People have been talking about the Mountain race ever since we arrived, it's the event of the year in Buea. So finally it happened. The start point and finish line for the race is the stadium in Molyko. Most Sundays, that's where I am, huffing and puffing with the rest of the SUFA guys for a couple hours, until we call it a day and go and have a beer in Figaros. This Sunday though, SUFA left the stadium to the proper athletes and skipped straight to the Figaros and beer bit.
Hev and I got up early and went up to Upper Farms, which is where Buea ends and the mountain proper begins, to see the runners' ascent. We then joined SUFA in Figaros to witness the descent.
It was quite interesting watching the runners' progress on TV, then one approached us, popping out to the roadside, beer in hand, to cheer them on. They needed cheering as well, having ran up to the summit of the mountain and back, approx. 16 miles (we think...) not to mention the altitude climbed...
There were some very unstady legs wobbling passed us. One guy by the name of Joseph Shey Kongnyuy wobbled into the stadium looking very unstable, and his legs gave way yards from the finish line. He refused all help to move forward (which I think would have disqualified him) and shuffled to the finish line on his bum. It was a moving sight. We've heard that he finished fourth, just below the prize positions, but he has been awarded a CFA500,000 prize for endurance. He deserves it.
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