The Legends Marathon scores high for runners

The inaugural edition of The Legends Marathon was largely a success as over 300 runners beat the sun up on Saturday to negotiate some of the hills of central Kampala.

Three-time Commonwealth Games champion Moses Kipsiro, Olympian Solomon Mutai and former athlete, sports administrator turned businesswoman Dr. Maggie Kigozi flagged off the runners at Nakasero Primary School Grounds on the warm morning.

No safety incidents

In the field, there were no recorded safety incidents while the stretching and dancing session after the run helped those that had any forms of strain start their road to recovery.

The 21km and 42km runners smoothly negotiated their routes without any major distractions.

The only slight glitch was with a few of the 5km participants, who turned down to the 21km route on Yusuf Lule Road instead of following arrows to theirs on Lourdel Road and Lumumba Avenue.

The 2012 Olympic national team captain, Ganzi Mugula, was one of those that had to do more as his running app showed he had negotiated 8.2km.

“I was running with Mutai but I reached some point and felt the route was longer and told him I was definitely doing the wrong one,” Mugula, a national record holding swimmer in his heyday and now a representative of athletes at the Uganda Olympic Committee, shared.

Well-organised

Everyone’s effort, however, was recognized with a participation Legends Marathon medal.

"Largely," Olympian Mutai said, “the route was largely well marked and I liked how the Police organised themselves to show us where to go, plus the efficiency at the waterpoints.”

Mutai’s sentiments were echoed by some of the lifestyle runners, who said this was the marathon that had the most hydration points. Crown Beverages, makers of Pepsi, provided the water and sodas. 

“For a first-time marathon, this was well organised,” said Thomas Mulengwa, a recreational runner, “We hope next year will be even bigger and better.”

Commissioner for Police Ashraf Chemonges, a retired runner who put in a 21km shift, also said he liked the hilly challenges.

Athletes get it

The annual Legends Marathon was initiated by Daily Monitor scribe, Andrew Mwanguhya, to help athletes across all sports disciplines with their transition from active days to retirement.

And the morning was also blessed with the presence of former cricketers Davis Karashani and Naomi Kayondo – who later took on master of ceremonies duties. Both ran 5km.

Rugby legends led by Alex Mubiru, Martial Tchumkam and Victor Wadia – who made a guard of honour at the finish line for most of the runners that finished after them blessed the event.

Squash and Badminton legend Christopher Musazi did 21kms, while former Uganda Cranes star Livingstone Kyambadde and former KCCA captain and now Proline director Mujib Kasule put in 5km.

These are perhaps some of the athletes that have managed to transition into a respectable life after sports but they are surrounded by colleagues that struggle to make ends meet. 

Legends welcome relief

The reverberating message from all of them was that they needed such an initiative to keep growing.

“Most of our colleagues that we speak to are depressed, some have turned into alcoholics,” Mugula said.

Kipsiro, who retired in 2014 but left motivated to join Chemonges and others in masters’ (40 years old and above) running, said they “need to empower each other. You are a star when active and you need to remain one even after retiring.”

Karashani, who was also celebrating his 37th birthday on the day, said that the “fact that this focuses on the longer part of our livelihoods as athletes and human beings, I had to be on board and I pray that this continues to grow”.

Way forward

The growth was noticeable on the day but it was beyond Mwanguhya’s gentlest dreams.

“I can say the first edition has been a success but one that we did with a lot of learning. I have to thank every Ugandan because they understood the vision and have been our biggest sponsors.

“Our target was about 500 people but we are happy that we probably hit over 300. Our last registrations happened even this morning and manually because we love to do things at the last minute,” Mwanguhya said.

The proceeds of the marathon that also received support in kind from media sponsors NMG Uganda, participating partners betPawa, and hydration backers Crown Beverages Uganda, are supposed to go to an Athletes Transition Fund. This Fund will remain open to all who would love to contribute to the cause. 

Some of the programs to be facilitated by this Fund include teaching sportsmen and women about financial literacy, helping them do coaching badges, sports administration courses, job placements for those who might be qualified, mentorship and mental health awareness. 

“We had no cash sponsors but got some good logistical support from our partners. Most companies we have explained this to get it, perhaps they wanted to see if we could pull it off first.”

Mwanguhya added: “We remain extremely optimistic. And please, The Legends Marathon is not giving handouts to athletes but we will have a board that will include athletes that will periodically look into what we can do to help.

“For example, basketball might be lacking coaches and we can look into empowering those retiring to get into that. 

“We are not experts in these things but we will partner with experts in different areas to help the athletes manage their transition. 

“Uganda Olympic Committee, for example, has already offered courses for retiring athletes through The Legends Marathon,” Mwanguhya revealed.

The other participating partners included Jeans Club, Vermillion Foundation, Uganda Revenue Authority and Bul football club.