MARATHON PALAVER !

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 6TH AND MARATHON PALAVER It's an experience I wish to share with friends. The advert of the Lagos marathon colonised our TV stations for about a month and it never occurred to me that I was going to participate. Usually we've been advised to accommodate exercise and physical fitness into our living activities and I commenced jogging from Maryland to Ikeja Police college every Saturday morning since 2014 when I'm in town. My fitness team advised we join the 42KM marathon train so I registered. Little did I know that I'd just created trouble for myself. Eepa...haile Gebresellasie is a wicked man. He made MARATHON appear so easy. Woke up at 5am. Left for teslim balogun stadium at 5.30am. The entire ikorodu was cordonned off as well as most major roads in Lagos. We commenced the race at 7am as I appear so fit ( hmmn). From stadium- ojuelegba- fadeyi. It was a lovely experience, full of excitement, large roar of "keep moving", let's go. " Common", an atmosphere full of vigour, energy, mental alertness and will power filled everywhere. Passersby, by standers and well wishers chanting songs of support. A reminiscent of my endurance walk and camp activities during NYSC years back. At onipanu, we had the first casualty, a man passed out and my legs started shaking... Obanikoro- anthony,turn towards Gbagada,. each time we approached the refreshment stands, nothing was left and we just kept moving. At the foot of the 3rd mainland bridge I couldn't feel my legs anymore, I stopped jogging and started to trek. I could see mammoth heads in front and behind. Mobile ambulances were picking those who knocked out and BRT buses also picking tired legs. ( I never thought i'll work thru the entire 3rd mainland bridge in my life) guess what? I trekked it!!!, immediately after the ebute metta interception, I started seeing about 10 different 3rd mainland bridges..!!. a fellow marathoner put some glucose in my mouth and I could then see its just one 3rd mainland bridge. At the foot of the bridge so many runners sat on the floor, waiting for the next available BRT. I was almost joining them until a lady overtook me and I gasped.. A lady! No I must continue...We went thru Simpson bridge- Osbourne- Alfred rewane- Falomo. At Falomo I had swollen hands and feet. My toes were almost exploding out of my foot wear, finally I couldn't feel any part of my body till I started ascending the ikoyi- Lekki bridge which was 30KM. I couldn't hear anything again and suddenly I was looking at the clouds. Moments later I heard The word " O ti wa ok" inside a BRT bus!.I couldn't lift any part of my body. The bus took us to the finishing line at 42.1KM inside Atlantic city VI. I received my medal, certificate and light refreshments. At the finishing point, we were informed the winner a Kenyan, emerged at 9.30am while we got there at 12.30pm. BRT buses conveyed us to our various destinations and I walked home like a 99 years old. It was an eventful and fulfilling experience for me. I just woke up now for some aboniki treatment. Thanks. That's my story.... Yeeeeeeeeeee ese mi.