Diet and Exercise

So I've been here three full days and I've run two of them. Yesterday, I didn't get up until about noon, so I ran about 2 in the afternoon and it was too hot. I probably only ran for about 12 minutes, but on a gravel road up a very long hill in the heat, it felt like enough. Today I ran a little before 7 a.m. It was overcast and I ran the same direction... I went a little further over the hill and then turned around, I past the farm and kept going trying to run for 20 minutes. I heard footsteps coming up behind me fast and sure enough some Kenya runners who train in the Rift Valley came flying past me. And then there were more coming the other way. They are so impressive! Lean and powerful and not even seeming to break a sweat. I don't try to keep up but I do quicken my pace a bit when they come past as to not look like a complete idiot.

As for food, I have already solved one problem with the food at the ophanage. I bought Royco, which is like spicy beef bullion and salt As you can imagine, cooking for 20 or so people twice a day - seven days a week is a chore and the choice of inexpensive foods is limited... so my meals thus far have consisted of starch and cabbage. One meal was rice and potatoes... I kid you not. But it least it has some taste to it thanks to the Royco! When Grace gets low on funds, spices are one of the first things to go - so as is the custom in Kenya when you go home you take food. I took salt, Royco, sugar, cooking oil and tea.

I'm basically surviving on LaraBars. If I was staying in Ngong town I could buy/cook my own food, but at the orphanage I don't want to eat too differently in front of the kids. Kimuka farm is 11 kilometers down into the rift valley from Ngong and they have no refrigeration at the farm. Makes life interesting...

I however will be out of LaraBars (the best Gluten free granola bars ever) in a couple of weeks - so I making a care package list. Packages can take a month or more to arrive so it will need to be sent soon. It will be nice to know that when I run out there will be more on the way.

Okay, that's enough about food... it's making me hungry, although today I've eaten pretty well, a one egg omelet, a banana, and a banana bread Lara Bar... and it's only 11:15. I do miss my green smoothies though! Morning just isn't the same without them... neither is my run which could use that extra shot of energy.