Snakes on a plain – My Tanzanian ultra running adventure

Ultra running has arrived in Tanzania. The inaugural five-day, 250km Ultra X race – following a route that takes you part of the way up Mount Kilimanjaro – was held in June this year. Lily Canter was among the competitors and here she shares her experiences.

Two gleaming silver eyes, glared at me in the pitch black. Frozen to the spot, I blinked again, and my sleepdeprived brain slowly whirred into action. “It’s just a monkey,” I laughed deliriously to the runner next to me as I began shuffling forward.

It was 4am on day four of the inaugural Ultra X Tanzania and things were getting weird. The 250km race across five days, includes more than 5,000 metres of elevation including a hike to high altitude on Mount Kilimanjaro. One minute you're running on dusty tracks, inhaling red sand and the next you're wading through thick jungle trying to ignore the shredded snake skins littering the ground.

Before entering I had only run a couple of 100km events in Snowdonia and the Lake District in the UK and had no idea what would happen to my body on day three. Turns out you just keep going.

With checkpoints holding water, medics and physiotherapists at 10km intervals, each day could be broken into chunks, making the distance more manageable.

Day one broke us in gently with a 35km stretch commencing at the stunning ridge of Lake Chala. We jogged along flat rocky tracks, across sandy plains and around sunflower fields in a seemingly remote rural area. The welcoming local farmers greeted us enthusiastically with repeated cries of “hujambo” as they went to work in the fields.

Hot and bothered

Setting off at the civilised time of 7.30am meant we hit the midmorning sun early on, and within a couple of hours it was roasting. As we gradually climbed 800 metres through sun-parched fields I started to wonder if completing the event was really possible. My stomach was already a mess following my dehydrated breakfast and there was no escape from the blazing sun.

Thankfully at the penultimate checkpoint a gentle breeze began wafting across the plains and we were buoyed by local children singing a good luck song while performing a Mexican wave.

After a long downhill stretch, we entered the final 5km and while my competitors were waning I was finally getting into my stride. A last push saw us climb back up to camp and I finished strong after four hours of running.

Fortunately, day two was more overcast as we set off towards the highlands at 6.30am. The 49km route began with a slog across sandy farm tracks followed by a two-hour uphill walk-through lush banana plantations.

As we marched up, we were met with an array of fist-pumping children who created a wonderful uplifting vibe despite the 1,348 metres of constant climbing. The day finished with a steep up and down along slippery tracks through the forests, with some stunning views across Kilimanjaro.

If I was ever near breaking point, it was on day three. It began at 5.30am with a mesmerising run through the grassy baboon-filled meadows of Marangu, but then we hit Kilimanjaro National Park and the dream shattered.

The next 9km was a battle of will as I slogged my way up the 5km access road before a step-by-step 4km steep climb through the jungle to the Maundi crater. After the hard climb my mood immediately lifted thanks to the thrilling downhill technical run back along the same path I had just struggled up. The last 20km were in the 30°C midday sun but I didn't care because it was almost all downhill which was the perfect way to end a 51km day with 1,905 metres of elevation.

I was looking forward to a flatter route the next day as we ran 67km back down onto the plains, the skyline framed by the looming peak of Kilimanjaro. But starting at 4am meant a 2am wake up and running for two and a half hours in complete darkness. With little help from my hopeless head torch, I found the rocky paths incredibly tricky to navigate and began seeing hallucinatory shapes in the dark.

But once the sun rose there was a marvellous 8km downhill stretch through sunflower and sugar cane fields before we hit the deadly flat for the final 35km. I hooked up with another competitor as we ambled along the Miwaleni Canal trying to spot crocodiles and putting the world to rights.

The afternoon sun made running almost impossible, plus my left knee had doubled in size. So, we spent the final 20km walking through a nature reserve watching monkeys steal food from the surrounding fields. After an 11-hour day we were delighted to arrive at our final camp and find a fridge full of soda and beer in the middle of the savannah.

Final day

With a lie in until 5am I started the final 48km day feeling mentally fresh and determined to put in a good time. Knowing that hill climbing was my biggest weakness I decided to make up time on the flat while the weather was still relatively cool. From the outset I joined a team of faster runners, and we ran a steady 9km through flat sandy jungle paths. I then pulled ahead at the first checkpoint and hammered it along the road to the bottom of the climb.

What followed was a horrendous 850-metre ascent up technical steep rocks with nothing but blue ribbons marking the way. There was no obvious path through the rocks and brambles and despite the sky being overcast I was soon drenched in sweat due to the high humidity. I laboured on with my running poles as a succession of 25 runners overtook me.

Treacherous descent

The descent was no easier, in fact it was far more treacherous, with numerous competitors falling and bashing their arms, legs and heads. Somehow, I managed to scramble down without slipping and hit the final 19km straight. Counting from one to 100 on repeat I managed to run my fastest segment of the week knowing the end was in sight. I overtook flagging runners en route and finished with a time of 40:06:02, even managing a sprint at the end as fellow competitors cheered me on.

The only moment I ran faster was at the celebration dinner at a local plantation that evening, where all the Ultra X competitors raced to get their hands on real food. It was also the location of my only scare of the week when I was cornered by a black snake in the plush toilet cubicle. And this time I wasn't hallucinating.