Defining moments come in many guises. Some present themselves in the ordinary; others in the less than ordinary. A defining moment for the summer presented itself at the Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January. My room at the Lodge overlooked the "savannah," with giraffes and zebras roaming about. I was at a low point, after having a personal crisis a few days before. The warmer weather helped lift my mood, as did watching the animals and fantasizing about being in Africa, far away from the difficulties I was dealing with.

As I stood on the balcony of my room one evening at dusk, I laughed and thought, Enjoy this, Freddi. It's the closest you'll get to Africa in your lifetime.

And, at the end of June, I stood outside my room at the Aberdare Country Club in Kenya, and thought to myself, Enjoy this, Freddi. You're living a dream. Life has a way of telling us about the future. We only learn that, though, when we look back.

By mid-March, my personal crisis had passed and life was good. And then it got even better when I read the e-mail about the possibility of going to Kenya to cover the Safaricom Marathon and Half-Marathon at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. The chances of being chosen for the trip seemed slim. Why me? Why not?

Only a few days before my scheduled departure, the US Embassy in Nairobi was closed because of threats of possible terrorism. People were strongly advised to stay away from Kenya. I remained steadfast in my decision to go. I was undaunted. And off I went, ready to live my African adventure.

All of the accumulated trepidation heaped on me by concerned family and friends melted as I walked off the plane in Nairobi. A gracious and friendly Kenya Tourist Board representative met me at the airport. Kenyans are among the warmest, friendliest people I've met. They have a wonderful sense of humor and want to do all they can to make your Kenyan experience top-notch.

Destination: Aberdare National Park
What a glorious ride from the Norfolk Hotel up the Mweiga hill to the lodge in Aberdare National Park. Warthogs and monkeys were playing on the golf course. Mt. Kenya was visible through the mist; the view was breathtaking. Peacocks and peahens were strutting by the patio. We were staying on a private game sanctuary. This wasn't Disney World. This was real. So real that, during our game walk, we were awe-struck at the sight of giraffes and zebras running together and antelope grazing. This was their home and we were the guests.

The evening gave us another kind of opportunity the chance to see the animals of the night, if we were lucky. Off we went in an open Jeep, with flashlight and guide, driving through fields, on rutted roads and rocks, intent on what we might see--eyes... bright glaring eyes...staring back at us, as the beam of light held steady. The sight was surreal and beautiful. And then the eyes moved and a cheetah stood and stretched. It was a moment frozen in time. And there was more to come.

The Ark is part of Aberdare altitude 6,400 feet. The animals are free to roam at will. The humans must stay inside, in the lodge, and watch; the reverse of a zoo. I stood on the deck of the Ark, and watched as a herd of elephants made their way to the watering hole next to my perch. There must have been 20 or 30. Water buffalo came by to drink, too. One minute the watering hole was free of animals, and then, as if out of nowhere, they'd descend. I was transfixed.

Lovely Lewa; The Safaricom Running with the Animals and for Them
Now we were about to begin the last leg of our adventure, the 55,000-acre Lewa Wildlife Conservancy where the marathon and half-marathon were to be run. The race benefits the Tusk Trust, a charity based in the United Kingdom. Bruce Tulloh, the race director, spoke to our group about the race and the Trust. Not only are the animals a prime concern, so is the Lewa community. Through the Trust, funds from the event go to schools, hospitals, and wildlife security, as well. Our group raised more than $20,000 for the Tusk.

Race Day
The start area was filled with people milling about, typical of any race, anywhere. I'll finally learn the secret to Kenyan running, I thought. I was running 5K of the marathon and then heading to the finish. My plan was to run from the back and to talk with some of the runners. I did have a bib number for security reasons. This may have been a race, but it wasn't just a race. We were running in a wildlife reserve and the wildlife had the right of way. The runners had to be tracked, not the animals. There were spotter planes overhead, ready to chase animals if any got too close to the runners. Guards dotted the course, too. Safety of the animals, both human and non-human, took top priority.

We heard voices over a loudspeaker. It was starting time! And off we went, running on narrow, rutted, dusty dirt roads, a steady stream of runners weaving their way through Lewa, being cheered and encouraged. The view was spectacular: a cloudless sunny sky, mountains in the distance, hills where giraffes were frolicking and zebras were running. There were countless hills and no shade from the African sun. The Safaricom Marathon and Half-Marathon are great testers of will, determination, and endurance.

As the field spread out, I began looking for runners who might be interested in some personal encouragement and a chance to tell their stories. There was Chris, who lived in Nairobi, having moved there from Great Britain. He'd been running for years and enjoyed coming back to Lewa for the marathon. And Theresa, running smoothly and easily. She had moved to Nairobi from Las Vegas to work for a large corporation. She told me that doing long runs in Nairobi was difficult, but she loved running there and loved living there. Another woman hadn't traveled as far. She lived in Nanyuki, much closer to Lewa, and was running the half. She'd done it last year and loved it and had looked forward to an encore.

At the 5K mark, I exited the course and stood by the aid station. This was where the runners looped back and I got to see the leaders. What added to the excitement for me was seeing the lead Kenyans running in their native country. They seemed to be at one with their surroundings, and their running looked effortless. The middle-of-the-pack Kenyans looked like mid- packers anywhere working hard, the effort obvious on their faces. The volunteers at the aid station began to be overwhelmed as large numbers of runners grabbed for the cups. I offered my help and it was gladly accepted.

By the time I got to the finish, the post-race festivities had begun. The food and drink were plentiful as runners and spectators walked and talked. I could hear snippets here and there: "It was so hot . . . the course is really tough . . . did you see the lion? . . . the volunteers along the course were wonderful . . . the course is amazing . . . it's a surreal experience and one not-to-be missed . . . I want to come back next year." People were tired and achy and hot, but they were thrilled to have conquered Kenya's Safaricom and helped the Tusk Trust continue its work.

The winners, as expected, were Kenyans: In the marathon--Calleen Areba (3:07:26) for the women and Simon Arusi (2:25:40) for the men. The women's winner for the half was someone very familiar to anyone who pays attention to the running scene, Catherine Ndereba with a 1:21:01. The men's winner was David Wachira, a Kenyan who lives in the United States (1:10:33).

Reliving the Moments
Our group gathered on the porch of the lodge. We talked. We laughed. We shared stories of our day. We were tired but we didn't want the day to end. The next day would see us heading in different directions, some extending their stays in Kenya, others, like me, heading home.

I carry my memories of Kenya deep inside. When life gets overwhelming, I focus on those memories, and again, I am transformed.

Kwaheri.

For information on traveling to Kenya, contact the Kenya Tourist Board, PO Box 59159, Minneapolis, MN 55459; (866) 44- KENYA; Magical Kenya. For information on the Safaricom Marathon, contact Marathon Tours & Travel, (800) 444-4097; Marathon Tours; marathon@shore.net