Toko Ningana! The Congo River Marathon

Congo River Marathon. 2nd of June 2024.

We absolutely enjoyed taking part of the Congo River Half Marathon in vibrant and chaotic Kinshasa, with military men shouting “courage!” and hundreds of colourful tshirts. This is a marathon like no other, in a country that will surprise you, unnerve you and fascinate you a the same time!

TLDR; “too long, didn’t read”

• I just want to run! Take me to RACE.
• I have 1 minute. Take me to USEFUL INFORMATION.
• Running is my excuse for travelling. Take me to TRIP.
• Running is my excuse for eating. Take me to CARBOLOADING.
• I want to know what to read in the plane. Take me to ONE BOOK.

🌍 The trip 📷: What to see around Kinshasa

But his soul was mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself and, by heavens I tell you, it had gone mad

.Joseph Conrad, “Heart of Darkness”

A literary endevour… 📚

This trip has been years in the making: since 1998, when I read a travel book by Javier Reverte, “Vagabundo en África”, (only available in Spanish) that described his journey in the Congo River, inspired and articulated around the mythical novel “Heart of darkness” by Joseph Conrad.

Joseph Conrad sailed the Congo in 1890, driven by a desire for adventure that made him compare himself to Don Quixote. That trip, in which he traveled one thousand seven hundred kilometers of the river, from Leopoldville (today Kinshasa) to Stanleyville (today Kisangani), awakened in the soul of the then sailor a deep writer’s consciousness. “Before the Congo – he later wrote in one of his letters – I was just an animal. And he revealed to him a truth that is old in literature and that permeates all Conradian work: imagination is a creative way of ordering experience, and it is also a teacher of life and art.

“Vagabundo en Africa”, Javier Reverte.

Since then, I dreamt about the journey myself. And when, a couple of years ago, I discovered a “Congo River Marathon” existed, the decision was obvious 😍.

So, packed with some excellent books (see section “One book“) and we set off to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo!

Lola Ya Bonobos

The Marathon organised had paired up with the tourist agency “Motherland escapes“, which organised a few activities during the week prior to the marathon.

For instance, we took a Cruise in the Congo River, which was a dream of mine; I explain it in this other >> post <<.

On Friday before race weekend, the activity was to meet the Bonobos in the “Lola Ya Bonobos” Sanctuary.

We arrived at the Sanctuary and we were amazed from the beginning. Lola Ya Bonobos, which in Lingala means “The paradise of the Bonobos“, is full of spectacular vegetation and very well cared for.

Our driver, with whom we had ‘battled’ the chaotic traffic of Kinshasa for more than two hours, left us with our guide, Suzie, a passionate woman about the Bonobos. She made sure we listened to her, because what she explained was very serious.

The Sanctuary’s work

Suzie conveyed a very deep belief in the work the Sanctuary is doing. She explained that the Bonobos are almost human (which we could see them later, when we had them close) and how the “poachers” hunt them, mistreat them and use them to eat or as pets.

Later she told us that there are “less than 20k bonobos in total” and that “they have 72” in the Sanctuary.

We walked along well-maintained dirt roads, with signs with explanations about Bonobos.

There were several things that Suzie told us that I will highlight: First, that they are a matriarchal society, there is a “Queen.”

Another surprising fact, that they make love for “social”, for “pleasure”. They are the only species, apart from humans.

And we also saw two schools walking around. There were many children, of various ages. I noticed their impeccable uniforms: white shirts and eggplant-colored skirts or pants. The girls, with a lot of clips and colorful plastic decorations, the boys with their heads shaved. They all went two by two, holding hands, boys with boys, girls with girls. When we passed between them, we greeted them with “bon jour” and they responded with shy smiles and clear curiosity.

Baby Bonobos

First, we saw the “babies”. They were cared for with “human mothers”. The “mothers” are all women, because men scare them. I looked at the little bonobos’ hands. They looked so human! There were just a little longer, but very very skilled.

It’s amazing to see these creatures so close, and to see them move. They are agile, they play with their mothers, they climb vines. Suzie told us that they need affection. They live on breast milk and with their mothers… until they are 4 years old! And without a mother, they die.

They need love and that is why the orphans here are raised by mothers, women from here who are with them all day.

Suzie also told us that they only live in the DRC: in a well-defined equatorial area between the Congo River and the Kasai River. “The Congo river is the barrier with the Chimpanzees. They do not swim.”

The mighty adults

That bonobos are afraid of water, we did see when we went to see the first group of adults.

They were separated from the visitor area by a wide lake and an electrified fence. I freaked out when I saw the adults for the first time. They are very muscular!!

One’s arm, black and hairy, could be human. They are also surprisingly agile!

We finished our visit by having and excellent lunch on the premises, later to spend again 2 hours in the chaotic traffic of Kinshasa!

Health and Fitness Expo

The “Health and Fitness Expo” took place at the Decathlon in Kinshasa, at the intersection of the Gombe, Bandalungwa and Kintambo neighborhoods.

We ran there because it was less than 3 kilometers away, taking the opportunity to do a warm-up run, which I explain in this other >> post <<.

The Expo had some stands selling sporting goods, but also promoting the country (such as coffee, or aromatic soap).

At a booth, three girls and a boy were dancing to the music very animatedly.

Soon we picked up the BIBs: they were customized, me with “the running ginger” and Roger, with “the running Roger”.

They gave us the official t-shirts, very colorful (very much Africa style) which had “Congo River Marathon finishers” printed on them. We decided to wear them for the race, even though we were not finishers yet 😊 (spoiler: it didn’t bring us bad luck!).

On the back of the shirt it said “Toko Ningana”, which in Lingala, the local language, meant something like “We will shake this town”. The day after, there were many of us who went with the colorful t-shirts.

Additionally, they gave us an extra t-shirt from a “Shake out run” that took place the previous Saturday, which we couldn’t attend because we were sailing the Congo River in Maluku.

They also sold some very cool green pullovers and t-shirts with the slogan “Pain is the French Word for Bread” and the logo of the Congo River Marathon (“established 2021”).

We bought two t-shirts, and in the following days, while we were in Madagascar, they turned out to be very popular 😊

🏃‍♀️ The race 🏃‍♂️

We arrived to the Start on foot, because it was located on Colonel Tshatshi Avenue, 3 minutes away from our hotel.

It was 6:15am and there are quite a few people, many with the official t-shirt, the one with “Toko Ningana” on the back.

There were also many soldiers, whom we got used to see, with their rifles, berets and masks. They were scary but we welcomed them: they are there for our protection.

There were also quite a few foreigners. In fact, the percentage was very high compared to what we had seen during our week in DRC on the streets.

We talked with some people in the organisation that we knew; Nancy from “Motherland escapes” told us that many Congolese signed up at the last minute, especially for the 10k, and were picking up the BIBs right there.

Waiting at the start line

Music was playing while it seemed that the start of the marathon (scheduled for 6:30am) was delayed.

Rolly, the Marathon Organizer, was walking around with a microphone and explained that “we’ll start in 2-3 minutes: we will play the national anthem and we’ll leave.”

And it happened like that, surprisingly!

In a couple of minutes, the national anthem played. The soldiers raised their hands to their temples as a salute, and many runners put their hands to their chests.

Then those running the “marathon” were asked to line up at the start, and the small group that was going to run the full distance, with their purple BIBs, did so. Obviously, there was no formal control.

A guy with a loudspeaker counted down: “trois, deux, un…” and just like that, about thirty runners left.

It was past 7am but luckily, in less than 5 minutes we, the half marathon runners, left. Again the “trois, deux…” coundown, and we left while some people we met at yesterday’s dinner applauded us.

First 10k

From Colonel Tshatshi Avenue we ran to Lemera Avenue, in the opposite direction, and then we took the United Nations Avenue, where there was a steep descent.

We saw the river 🤩! Then we went down, where we had run a few days before (post about “Running in Kinshasa”) but with the old and rusty barriers raised: so we got better views.

After the descent, we went up to reach the starting line again (we passed in front of the Grand Hotel Pullman).

The circuit had wide avenues, dusty atmosphere, amazing green vegetation and people in street stalls selling fruit and bored military man shouting “courange!” as spectators. It was very African, it was great!

But the pavement in Kinkhasa is… well… not well kept so we had to be very careful.

It was not terribly hot, but we hydrated ourselves well: luckily, there were many refreshment stations.

We finished the first lap passing through the finish / start line, where there was a lot of animation (the 10k runners were there, preparing to leave shortly). Rolly, upon seeing us, shouted “Vamos!”, like Rafa Nadal, in Spanish.

It was an adrenaline boost that we would need for the second lap.

Organization

There were frequent water / refreshment stations, which we appreciated due to the heat.

There were 3 stations in each lap, where glasses of water were handed over, and another one with a fizzy energy drink. And, surprisingly, all the glasses are overflowing! Very good 😊

The water was served by super-groomed girls (as is usual here). With a tray in their hand and plastic cups on top, they looked like waitresses in a luxury catering event.

Second lap

When we were passing kilometer 11, on Lemera Avenue (parallel to Colonel Tshatshi), we heard the “trois, deux, un...” again… It was a few minutes past 8am, so the 10K was starting.

I told Roger: “they are going to overtake us”, and boy, oh boy! did they overtake us…!

Around kilometer 13, very agile young people began to pass by us, the fastest of the 10k. Not too late, the first girl passed by, small and with short, braided hair, and then another with her afro hair tied up in a voluminous bun. But, too bad: later we saw the same girl lying on the ground at km 6 (our 16), crying 😰.

We continued, hydrating ourselves perfectly and without suffering. When we passed by the monument to Laurent Kabila again, we even took a selfie…

The end

There were just a few meters left, and, as is usual for us, we finished the race picking up the pace. We went in full, holding hands in high. We were happy.

We later chatted with some of our ‘new friends’ we made at dinner yesterday, and asked them about the medals. They had not arrived! Apparently, they were being held at the airport. Why doesn’t this surprise me?

But Nancy promised us that she would send them home from Berlin…

🍜 Carboloading 🍝: Pasta night!

If you are running the Congo River Marathon, then they got you covered in terms of Carboloading!

The day before, they organise a 🍝”Pasta night” 🍝 which is included, and organised together with the Italian Embassy in one of the best Italian restaurants in Kinshasa: “A casa mia”.

The event was private and limited to 70 people and was subsidized by… the Italian embassy! Very appropriate! 😊 The invitation, with our names, indicated a time from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., although the Congolese people almost all arrived later (apparently, it is typical to always arrive late. We, being Spanish, didn’t give it much importance either).

The restaurant was located only a few meters from our hotel. It was so close that we walked. And we almost passed by! A security guard had to yell at us… “A casa mia? Ici, ici!”.

During dinner, the Italian ambassador spoke. We also had the DRC sports minister attending, sitting in our table.

Dinner had three Pasta options; we opted for “Spaghetti alla bolognesa” and “Ravioli Carbonara”, and both dishes were delicious.

In short, a very pleasant evening and great ‘carboloading”‘: kudos to the organization!

🏆 Congo River Marathon.

🌐 Website: https://www.congorivermarathon.com/

🏃 Number of runners: 700.

🗓️ Beginning of June in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo – Africa.

👟 Urban: Bring shoes for pavement (despite some holes, this is a urban race!)

✅ The opportunity to run the streets of a chaotic city that otherwise you would not venture into.

✅ Live a very special experience, in a country that is just opening up for tourism, and help the Congo River Organisation promote sport in DRC!

❌ It is not easy to get in. You will need a visa in advance which can take weeks. The Congo River Marathon organisation will grant you a LoI (Letter of Invitation)

❌ Despite Kinshasa being 1000 kms away from the war in the west, DRC is still quite a volatile country, and very different to Europe or North America. Go there with a lot of patience and curiosity!

Running through the humid tropical climate of the heart of Kinshasa, the marathon route will take participants across some landmarks of the capital and the most beautiful scenery along the south bank of the second largest river in Africa

Congo River Marathon Website

Conrad himself wrote in the preface to the 1902 edition of his novel: “Heart of Darkness is experience carried a little (and only a little) beyond the actual facts, for the purpose, perfectly legitimate in my opinion, to bring it to the minds and hearts of readers.” Conrad saw something profound in the Congo and then wrote about it, what they call “the dark side”, a very rare aroma in literary works and that all readers admire without understanding it in its exact dimension.

“Vagabundo en Africa”, Javier Reverte.

“Heart of Darkness”, by Joseph Conrad.

The choice was abvious. I have read many times the book and, still, it makes me think, it makes me dream (and not beatiful

André Gide, during his trip to the river in 1925, read Heart of Darkness for the fourth time, and wrote: “This admirable book remains profoundly true.

“Vagabundo en Africa”, by Javier Reverte.

The very Enciclopedia Britannica entry defines it very well:

Heart of Darkness, is a novel by Joseph Conrad that was first published in 1899.

It examines the horrors of Western colonialism, depicting it as a phenomenon that tarnishes not only the lands and peoples it exploits but also those in the West who advance it. Although garnering an initially lacklustre reception, Conrad’s semiautobiographical tale has gone on to become one of the most widely analyzed works of English Literature.

Critics have not always treated Heart of Darkness favourably, rebuking its dehumanizing representation of colonized peoples and its dismissive treatment of women. Nonetheless, Heart of Darkness has endured, and today it stands as a modernist masterpiece directly engaged with postcolonial realities.