My Marathon Experience
By David Lutaaya
Kampala, Uganda
December 3, 2008

On November 23, eight members of the EGPAF Uganda office competed as a group in the 10,000-meter portion of the MTN Kampala International Marathon. The marathon is the largest sporting event in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. The team competed in the race with the mission of increasing camaraderie among the EGPAF Uganda staff and raising awareness about pediatric AIDS.

November 23, 2008, was a great and memorable day for us at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation in Uganda. It was a beautiful Sunday morning with blue sky and cool weather, but not windy. The marathon started at 7:30 a.m. at Lugogo grounds in Kampala.

The EGPAF team poses for a photo before the race.

The race had three categories: the full marathon (42 kilometers), the half marathon (21 kilometers), and the 10-kilometer race.

I participated in the 10-kilometer race along with the rest of the EGPAF staff, including Uganda Country Director Willie Salmond. There were about 10 runners in our group and others were there to cheer us on.

Two weeks before the marathon, EGPAF provided us with running kits, running shoes, and the race map. When I joined in the race, I decided I would walk, run — whatever I could do — as there was very little time for training.

Two days before the marathon, I surveyed the route. The night before we went for the race, I could not sleep — I was awake at 4:00 a.m. I took a bath and listened to some Christian music, danced a bit, and said my early prayers. Then I proceeded to the starting point of the marathon.

I met my colleagues, including Mr. Salmond, who was also participating in the race, and EGPAF Senior Technical Adviser Dr. Cathy Wilfert with Mrs. Salmond, who came to see us off. Everyone was wearing yellow, as it was the official color for the event, and it would have been easy to miss one another if there had been no prior arrangement for a meeting place. I started warming up at 6:00 a.m.

We took some photographs holding EGPAF placards that spelled out, “Our Promise: A Generation Free From HIV.”

There were said to be 10,800 race participants, and if we include the well-wishers it was really an amazing sight.

I finished the race, despite the fact that I did not do the proper training; it took me less than an hour to finish. I have already started training for the next marathon. I thank EGPAF for providing us with running shoes and for the photographs we took as a team. I’d also like to thank MTN (the sponsor of the race) for such a well-organized event.

My name is David Lutaaya. I joined EGPAF on November 2, 2006, as a security guard. In addition to working at EGPAF, I am a community service volunteer, helping poorer members of the community, and also a Christian. I belong to a cell-based church, the Makerere Full Gospel Church, and I am a cell leader. I enjoy evangelising, sports, and driving.

Members of the EGPAF team hold signs communicating the Foundation's mission: "Our": Finance and Operations Manager Julius Mulindwa. "A": Operations Officer Mary Frances Awor. "Generation": Senior Driver J.B. Babigumira. "Free": Stores Officer Hilda Walusimbi. "From": Felistas Kauma. "HIV": Psychosocial Support Officer Catherine Nanyunja. "Promise": Country Director Willie Salmond. EGPAF logo (in back): Guard David Lutaaya. Behind Mary: Guard Robert Edyangu, the fastest runner in the group.