Conquered the Comrades and triumphed in the Two Oceans? If you’re addicted to gruelling tests of endurance but feel a bit jaded and in need of a new challenge, look no further. The newest spot to test your marathon mettle is just a hop across the Mozambique channel in Madagascar.
The Giant Jumping Rat marathon, run in Menabe’s Baobab Alley combines a challenging run with breathtaking sights and arguably the most supportive spectators on the planet.
The route follows a rich red earth road (newly graded, to minimise the risk of breaking an ankle in a pothole), which winds through rice paddies in startling shades of green, ponds strewn with pale pink water lilies and tiny hamlets whose amused inhabitants shout encouragement at runners.
While motorbike-mounted outriders clear the way for runners, the usual traffic — on what is essentially the district’s main drag — continues, with families strolling along under brilliantly coloured umbrellas, slow moving zebu (cattle) carts trundling to market and the odd taxi-brousse (bush taxi) filled to capacity with passengers who cheer delightedly each time they pass a runner.
And for those who enjoy the ambience, but don’t have the legs to run a full marathon, there is also a half marathon and a 5km run.
This year’s relatively small field was dominated by Malagasy and American athletes, with about 57 foreigners competing, but runners are spreading the word and predict the race will soon be a fixture on the international marathon calendar.
There is a growing band of international runners who combine sport and sightseeing to compete in marathons all around the globe. The hardiest of these have run marathons on all seven continents — from Venice to the Great Wall of China, which led to some interesting arguments about whether Madagascar should count as an African marathon or should be seen as a bonus eighth continent.
Another draw card for runners from northern countries is that the race is run in their summer vacation, which also means that it is winter in Madagascar. The temperature at the coast is a balmy 28 degrees Celsius with low humidity — a boon in a country that can be searingly sticky in the hot season.
The giant jumping rat or Vositse (onomatopoeically pronounced vhoost) in Malagasy, found only in the nearby Kirindy forest, is the mascot for the region and the locals are very proud of it. The Western runners weren’t so sure and there were some mutters about changing the name to the baobab marathon (apparently a race named after an overgrown, agile rodent can be a bit off-putting).
For Thom Gilligan, who runs Boston-based Marathon Tours and organises Antarctica Marathon, the name doesn’t really matter, the race is the great adventure: ”Madagascar certainly ranks high as an adventurous destination and appeals to those looking for a no-frills vacation combined with a curiosity for nature and a unique culture.” He plans to bring at least 50 American runners to the race next year.
The marathon forms part of the annual Jama (Unity) festival held in Morondava, Menabe’s main town. For those who hadn’t exhausted themselves on the previous day’s run, there was also a bicycle race along the hilariously potholed road around Morondava, which has a tarmac-to-pothole ratio of about 1:2 (apparently dodging them is half of the fun!).
And for sailing enthusiasts, the beautiful beaches of Nosy Kely played host to a regatta, in which all the competing boats were made and crewed by the legendary Vezo fishermen of the region, famed as the best sailors on the island. The boats, sponsored by businesses and NGOs, attracted a huge crowd with each crew having its own cheering section of women and children who ran up and down the beach, screaming instructions and roaring their approval.
For more details of the race go to www.fanamby.org.mg