By Paul Lacey

Welcome to Uganda Mzungu!

It’s been 2 weeks since my last blog post and as promised this will be a rather special one after my incredible week in Uganda!

Prior to my week in Uganda, training had been going very well and I won’t lie a part of me began to think maybe I should have entered a a flat, easy and cooler UK marathon and go for the fastest time I can. Did my trip confirm my doubts?

Hot and instant sweat inducing climate? Check. Unforgiving, hard and constantly undulating terrain? Check. Rugged and uneven dirt paths? Check. One of the most challenging race courses I will have ever run? Check. Did I wish I was on the flat, grey tarmac of London? Not for a second!

After a week of exploring and running in Uganda, I am totally in love. I have never run in a place that has simultaneously made my eyes bulge with wonder at awe-inspiring views, my lungs burn and legs scream in such fantastically testing conditions, and my face smile from ear to ear as local children run out screaming in uncontrollable excitement at a rather strange sunburnt, sweat soaked man, in slightly shorter than necessary shorts, running through their village. True, don’t expect to be able to run at the same pace as a flat, grey, tarmac marathon, but on the 24th of May, in the place where a handful of ancient primates decided to climb down from the trees and give this running around lark a go, all of us who have entered the UGM will rediscover why we love this sport so so much.

Uganda and Masaka

Landing Saturday morning in search of an African adventure, fresh-faced from London town, I was in for a full shot of raw unadulterated Africa. The feeling of organised chaos in Entebbe airport hit me instantly. It looks like chaos. It is chaos. But somehow (beyond my western perceptions) everything works. And it all works set upon a backdrop of simply the most stunning scenery I have ever seen, accompanied by the heart warming enthusiasm and charm of the Ugandan people.

I spent several days in and around Masaka – the venue of the UGM – and it is quite simply a perfect location for an international marathon and adventure. Big enough to find basic amenities and great food and drink venues (this may have hampered my training at times), but still small enough to retain its character and avoid the insanity of the bigger cities. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at the location of the Athletes village – actual wow!!! On high ground overlooking the town, with a secluded wooded path leading into the site, expect incredible views and the ideal location for all our running and ‘socialising’ needs. Something tells me the Sunday eve post-race celebration could be very special indeed. Little bit of fear….

Running in Masaka

I was expecting a gentle introduction to running Uganda style from the UGM team runner Ellie. Error. Big error. After my Saturday crash course in Ugandan cuisine (you must try a rolex!) and the local Nile beer, Ellie didn’t hold back one bit in taking me on a not so gentle 10 mile introduction to Masaka. This is where I painfully learnt the benefit of taking a hydration pack and a cap on runs. The following day Ellie raised the bar further with a 15 mile run including much of the route. Hills, hills, hills. Beautiful hills. If you’re coming out, I’d seriously recommend introducing hill training into your training plan – your quads (and soul) will thank you for it! Ellie introduced me to her own personal form of hill interval training: 6 x 90 second reps up a hill which, if I would have had a spare breath, would have been named with various expletives. I didn’t like Ellie during this session. But what a session – it was on this session that I really felt the impact of the altitude which, hitherto on the steady runs, hadn’t yet bitten.

For those coming out, expect the running experience of a life time, but also come prepared:

• Bring a hydration pack to supplement the water on course.
• Bring rehydration tablets. If you’re a sweaty individual like me, you will need to replace the salts and minerals you will be sweating out just stood around.
• Wear trail shoes to tackle the dust/mud tracks
• Invest in good quality sweat proof/sport suncream – ask my forehead about this.
• Wear a cap – again ask forehead about this.

Plan this week (Week 5):

Despite my thrashing by Ellie, my mileage last week actually slipped. This was as expected and fitted in quite nicely with a planned lower “easy” week. This week however, no prisoners. As I approach the beginning of my specific training phase over the next two weeks, I intend to peak in terms of raw mileage. The goal is a 70 mile week, including one 20+ miler.