Mt. Mulanje Porter's Race

The Mulanje Porter’s Race is an annual race up Mt. Mulanje in southern Malawi. The 25km course takes competitors up the close to vertical trail named the “skyline path” to the Chambe Hut (one of the 8 huts on the mountain where hikers can sleep), across the Lichenya Plateau, and back down. The scene at 5:30am at the Likubula Forestry Office was typical of any race. Lots of fit looking men and women picking up their race numbers, some last minute registrants, and a DJ blasting all of the popular Malawian and Zambian dance favorites into the normally peaceful wilderness. The only difference was that most of the competitors were barefoot and were wearing everyday clothes. The only flashy running outfits and hi-tech gear were on the handful of azungu competitors. The scheduled start time of 6am passed, and at 7:30 we all crowded at the start line listening to the introduction to the race in Chichewa and “ready, set, go!” we were off running strong to a soundtrack of Akon.

Everyone except me that is.

Not even 5 steps into the race I found myself flat on the ground! I tripped in the hundreds of runners who were pushing their way to the front and now I was on the ground getting trampled by the wildebeest migration. Someone extended a hand and pulled me up and I got on my way, but was much more careful to stay at the back of the pack this time!

I could run for about 15 minutes before the trail turned steeply upwards and the essentially vertical climb made running impossible. I focused on hiking quickly, but I still suffered. My legs were seizing, my heart racing, my lungs burning and in what was one of the most touching moments of the entire race, a barefoot Malawian girl wearing nothing but a skirt and her bra grabbed my hand. We didn’t talk, but she held my hand for the next 10 minutes of the climb.

We were greeted with a water stop once we reached the top of the vertical portion of the climb. Buckets of both water and Sobo (a concentrated orange drink that is somewhere between kool-aid and Tang) were available and I took several cups of each as I tried to collect myself for the run across the plateau. I managed to walk/run to Chambe Hut, reaching it in 1:29. For perspective, the hikers guide which is actually pretty accurate, describes the hike from the Forestry Office to Chambe Hut as a 3.5 hour hike! I tried to run as much as possible across the plateau but my legs were toast after the climb. I made several new Malawian friends though as would chat for a bit before leaving me in their dust. Going down was also brutal. There are many things in life that I am actually quite good at, but going down mountains is not one of them. I HATE going downhill. I did my best not to lose too much time while not wiping out on the vertical downhill and would occasionally be demoralized when I looked up from the trail to see how high I still was. BUT, I eventually made it down to the more gradual part near the forestry offices and turned up the juice and actually passed a few people!

At the top of the vertical climb, trying to summon the strength to run

A portion of the Lichenya Plateau

Female competitors (who are way ahead of me)

Racing to the finish

The slightly stout barefoot village woman finishing at the same time as one of the top azungu male runners

Enjoying my post-race meal of, what else, nsima, chicken, and cabbage!

With Pitman's mother in one of the villages at the base of Mulanje

The Mulanje Porter’s Race was the most challenging and humbling athletic experience I’ve ever had. It was physically and emotionally exhuasting, and I haven’t run a step since the race on July 11. That being said, I am almost ready to start looking for a new adventure if anyone has any ideas...