A 10KM SIMPLE PLAN

First thing off the list is to enlist friends to run with but if that doesn’t work suck it up and do it on your own. Incidentally you shall end up meeting people there that you haven’t seen in ages.

Second thing is not to drink alcohol for at least three days before, it would be best to have trained relentlessly for at least 3 months before but if it fails again suck it up and be ready for the pain that you will gain.

Third is to get to the location, getting there I think is half the battle as it requires one to wake up early, be mentally prepared, drank enough fluids, eaten breakfast… now for a nocturnal person such as myself all this is tantamount to torture!

Fourth step is to get a really good selection of music to listen to, I didn’t do this but I borrowed my housemate’s shuffle and great minds do think a like. The first song was one that gave me the impetus to go on it on my own ‘Snap your fingers, to the left… YOU CAN DO IT ALL BY YOURSELF” followed by a great selection of rock music; make sure you have BREATHE by Janet Jackson on repeat especially after the half point of 5 km.

The fifth thing to have is an agenda, I mean when you are at 2.5km and you can see the elite runners hit 7.5km on the other side you’ll need a plan to keep you going. Mine was simple, one foot in front of the other… alternate between RUNNING SLOWLY and WALKING FAST!

To sum it all up I made 10KM in under 50mins. Which for me is great, seeing as I didn’t train or prepare 100%. Next year, God willing, three months before I shall start training and aim for the 21KM; because what’s life without challenges? Despite the soreness in my legs right now, I feel exhilarated having started and done something for a bigger cause other than lifting my beer off the table (which apparently is also a workout) for the greater cause of EABL meeting their sales targets for the year!

Kudos to all that took part in the Standard Chartered Greatest Race on Earth and it’s affiliates. It was awesome being a part of it all.

I’M A GUARDIAN!

I’ve been taking those online tests and this is one of my temparaments at least according to The Keirsey^™ Temperament Sorter^®-II

 THE GUARDIAN

• Guardians pride themselves on being dependable, helpful, and hard-working.
• Guardians make loyal mates, responsible parents, and stabilizing leaders.
• Guardians tend to be dutiful, cautious, humble, and focused on credentials and traditions.
• Guardians are concerned citizens who trust authority, join groups, seek security, prize gratitude, and dream of meting out justice.

Guardians^™ are the cornerstone of society, for they are the temperament given to serving and preserving our most important social institutions. Guardians have natural talent in managing goods and services–from supervision to maintenance and supply–and they use all their skills to keep things running smoothly in their families, communities, schools, churches, hospitals, and businesses.

Guardians can have a lot of fun with their friends, but they are quite serious about their duties and responsibilities. Guardians take pride in being dependable and trustworthy; if there’s a job to be done, they can be counted on to put their shoulder to the wheel. Guardians also believe in law and order, and sometimes worry that respect for authority, even a fundamental sense of right and wrong, is being lost. Perhaps this is why Guardians honor customs and traditions so strongly–they are familiar patterns that help bring stability to our modern, fast-paced world.

Practical and down-to-earth, Guardians believe in following the rules and cooperating with others. They are not very comfortable winging it or blazing new trails; working steadily within the system is the Guardian way, for in the long run loyalty, discipline, and teamwork get the job done right. Guardians are meticulous about schedules and have a sharp eye for proper procedures. They are cautious about change, even though they know that change can be healthy for an institution. Better to go slowly, they say, and look before you leap.

Guardians make up as much as 40 to 45 percent of the population, and a good thing, because they usually end up doing all the indispensable but thankless jobs the rest of us take for granted.

LADY OF THE RING?

So five years later I finally removed my nose-ring. The once streak of silver across my nostril is gone and suddenly I feel lighter. Sadly thought I feel a part of me is missing. However, I intend to replace it soon but for now I want my nose to run free; no pun intended that is if you smelt one coming LOL !!!

DARK MYSTERY?

As I look at my new blog theme I wonder if it’s too dark; dark like in am depressed or not upbeat about life, dark as in heavy like my soul is worn down. But in reality my soul is free and my mind (though tired) is upbeat. I just liked the reminder of the sun about to peep out behind the horizon to announce the dawn. It’s a delicious mix of mystery & hope – hope that the day will turn out just fine.

CROWDS

by vee

Smothered
by the crowds I contend with
from point A to B
in all corners of Nairobi
the Railways, Odeon & Kencom crowds
eager to get home & spend their pay
they who in the morning
determined to make their way
walked in droves to the city
working finger to bone
to gain respect - not pity

Bothered
by the hawker crowds
peddling their wares
competing for wananchi stares
battling askari batons, riot police guns
& unsympathetic glares
from they of the so called elite
who would rather not see this riff raff
on their newly paved, freshly painted,
pothole filled, hawker-free streets
they who gobble the icing off the cake
proceed to lick the crumbs off the floor
leaving the masses to eat at each other
at 3am - thief banging on grilled door…

Perturbed
by the lets-circle-around-the-religious-looking guy crowds
who wait with baited breathe as he
chalks the next dooms day conspiracy
on the muddied pavement
Only for all to be distracted by
the “Mwizi! Mwizi!” crowds
always ready to beat civilization
into any suspected young man
who a short while ago
was rotting with frustration
as he reached out to her bag for salvation
but salvation came in the form of kicks & blows
how he’ll escape today…only God knows

Amazed
by these metropolitan people
of the green city in the sun
(& yes that was an intended pun)
they that just came from upcountry
they that will better their lives
come pharaoh-like hail or hives
they that walk tall & proud
they that won’t be put down
through high tide or low times
police bribery or tax fines
they that will run towards trouble
& overindulge in political squabble
those smothering
those bothering
those perturbing crowds…

I do love our Nairobi crowds

HERE IS TO THE S.A BOYZ

Ok now let’s all take a breather, pump the chest and then scream with me, “YIPEEEEE SOUTH AFRICA WON THE WORLD CUP!!!!!!!” Here is to underestimating the spirit of rugby both in the Southern Hemisphere and in S.Africa. Yep you heard me am not going to be obnoxious as proclaim that African rugby is where it’s supposed to be but I’ll say SA rugby is where we should all aspire to be. I give Namibia props as well for making it to the RWC, but c’mmon where are the Zimz, the Kenyans the Ugandans? We need to step up and take 15s like 10 notches higher before we can sing and dance about an African team winning the cup. Given that SA made a couple of mistakes but luckily the Roses didn’t pick them up and declare punishment; but that was a good defense esp on that “almost” try. Then there was Jimmy Jump… you don’t know who that is? Well that’s the chap who after halftime decided to come give his team some morale! But alas he was tackled off field by security. Other than that it was a kicking and penalty game, an ok culmination to a great tournament. Now we go back to soccer, premiere leagues et al! URGH!

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME…

I am always ready and willing to try something new this passed weekend tried my hand at rugby announcing. All this despite the thought of holding the microphone and hearing my voice across the whole stadium rooted me like super glue to my bed as I re-thought my promise to a friend that I would be there by their side announcing the scores as the tournament went along. My first thought was that it would be best that I was inebriated to make it through the task but I realized that was a very alcoholic thought.

Yet with good cheer coupled with merriment & lots of support, I made it through, but not without a few monumental mistakes, which made spectators esp. in the Harlequins booth to turn at me like I was a lion in a gazelle’s pen! Ai lakini it wasn’t my fault; first I used to support Mean Machine a few years back and I swear I didn’t see them walk off the pitch after a whole 14 plus minutes of a game (I must have thought I was watching 15-asides). Truthfully, however, I was almost falling asleep seeing as I had to be up early; but for the love of the game…. that’s no excuse. So here is to new experiences & good times!

EVENTUALLY EVERY FLOWER DOES BLOOM…

A long time friend of mine who has been a writer & a poet for as long as I can remember finally started a blog CRYSTAL BALLS.

I remember when I started my blog a mere two years ago, I was super excited and couldn’t wait to log in and see what comments people had left and to edit things I’d written the day before. But back then, I had only two friends to rely on for comments, which they rarely gave mainly because when I got home I would regale them word for word what I’d written on my blog. After a while I was disheartened and gave up writing for a year! I was back with a bang however when I realized that the ink in my blood wouldn’t let up!

So here I am, giving props to those that start on this journey, to you I say Bon-voyage… because it is after all a journey; not a physical journey mind you but a journey of both the heart and soul.

PHENOMENAL WOMAN

by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I’m not cute or built to suit a model’s fashion size
But when I start to tell them
They think I’m telling lies.
I say
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips
The stride of my steps
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please
And to a man
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees
Then they swarm around me
A hive of honey bees.
I say
It’s the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth
The swing of my waist
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can’t see.
I say
It’s in the arch of my back
The sun of my smile
The ride of my breasts
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say
It’s in the click of my heels
The bend of my hair
The palm of my hand
The need for my care.
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That’s me.