Time for a run. Build up and race day

3rd day 

The eve of the marathon.

I started the day with a coffee and an interview with Ahmed, a social worker for street child based in Makeni. The previous night, he and some other workers took us on a night 'recky' of the area where kids are living rough, or young girls wonder the streets as call-girls. His words on the problem highlighted the social, cultural, economical and political levels of having so many displaced children without homes, eduction or guidance. 

He highlighted the impact of street child and exactly how it helps the problem. Ultimately it seems there is only so much a charity can do and there are many other factors that contribute to the success or failure of a venture such as this. Be as it may, he made it clear the importance of trying to strive for a better future for the sake of everyone, however great or small the outcome. 

It was all hands on deck for the rest of the day in all areas. Registration was mental. We spent eleven hours registering new people and ran out of a lot of stuff. That's got to be a good thing, that we had an unprcedented amount of people wanting to sign up, so the event must be growing, which will generate lots more fundraising. It also gave me a chance to meet a lot of locals. I've noticed in the last couple of days, that being a volunteer has almost forced me to absorb more of the culture and put me in a greater position to meet local people compared to if I was travelling to a country on my own. 

4th day- race day! 

Up at 2.45 am! I started work at 4 am to finish off the registration, then set about taking photographs. It was an amazing day, getting to document the excitement for the start of the race, seeing people 'come together' and a really big turn out, sitting in one spot and photographing the president, the winner, everyone who ran and anything in between. Certainly an opportunity I'll never forget and be thankful that I got to do it. 

The morning began with a nice cool temperature that I'm sure the runners were happy for. Everyone crossing the line was smiling; they received their AML (African Minerals Ltd) sponsored medal and some water. The great surprise for the day was the President running in the 5km run, prior to which no one apart from the team knew. It was fantastic to have his support for the cause. By about ten thirty a.m. the heat started to unfold properly, and as I changed positions and angles at the finish line, sweat beads were forming on my brow and the back of my neck and I began to feel sorry for the remaining runners slogging it out on the course. Not only were they running a huge distance, they were doing it on varying terrain in great humidity and under a burning sun. Suddenly running the London marathon. Seemed far more achievable than usual.  

During the pack down, lots of local children and teenagers remained to watch and talk to us. I made yet more friends and bumped in to others at the festival. bands, stalls, barbeque and some well deserved beers for everyone made it a really nice round up. The storm that lasted for an hour turned out to be a blessing for me as I got to take even more photographs of young boys playing football in the rain with runners and volunteers. Africa shoves itself up your nose, in to your ears, through your eyes and around your mouth. It's a very visceral place and none more exemplary of this was when I went out with my umbrella to protect my camera. 

'Snap me! Snap me!', children jumped at me, desperate to be captured in my little picture box. 

There was no shyness about them, only excitement. It was an amazing feeling for me to be able to do that and capture everyone having such a good time- the epitome of what we were doing out there. 

5th day

A write off due to rain. It felt like the day after Christmas, and the rain reminded us how tired we were. We travelled to Freetown, a place brimming with markets, salesmen and street vendors, lacking in street lighting and unfortunately rich in danger, slums and street children.