4.1.2009 by admin.

My training is going well but need to get some equipment and finalize travel arrangements – there is a possibility that I may travel to Tanzania by road with the other participant from Zimbabwe Ben Burr.

I also wanted to give you some info about myself and life in Zim as you have asked.

Well as you know I am 50 years old but still try to stay fit although it would be very optimistic to think I could come close to winning this event. However I am still quite competitive and hope to at least win the over 50`s category. I am married with a son and daughter in there 20`s who now live in London and 11 year boy and girl twins who live with my wife and I here in Harare the capital of Zimbabwe. My wife Jackie is a history teacher and teaches in the local girl’s school. I came to Zimbabwe (back packing) from England where I was born and brought up. I have a small business here selling and repairing agricultural machinery.

Coming from England my sport was always football but I retired from playing seriously when I sustained a head injury during a game about 5 years ago. From then I started long distance running. Twice I have competed in the 90 km Comrades Marathon in South Africa. For the last 2 years I have also been road and mountain biking and also doing some adventure racing and triathlons. My swimming always lets me down so am learning to swim properly now and incorporating it into my Kili training.

As for my adopted country as you probably know we have been going through difficult times over the last few years and it gets worse by the day. A large part of the population is starving and now due to the collapsing infrastructure we have a cholera epidemic with over a 1000 dead. It’s a very sad and depressing situation especially as it is caused by our own power obsessed political leaders and in particular Mugabe – yet another African dictator who will sacrifice his own people to stay in power. The tragedy is that the country used to be so prosperous and export food to other countries. However the politicians haven’t destroyed everything yet and Zim retains some of the natural unspoilt beauty it shares with much of Africa and one the best climates in the world. Life is not easy here but as with most countries in Africa we survive in a first world enclave protected from what the poor masses have to deal with. Even so the economic collapse has caused many Zimbabweans to leave the country and my own position is so precarious that I may also be force me to leave. However we all hope for change and a time again when tourists flock to see the wonders of Zimbabwe and maybe you bringing people here as you do to Tanzania.

I look forward to seeing you and the rest of the participants soon
Best regards
Paul

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4.1.2009 by admin.

After 21 participants from Denmark in the year 2007 we welcome 2009 at least one woman from Denmark: Pernille Hansen. She is also our youngest KiliMAN with 23! Good luck and a lot of fun!

Short in German: Nachdem im Jahr 2007 aus Dänemerk 21 Teilnehmer kamen begrüßen wir heute wenigstens eine Dame: Pernillle Hansen. Sie ist mit 23 auch die jüngste im Feld!

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4.1.2009 by Mario.

Bis dahin ist es noch ein weiter Weg und die Zeit rennt schneller, als man selber laufen kann. Ganz so aufgeregt, wie letztes Jahr bin ich nicht. Routine sollte man auch nicht aufkommen lassen, diesmal fallen ja die ganzen Impfungen weg, weil der Impfschutz ja Jahre hält. Deshalb erscheint die Zeit einen etwas ruhiger.(Wird Sacha unserer Fotograf nicht so sehen! Oder?) Im Sommer holte ich mir meine letzte der 3 Hepatitis-Impfungen ab, da der Dr. mich nicht richtig verstand und meinen gelben Impfausweis nicht richtig kontrollierte, haute er mir erst noch mal eine Tollwut-Impfung in den Arm. War schon ein komisches Gefühl nach einer kleinen Diskussion ging es ruck-zuck und im anderen Arm war die richtige Impfung! Es war ein schwarzer Dr., eben wie in Afrika. Noch geht es mir gut und vor Tollwut bin ich jetzt 20 Jahre sicher, eine Spritze soll 10 Jahre halten.

Das Training läuft gut und ich hoffe das Wetter spielt in den nächsten Tagen nicht verrückt! Ist nicht so sehr motivierend! Ich will es trainingsmäßig noch mal krachen lassen, schließlich habe ich mir nicht nur den Kiliman in diesen Jahr vorgenommen.

Die nächsten Zeilen und Bilder von unterwegs! 3 Tage Training stehen an!

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