the difference? A patch of land where people live, a space of land where people are born. I see equal people in both places, the lazy, the motivated, the bright sparks, etc. It is killing me as it appears the only thing possible to do is to close your ears, but then get those haunting dreams each time you close your eyes. You try and help, try to make a difference, but the more you help the more people approach you. Each hut you visit, each person you talk to... I have never understood how unfair, how unjust the world actually is. And one thing I know is I have to stop saying Merry Christmas, because it is a cruel reminder of a concept of mind that a small percentage of people can enjoy.
12/20
BOOK REVIEW of More Fire! Thanks Amby!In Nairobi, in the slum, trying to start a project for a women's crisis center through sport. The first good news... following the race with the football match Ivar flew to Barcalona. Gudjonsson saw the pics and now wants to come, and hopefully to bring some Barca team mates if we can organize something in the off-season! Already people here are ready. Yesterday I spent another day just wandering around, walking, talking, and feeling the energy and life style there. I had slept the night there, so early in the morning, when it is a hive of industry, I walked and watched everyone walk to their respective positions. I took little Umi with me, though she was half asleep. Following which we walked to watch the football team practice where Ruth is the coach... the bit I am trying to put together is what hope for the post-football. As the players mature and not everyone can make a career from this, then what to do. When 85% is living in abject poverty it is a hard task to think about. But we have plans, more than just sport of course.
12/15
SHOE4AFRICA KIBERA (click here) event! What an amazing day it was. CLICK HERE ALSO.To give out 5800 T shirts, to give out 6400 pairs to the 5000+ competitors, in the largest slum in Africa (if not the globe) was always going to be a logistical nightmare. Imagine, the average daily wage of a person who works (and many don't) in Kibera is 25-cents! It was a truly amazing experience that I guarantee won't be seen again for a while unless we do it again. Give you an example; Unicef tried top open some clean toilets, the Kibera residents blocked the ceremony, "Why didn't you ask us? Why not give us food so we can use the toilets?" You have to work with the Kibera residents, and it was an event of true togetherness with many many people pulling together to make the event happen.
The football match was great, the women made me promise I would not throw the game, I was sure they would defeat us... but you should see Martin Lel play, and his first goal was sheer brilliance! Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister, was unable to attend, though he did offer to turn up between 7-8 AM to grace the event, but the deal was he had to play soccer to receive Ronaldo's signed shirt, so instead I gave the shirt to Ruth Mueni, the captain of the women's team and a dear friend of mine. She will hang it in the community center there.
So many amazing stories to tell about this event, and some of the most amazing Shoe4Africa footage I have ever seen... coming soon! (PS: Lornah & Pieter saved me some cheesecake and it was fab!)
12/08b
"Hilary punches harder than you!" This before my black eye. Hector is one of the most famous boxing trainers on the East Coast and a really nice guy. In fact all the boxers I met this morning were great. The inset is an article where Hilary thanks Hector for helping her get the Oscar.
12/08
Today, before I fly, I am going to the famous Gleason's gym in Brooklyn. Where Hilary Swank went to train for Million Dollar Baby. In fact I am going to meet the famous trainer, Hector R. He says that he is also going to give me a boxing lesson; hm, a black eye for a red eye flight?
I went in to the supermarket, and standing at the express line I bumped into Venus the checkout lady, she looks at my German Christmas cake and beer and says, "Again?" Okay, I am not going to win any creative cooking classes of late, in fact I don't know what is wrong, I keep on saying 'when I go to Kenya I'll' or 'when I get back to NYC I'll' but the truth is this year I have been stuck in a mode that, unless I eat out, that dinner is urm beer and cake, and the whole cake too (Gotta get my calories). 
But speaking food Lornah won a cheesecake in Holland yesterday when running a race, so I told her that she has to bring it to Nairobi as we are meeting in the airport! Sleepy Sylvia was second - Lornah ran 48-mins for the 15k, and Sleepy was 49-mins.
Fatbellied restaurant eating - PT 212, I tried a new dessert, a trio something. I had just eateb a Stollen loaf (German Xmas bread) before I went out, so I was looking to a light way to end my meal (Chef Thai salad, Fun roll & a fantastic roll), well it was unusual, well made, and sadly took away the taste of my five heinekens (always my preferred after taste as I never drink coffee after 8pm, as I never drink weak coffee). Point of knowledge; did you know that an espresso has half the caffeine of a regular cup of coffee.
Met my Fave weatherman in CP over the weekend, Mr. G. We were chatting about whatnots till Michele came, and we went running.
I went to Isabellah's on Friday, I had thought that the lack of good table bread was a temporary move, but it appears it is a fixture! Too bad, I liked this place. The staff are really accommodating, the desserts not bad, and the food on par with Columbus Avenue. I say that in the way that you are not disappointed eating here, but you don't feel for yelling about the place.
Kyomi running a great Tokyo Marathon!
Baringo Half--Vincent Loritam 62:06.4
2. William Chebon 62:23.2
3. Cosmas Kigen 62:34.5 W-15k: Agnes Kiprop 50:55
2. Joan Ayabei 52:13 Some great results on a tough course.
So now I am off again to Kenya. Five days after returning no less. I am flying with Tony on British Airways (his first time in coach ho ho), also George is coming (Chairman of the NYRR)"And so this is Christmas and what have you done" John Lennon. Wow, what a year, 2008. I start the year over in Kenya, over again. In 2008 it was no happy new year to be sure as I sat in a room with a few others listening to the news that a mob of thousands had burned a church packed women and children who were cooked alive twenty miles down the road. It wasn't a happy new year for the woman and her five children who arrived the day after, who came running and hiding at our camp as her home had been burned and she was from the 'wrong tribe', or for Lucia, who also was at the camp keeping low profile right on the heart of the area of the worst ethnic violence, her crime being born from the Kikuyu tribe.
It wasn't a happy new year when the police and army came and escorted our 'foreign' friends with machine guns to the airport to take them back to Europe. Or when Pieter and I had to escape through the corn fields after thinking the mob was coming for us, when the only word to be heard was Kill. Or as I nearly got plucked out of the land rover at the road block by a drunken mob that was intent on tribalism, rioting, and looting.
Back in USA, in the Spring, it was not a happy new year thinking about all the refugees who were suffering back in Kenya. Whose lives had been changed so radically and drastically over a period of hours. A guilt thinking about what I had, and what they did not. Thinking if there is religion in this world, then why is it always the god damn poorest who get to suffer time and time again the most?
It was a better New Year when in March I got 600-schoolkids to march with Olive Branches behind about 42-world class athletes led by Douglas Wakiihuri (Kikuyu) who we'd quickly got out on December 27th of Iten back to Nairobi, and Luke Kibet (Kalenjin) who'd been knocked unconscious during the clashes, holding the flag of Kenya and bringing joy back to Iten. Where athletes came from all over Kenya, (many not having seen each other since the 1960's!) to show that Runner's bring Peace, and unification was possible through sport.
It was a good year when we held a Peace race up in the heart of the Nandi Hills, where a child walked for four hours barefoot to come and take part in a race because they had missed the Peace Run in Iten and wanted their voice to be heard. Where Martin Lel and Robert Cheruiyot stood on top of the world and inspired a new generation to get running. And Moses Tanui made it a must to be there to support the cause, as he has for every single Shoe4Africa event I've ever held (the only person to do so).
It was the best of the year when I got Hill School, Eldoret to give me their school kids and we marched together up the road to the largest Refugee camp in the Rift Valley where the refugee kids who had been living in canvas tents for five months waiting upon waiting and nothing ever happening, greeted them, shook hands, received a T shirt, and we had a Peace Run throughout the camp with 20,000 camp dwellers looking on observing the Kids running for Peace. To see former World Record Holder Ben Jipcho a Kalenjin legend, who was crippled when shot in the clashes, arm in arm with John Ngugi, who had driven up from Nairobi to be a part of this event and is perhaps the most famous of the Kikuyu runners.
It was a personal highlight when I saw one school girl from Eldoret hug a girl from the refugee camp and clutch her hand tightly. They ran the whole race together as such. That was a meaning beyond the wildest dream that if the leaders of tomorrow are listening then the future to come, for Kenya, is bright.
But it was a sad year again when I put on the Murala Peace run at a refugee camp and heard the many sad stories of the dramatic changes of more people's lives, and the sad reality that this was not a temporary life change and help was coming - a canvas tent and hunger would be the certain future. Hope was fading. The people in the camp had be told their fate, there was no longer any hope that help was coming; it was not.
When I left and a young girl ran up to me after the race, she did not ask for any material object for herself, but with the age beyond her pre-teen years she selfishly wanted nothing more than I take a message back to America to let "People know we are suffering here, hardly eating food for one meal a day."
A girl from the refugee camp, and a girl from Eldoret, come together, and run for peace.
For many other reasons the year was fab, the release of my fourth book, MORE FIRE, the nice award that Runner's World gave me, and the fun stuff earlier as being their reality coach with Valdi, Deb n Kate, also being the coach of the super 250 Team Lifeline runners who raised a million for their charity down in Miami, the great bunch of the NY Flyers who I look forward to seeing each Tuesday night, and the fantastic fun FIT team who give me more laughs per mile, not to forget my individuals who never cease to amaze me with their drive. The honor of jumping into Kenneth Cole's Awearness Book. My Board involvement with the New York Road Runners, who celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2008, and with the Achilles Track Club who are 25-years behind celebrating their 25th. Being the race director for the H&P and having the Governor of New York State coming to run in my event; a man who embodies that having a disability does not hamper ambition (Blind). I mean I think of all the good people I have met, talked to, hung out with this year, mind boggling. Those people who made a huge part of the year for me. I have always been blessed in having a lot of really nice inspiring people around me.
Nevertheless, when I look back on 2008 what can I remember more than a day in March. A hot day when the sun was burning my face and I decided to visit the remains of the church I wrote about a couple of paragraphs above. The Kenya Assemblies of God Church in Kiambaa. A random field a couple of kilometers off the main road that goes all the way to Uganda. All the surrounding small houses had also been burnt down, even the trees scorched. Walking through the rumble that remained with a man who had lived in the area he picked up a burned head scarf and elaborated, "This belonged to a Sister, she was eighty years old. I knew her, she was a most giving woman." I looked away at the time as I do now, and keep seeing other reminders of that horrific day, a shoe belonging to a child, it was still tighly laced, and half of the shoe was completely burned to cinders, leaving much to the imagination.
If I had thought I had seen the worst of it I was wrong. "Talk to that lady there." In the daze I had not noticed another lady who had come to the barren area. Grace, who had walked from Eldoret town to revisit the site, was our sole companion, "Talk to her, because she was inside the day it happened."
Standing amongst the remains of charred bones, fresh flowers, and burnt possessions Grace told me the saddest story I had ever heard; How on January the first, around midday they had seen a huge mob on the horizon screaming, cursing, and coming closer. It was not the first time the area had been attacked in the last couple of days. Houses had been burned, people had been chased, so much so that most of the villagers had left their homes to take refuge in the church, a place of historic safety.
Not this day, as the mob approached, and started lobbing stones, firing arrows, the villagers fled with the women and children going to the church. The mob surrounded the church, firing arrows so that the women and children stayed away from the main entrance. Youths dragged the mattresses that had been placed outside the church for the homeless to sleep on, they stuffed the entrance with the mattresses, soaking them with gasoline that had been brought obviously with the sole intent of arson.
Then the church was set on fire.
When finally the roof collapsed and the door burned down there came an escape route. However most of those who did escape were set upon by the machete wielding mob. Grace escaped, but suddenly realized that her child, little Miriam, was still inside. So she grabbed a shawl and wrapped it round her head to stave off the smoke and dashed back inside the burning church.
By the grace of god she found Miriam, and one can only imagine the relief she must have felt. She picked up Miriam and made for the doorway. Right by the doorway some woman, who was confused, grabbed her skirt and hindered Grace. Quickly the mother reacted, she threw her three year old child to safety.
Sadly out of the flames was into the hands of the mob. Some youths lurched forward, they picked up Miriam and threw her into the blaze where she burnt to an early death. A child who had not even tasted the joy of going to school.
It is impossible even to write about the thoughts that were going through my head. Imagining what this poor woman had been through, and even what was happening to her now. No counseling, therapy, no possessions, she was stuck inside a white canvas tent; sans her daughter. "There is a meaning for this, God will answer. What is this madness for? There is a reason." That is what she told me with tears shining in her eyes.
My head was spinning, it would last for days, but on that day I went to Moses Tanui's restaurant and got a proposal for a children's hospital. There was a visit to the local hospital and finding a child who had been caught in the church, a phone call to my good friend Tony Edwards back in New York that led to the decision to try and do the project, to build the largest children's hospital in Africa.
But that was not the end of the year, far from it. It was also a year when I reflect back to 1995, when I was first in Nairobi and walked into Kibera, the largest slum possibly in the world. I was living in Stockholm, Sweden trying to be an athlete and seeking a new experience coming to Africa. Wow, I was not ready for what I found then either. In Kibera I stayed for nearly two weeks in a place where, on the surface you see despair, disease, and disaster, then, like the blooming of a flower, as you stay and listen with your eyes, you see the real functioning vibrancy that is people as a people. A magnet of connectivity where people rely on the goodness of people, where people's ability to rely on Trust Funds, wealth, or even Government handouts is a space aged pipedream. Where if you make your own luck in life then you are starting from three noughts below zero, and the norm is looking across at a dump of the poorest people in Africa and seeing other people scavenge amongst that dirt as the options of survival say so.
So, here, in the middle of trying to do the biggest project I can imagine, and get a $15-million dollar hospital built there is a happening in Kibera for 2008. An event with 5000 African women plus, most of whom have been lucky if they had four years of schooling, most who never have a shilling in their hand to spare beyond the bare poverty survival. (Kenya - The Per Capita income is $330, and for 92% of the population it is $70, and for Kibera it is pennies).
And Kibera is coming along. In November I moved back into the slum, staying in the Makina district with a Nubian family, and feeling the rich bond that had made Kibera the most unforgettable place back in 1995. Although as I write it has not happened, the Kibera event, I have the confirmation that the Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga (Kenya's equivalent of Obama) is coming to attend the event. Wow. Words can not really describe 2008 for me. So now I depart for Kenya, and won't be back in NYC till the second week in January taking George Hirsch, a dear friend of many years, and Tony, along, I really feel I am going to complete a most wondrous year, no matter what happens! Have a super appy Holidays!
My unrealistic dream for 2009? That 1.5-million people donate $10 each and the hospital is built!
12/05
Wrapping up the year. Today I am fighting the unexpected charges of $10,000 for storage fees (recently updated to $16,017). This Kibera event is turning to being very expensive! Also it took me half a day to get nowhere, still no closer to finishing up. It is extremely hard to do business in NYC concerning Kenya. So instead I went to designing the program for the day. Etc. sorting bags, etc, getting stuff ready for the next trip, on Monday coming.Today I also have a bank meeting too, to discover how bad my finances are. My new banker promises to have a poker face throughout our discussion, she says she is good at not facially giving anythign away, that is before she looked at my portfolio eh?
In the meantime, here are some nice pics of shoe distributing!
12/04
Back to NYC life style. Went for a run with Tony in the park, then back to his house for breakfast before we went for lunch at Girasole, a great place where the food is fab. I had crabmeat salad for a starter, Penne Girasole for the main course, two pieronis and a ricotta cheescake, plus they give you a bruscetta and an anti pasta for the table. We were meeting Elizabeth. Thereafter I went to download all the films from Kibera from the flipcams.KENYA: 9-days till Kibera. The countdown has begun! 5000-women to run through the largest slum in Africa, perhaps in the world, right in the deep heart of the slum. Last night I saw a program on Television about Kenya, How the presenters went to the Masai Mara because they needed a �distraction� from the poverty of the Nairobi slums. So there you go.
Not me. Funny how people can even fly off to a safari after seeing what you see in Kibera � the price of the fuel for their little plane is enough to send half of Kibera to school for six months is NOT the point, the point is I can't believe people could wish to leave the place as the human connection in Kibera is so strong it is painful to leave, it tears your heart. If you have to leave the country yes, but to go and see animals?
Meet David; for the amount of a cup of Starbucks coffee he can pay his school fees for one month. When David�s sister earns enough money in Nairobi he can go to school, when she does not he sits out a month. Last year he was lucky enough to make about four or five months. The other months he just sat at home. This is reality, he does not feel sorry for himself. Meet Rukia, she moved away from Kibera to study in Uganda, now she is back. Her dream? She wants to study law. Why? To give her people in the slums land rights. Rukia has been dreaming for a long time about this, it is our goal to make it happen. If you want the short cut look at this. The British invaded, took over the country, the First World War started, Kenyans were recruited to be basically be cannon fodder and waste german bullets. The ones who were lucky enough to survive came back to Nairobi and were given an area of land to live upon. This area became known as Kibera.
Strangely enough the land was never given in a title deed. Today if you find a bulldozer moving your hut, well that is life. Rukia wants to change that; she wants to study law to fight for those land titles that should have been given.
Meet Clinton, I don�t know how old he is, but he is young. Ask him what he wants and he is not asking for a Wii or a move out of Kibera, despite being younger than 12 what he is asking for is better health for the younger children. Older than his years he is not saying �Help me to get out of here� or �Can you give me money� No, he is saying it breaks his heart to see that just for a birthright the younger children are suffering from ill health.
Reminds me of the latest thing: �Africa does not need Aid, it is hindering their progress.� You will always find people saying this kind of thing who have a way out, who have a plane ticket to get out of their situation. If you see a child, or an adult, needing help, do you ask them something or is your instinct to help them? A defining factor on the globe is some people need Aid, others don�t.Back to Kibera. After spending a couple of days in Nairobi I could not help but move back to Kibera. Kibera a place where I lived in 1995 for a couple of weeks. It has changed a lot, grown tremendously. It is still considered one of the most dangerous places in Nairobi, it is still home to the poorest of the poor.
But poor is rich. To see Kibera from a �Look in� view, like the TV show, is not showing real Kibera. Imagine a dead body wrapped up on a bench, imagine music blaring all night, people dancing, the poor coming by and trying to drop a coin in the cup, so they can bury the body�this is Kibera life. Look inside another house, everyone is laughing. The people are eating with their hand, by choice, they are coming together. Someone comes into the house (terms) and borrows a cup of sugar, another walks in and sits to eat a handful of food.
During the pitch of the night it is like a ghost town, although the houses and huts are rundown, they are functional but give a look of desertion. The smell remains clear day to night, but the light is what defines Kibera at night. We walk near midnight, shadows creep, wild dogs slink by, and you truly realize that there is no difference from any other place, but for birthright.
My only accident staying there during the week was I was bitten by a parrot of all things. One of the fun things? I found a dog that had been named after me! I did not believe it till I visited the home and the little daughter, Umi, refused to believe I was called Toby because her father had named the dog Toby.
The race; how to organize a race there? This has been a challenge indeed. Let�s see what happens first, but it is promising to be great. The course is to die for.
12/03
Back in NYC. Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I missed a flight where it was 100% my own doing. Blame starbucks coffee! And terminal 5. Any road I made it back and have lots to tell. The night of leaving nairobi I went out for a Japanese with Starbucks and Simba (who is racing in Holland this weekend against Sleepy Sylvia).The trip to Kenya was purely amazing. I lived for most of the week in Kibera. The watchmen at the apartment complex where Lornah & Pieter have an apartment in Nairobi could not believe it, "You have a beautiful apartment here, why on earth are you going to the worst place in Nairobi to live??"
Therein lies the hidden beauty I hope will be exposed with the Flip project! More than that the Kibera project is coming along great (the race itself) and it was wonderful to hear the Prime Minister announcing on the BBC that he will be attending.
11/26
In Nairobi, back soon. All is going really well, and it is fun hanging out in Kibera again. Imagine I found a dog named after me from a previous visit -- that was a highlight. Doing a race in Kenya is very different from doing one in the USA, and doing one in Africa's largest slum... let's just say I have a few unique challenges! But, it is turning out so far, so good. Lots of fun stuff happening, and despite all of everything I am even running each day. Tonight I am going back to sleep in Kibera (the slum), something I have not done since 1995. Who knows, maybe I can find my old shack. I was walking about the other day, completely lost in the maze of all the little passageways when I saw a definig picture, it was too good to be photographed (an excuse for not having my camera). Also I have a fantastic course for the run, it will be some picturesque event, I hope... Anyway, airplane crashes pending back in NYC next week.
11/19
The Simba eats, I work... ah, the tough life.
I made a bad clothes decision day today (I can hear Tony�s wife Jeanine laugh if she were to read this), I was lingering in bed and I heard 47. I thought it was 47-degrees. R2 told me that was the predicted high for the day. In a sweatshirt in Central Park at 6:40 In a sweatshirt in Central Park at 6:40-am in the morning at 32-degrees -F was not the smartest move on the chess board. Alem, the Ethiopian coach who can teach you some amazing things about running if you spend time and listen to his techniques & ideas, was jumping around with fast feet, �These feet once used to run a 29-minute 10-km� � I told him I knew what he meant, but now we are running 29-minutes for the 5kms. It did not get warmer as the day progressed � I went down to meet Global at Ess-a-bagel for lunch and a natter. The wind whipping a chill beyond an ice-stick. I needed a few cinnamon bagels to get my self back into gear to get back uptown.
In the PM some more freezing as I was out coaching the Flyers, we had a good session, thereafter I went to Tony�s house for dinner & to say goodbye, although we are going for lunch today� So I am off, like a leaf in the wind, to Africa again. How I wish Richard Branson would get a direct flight there, as he looks like the airline able to do it. Can�t understand why you can do Washington to Addis, but not NYC to Nairobi! Politics aside, funny to think that soon it will be too hot instead of too cold. How the world turns huh?
11/18
�Oh, and your book just keeps getting better and better.� Thanks to Amby Burfoot (Boston 68 winner & he of much writing fame) for his nice words. Also I was at the gym this morning before my day and Ari walked into the shower rooms (no less) with a copy of my book, �The thing I love about this book is all the great antedotes.. I have just read this�.� MORE FIRE.
Man what a day, talk about working from dawn to dawn. In the morning trying to sort out all the stuff via email to Africa etc. then I went over to Tony�s where we set up 40-little video cameras. Lunch was at Girosole on 82nd. (They do a nice ricotta cheesecake) and Sole filet, a couple of Pieroni�s, Bruscetta etc� Then we had a phone conference for the S4A financials. Then it was straight to that little coffee shop on 73rd ST Quaddrono where we met David from Kenneth Cole Awearness. They would not let us drink just coffee, so we had to promise to eat to get a table. Funny thing, I ordered a dessert, �The biggest & tastiest� was my only request (okay I did say Cheesecake first chocolate second)... So much fo the rush, it took an hour to get there (and it arrived sans cheesecake or chocolate but at least sizewise it was okay). In the meantime Katie arrived, then Jessica, then Mary, so we had quite the busy table. Then I went home answered about 300-emails more. And then rushed off to give my Team Lifeline lecture. Forgot to mention the day begun 14-hrs earlier with a run with Masami and she�s taking me for a boxing lesson! Youch. Albeit at the famous Gleason Gym where they can transform you into being a Million Dollar Hillary (the Swank y'see) with Hector the famous trainer out there.Meanwhile out in Chicago Suzanne Afro Engo, the self proclaimed Black Forest Gump, ran into town ending her journey, and met Oprah we hear.
Jamjar, Last year�s Amsterdam & Kass FM marathon winner.
Tokyo Marathon--Yoshimi Ozaki 2:23:30
2. Yuri Kano 2:24: 27
3. Mara Yamauchi (GBR) 2:25:03 (Our fave, and a Shoe4Africa Ambassador)
4. Yoko Shibui 2:25:51
5. Salina Kosgei (KEN) 2:30:34
6. Svetlana Zakharova (RUS) 2:30:42, 9. Derartu Tulu (ETH) 2:36:47 & super dooper Kyomi representing the Upper East Side in 3:21! Passing 249 people int he last 20km.
Loads of good comments coming in for More Fire, I know in time this will become a classic of the running libraries--thanks for all who have written in with great comments, mucho appreciated.
Gosh, Kenya in three days, time to panic as I am not prepared as usual. Going to do the stuff for the most amazing race I have tried to do. Maybe the world�s largest slum, who knows as no one is counting, certainly Africa�s largest. A place where I lived a while back in another lifetime (yup, I have had quite a few odd zipcodes throughout my time) but the whole astonishing concept is now going to come to surface. My idea about Kibera; everyone stands on the edge and says �OMG, what a place.� We get that view. With the help of FlipCAMs from Puredigital and with the editing of Jesse Dylan (Bob�s son) who did the huge Will I. Am. Video that may have been a turning point as it was Obama�s �losing� speech that showed his winning character along with awesome editing that won the �new votes� of America, I will be working with panzy, catherine and the other ladies of the slum to bring you their story. I want to bring the side that shows you the organic life, the intricate links of human survival and rising spirit, the More Fire of a place called the hell-pit of Africa. I want to show you the love, warmth, and the bonds that make this place (strangely enough) an incredible place to live.I had planned to do a lot of stuff this weekend, but like most others, it slipped away, like water through the bushes. On Friday I went running in Central Park with Pirate, HotDog & Lavender. I was showing them the loop (HotDog knows it already). Lavender was wishing it was a mile shorter, Pirate was noting the yucky smells when you go under the bridges (too true) and Hot Dog was smiling at all the college boys that were running in the opposite direction.
Next up I had a meeting with Tom from Strathmore university in Nairobi. I can tell you about the project I want to start with this, the business school of Nairobi, or you�d think I am crackers. But it has something to do with a co-op, 5-year ownership, a huge tax write off, and a shoe factory in Kibera.
Saturday was supposed to be my productive day, I tried to phone Sylvia in Kenya but the phone was not going thru (soz �Via). I had a laundry day, and how I hate doing laundry before a meeting at Trattoria on 7th Ave. I was so fed up with carting all the clothes to the laundry, tumble, blah blah, I had a cheesecake as a starter, again as a main course, and five Heneikens. The waitress came over, �Would you like to order a dessert?� Big mistake, the double espresso tasted awful.
On Sunday I went to the races and saw Steph who is now settled in NYC & working at the UN instead of gallivanting around the globe �I�m looking for stability� she said. I saw Chubby wearing Arm warmers, �Selling them at the store, I�m a running Advertisement.�
Then I went church. Two weeks in a row. This is a personal thing for me. I never go to church usually. In fact I lived in America for 8-years and apart from weddings and funerals as they say. that I will be in Nairobi next Sunday will make me a sad absentee. I had fifty things to do, but somehow it became the biggest priority of the weekend to be there. Nothing to do with touch or feel. Something more. If I did not know better, but I do know better.
In the afternoon I was taking my team on an outing. Hotdog picked the meeting place, Times Square. Great; 10,000 foreign lunatics. I stood there as I arrived 10-minutes early giving tourist directions and advice. Pirate was the first to arrive, and when no-one else showed I told Pirate that she should send the other girls a text to tell them we�d meet them at the cinema. We got to the paying bit and what to do, no word. So we went in and as we were sitting down Leadership Kevia, HotDog, and Lavender arrived. Pirate had dressed up as Silver Finger fopr Halloween, in this movie she was �Do I have to go in oil next Halloween (you get this if you see the film), and our view was good acting by Bond but this one was a weak episode, more than a follow up to Casino Royale. Following which we went for Pizza. It was HotDog�s job to scout out a Pizza place, and do you think she had? Kevia had a good excuse as she�d been in her leadership classes for four hours. Luckily Pirate, who usually is great at spotting Bars, found a place. Then we went to Ben & Jerry�s for ice cream like any good running team should do. My assistant coach Princess Pegleg & Lucky Charm? They were missing in action, or MIA as they say in Bond movies.
I can tell you, weather pending, this record is going down on Dec 7th: In Holland Mestawat Tufa (Eth) 46:56, second fastest time ever; 5 km 15:55, 10 km 31:31
2. Martha Komu (Ken) 50:06
3. Gladys �The goat� Otero (Ken) 50:35�I was shocked to see the goat in there. Anyway, they missed the record, but watch out on Dec 7th!! The men�s race Kenenisa was trying to get Felix Limo�s record, but he finished 3rd overall (not good in a record attempt and also #1 missed the time too).Someone who was on time
Rashid Olympic Gold Ramzi.
11/14
A picture from the Book Signing night -- my wishes go out to Paul Nicholls, the founder of Team Continuum, who 'escaped' from hospital (he was not supposed to come because of the risk of affection) to come to the book signing on the worst weather night of the year. Well Paul is back in hospital, and last night was having a stem cell transplant in his fight against Cancer -- all power to ya Paul. A great man who I hope will be running the marathon in 2009.
I needed a hair tie today, sigh, I looked around the locker room at the Gym and realized, another bad hair day. I was on my way down to that little Italian Coffee shop caught between 5th & Madison Ave for the first meeting of the day. Good coffee and converse with two super dynamic people before shooting uptown for the next meeting. This whilst swooping by to sign a few documents� The second meeting was with a Business Analyst, Steve, about how bad the S4A props are (well he has not yet seen the amazing Biz plan I am working on). More Coffee left me fired up to climb mountains. Loadsa email coming now with the newspaper bits about ER etc. Sadly not all the donations of dollars I was wishing for, but there you go.The bash the other day:
Awareness book launch at the Kenneth Cole store in Grand central. Guests included Harry Belafonte, Lauren Bush, Kenneth Cole, Stanley Tucci, Diane Von Furstenberg, key speaker Rosario Dawson, and Matisyahu the the hasidic Jewish Reggae Hip hop artist. Myself I did recognize Kenneth, who I met a few months ago, and that was it.
I heard from Sally B today over in Kenya, she is soon off to India to run her first marathon; she�s been working hard, but the first is always a gamble. Sad to say I am going to miss Tegla�s race this weekend too, an event she holds up in Pokwot district way upcountry as they say.
Yesterday was a good S4A day as Tony was back on ER and he was kind enough to direct a lot of the publicity to the good cause!
Anyway, over to December, which is just around the corner, amazingly enough;
11/13
So some really great stuff happening�the guy who did the Obama Yes We can video, Jesse Dylan (Son of Bob) will be doing the Kibera video � this is a long standing dream of mine, almost 14-years old where I first went and lived in Kibera (Africa�s largest slum). Well next week I am out of here and back to the slum to make what I hope will be Kenya�s event of the year�it will mark a year since the violence and we are running for peace. The women of the slum will be running for peace. Flipcam�s will be capturing, for what I believe, is the first time for the people of Kibera to give their perspective about the slum during this happening. And where else are you going to see the Prime Minister of Kenya (related to Obama as they say in Kenya) playing soccer with Martin Lel against the women of the slum�
Food for thought, nothing more. I am reminded of Alicia Keys words, "If only people could see..." So please spend your $500 on getting over there and seeing the greatness you can do by going to Africa. So much goes so so far.
Shoe4Africa stuff: Ouch, I can hardly keep up these days. Answering emails alone takes about 4-hours a day. I spent half a day yesterday sorting out paypal, upgrading to a business account, filling out forms that we are not collecting or selling on line for sales, all crazy stuff. Lots of shoe donations interest coming in. Lots of stuff going on still with Kibera and the ports etc. the job list of all that has to be done over there. Sorting out the requests of all the people we are working with, the thank you notes for the donations. A million things that start swimming round faster, sometimes you just get crazy and think... argh. Especially when you do things in triplicate and they still need doing. In many ways the organization is growing much faster than the staff (non) ha ha. I was on the phone setting up a meeting and I could not even remember what day of the week it is! The only good news is that my business plan is expanding! An example�I still have not a clue if my T shirt order has gone through I put in the first week of September, I cannot get an answer from madame M.! Ah, not for profit stuff. Re-visiting old jobs that never get done, and you keep sending email after email. To make matters worse I was waiting in for a FEDEX delivery�by 6PM when it did not arrive I called FEDEX and they said �we tried at 1pm� � no door tag, no ringing the buzzer, and this is not the first time this has happened with FEDEX either� and UPS dropped a package off at the exact same time, very suspicious�obviously the guy either did not come, or rang the wrong buzzer. The one pain of not having a doorman building. The only good news, is a great meeting with General Electric!
Last night I was at the Kenneth Cole AWEARNESS party, lots of people there, actors, film star people and the such. He is doing some good stuff by bringing all these energies together.
11/12
Ah much to tell, but today's story was check out the desserts alone at palm on Second Avenue @ 46th ST is it? I should ask Mr Geography Tomster who said it was 802. The starter was the Lobster Bisque, good but nothing to shout about. The main course, hash browns (so so), sauteed spinach (nice) and Salmon (excellent, best I have tasted all month)... and for th dessert, picture coming tomorrow, the Carrot Cake -- for the very first time in history I asked for a doggy bag... and this from a guy who used to order "one of each" when they bought the dessert plate. All washed down with four Heinekens (I actually wanted Guinness but they did not have any). The only odd & weird thing about this restaurant is it is 99% guys in suits... needs a few women desperately. And decorating too, but the service was good, I will add that.
I am thinking of doing a race in Central Park this weekend, it'll be my second NYRR race of the year. It is the Race to deliver, always a good race to do as it supports a great cause,and the distance is just right for a post run brunch... then I am determined to go to Church again this week. Nope, not looking for a loophole of where I have the express ticket, I just had a really good time last week.
Today (as yesterday) on the Today Show there will be a longer Shoe4Africa segment between 10-11 AM, or so I hear.
Thanks to TGV (a legend who I hope returns back to NYC from SD) who today donated $1000 to the cause!!
11/11
Sad news, for the ones left behind that Mama Africa, aka Miriam Makeba died on the ninth. A woman who had an amazing voice and a more amazing life, who stood up when you were supposed to sit down, who was the Iron behind the fight for apartheid.
Out to lunch; Tony and I went down to Rosa Mexicana today, but the place was shut, so we pedaled uptown again, and went to one of my rave, fave places: Buzzina Pop where you get great cuisine, tunes, and atmosphere. The tomatoes on a vine makes a great starter on a bed of cheese, then I went for the grilled sandwiches with shrimp, pineapple, guacamole etc, with a great side salad that goes with the dish. Today it was Pineapple juice and lemon juice instead of the usual beers. Again this place gets top marks: check it out, in the evening it is a great place to be (upstairs for dining, downstairs for the bar).
Prior to that I went to Kenneth Cole and got a free suit, thanks Kenneth Cole! What a nice guy.
Thanks to Keith from Ireland for the nice comments on MORE FORE, and also to Matt McCue ( a great upcoming writer in his own right).
Peter (who founded Ethos Water, known these days as the starbucks water) & Cara from the Sopranos.
Royal Dutch. Lornah early in the morning outside the UN.
The night before we had closed a restaurant down, Trattoria something on 56th & Seventh. She was getting the Abebe award.
Kenya Saga:
Celebrations are going on in Nairobi right now as the Olympic team is back in town. They have a lot of celebrations and parties for this as it was Kenya�s greatest ever Olympic result. There will be a celebration on Friday in Mombasa. I got an invite to Sammy Wanjiru�s party on Saturday in Nyahururu.Thurzday: I ran in the dark as I had a busy day and needed to get a jump start on the day. Following a breakfast I was out on the road stopping a Matatu to go to Kapsabet. Then I met up with Stephen and we took another car to the rural-rurals, to the house of Pamela Jelimo, the newly crowned Olympic 800m Champion. The Mother of Pamela greeted us, and showed us round.
Pamela Jelimo's Mom - a very proud mom!
She showed us where she gave birth and told us the story of Pamela's life. She watched the Olympics on a black and white small TV powered by a car battery in a small house in the most beautiful setting you could imagine. It is heaven up there. We then had lunch at Pamela's house with the coach who told us the running story.
Afterwards we drove to go and visit Julius Korir who won the sole Olympic medal in 1984 for Kenya - coincidentally a Gold medal. I raced Julius a couple of times in the early nineties on the track when I was starting out and he was on the fumes of his career. "I tried a half marathon and the thought of doing double that kept me off marathons!" he said... Anyway Julius is a counselor now, and a farmer - he showed me his Freisan cows. Story about Julius; Immediately after winning the trials in 1984 he was arrested by the military police for missing active duty, as he was in heavy training. They threw him in the cells. He thought he was going to miss the Olympics. After three days he was released, rush home to tell his family he was okay, then went to join the squad for Los Angeles- a story with a golden lining.
We dropped Mamma Pamela off back at her house after carrying a heavy car battery up the hill - the one she uses to power the house and & the TV, then we drove back to Kapsabet. On the way stopped off at Rodgers Rop restaurant/hotel - a fine place that is hopping at night.
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