Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25238
IN FRONT:: At 13,428 feet, Mount Cameroon is the tallest mountain in West Central Africa with ter- rain rising from swelteringly hot jungles at the base to numbingly cold temperatures at the bare summit. Slippery mud coats many of the trails, and torrential downpours and mudslides are not uncommon. The mountain conceals an active volcano that has erupt- ed three times in the past decade, sending torrents of lava down its sides and into the villages below. Even the most brazen and skilled climbers require two days and lots of courage to scale Mount Cameroon. Yet, since 1973, people have been doing more than climbing the mountain. They have been running it. Each February, the Cameroon Athletic Federation's Race of Hope, regarded by many as the toughest race in Africa, sends runners from several continents onto the great mountain. The 17-mile race starts with five miles of steep paved road that lead to the base of the mountain. When the road ends, the real challenge begins, and few can manage more than a fast walk on the single unpaved track that winds up the east side of the moun- tain. Many of the participants run with poles to help them ascend the steepest cliffs of the terrain . But arriving at the mountain 's top doesn't end the race. When a participant reaches its windy sum- mit, a pink card is stapled to the runner's shirt to verify the arrival at the top. Then each runner turns around and heads back down the usually sl ippery slope, often falling several times on the sharp volcanic rock during the journey. Thad Jones, an American participant in the race last year, described tripping then rolling down the mountain until another runner caught and stopped him. It is no wonder that of the approximately 500 runners who begin the race, only slightly more than half are able to fini sh. Once the runners reach the base of the mountain on the descent, the worst of the race is over. For the last few miles of the race villagers line the streets to cheer on the competitors, and children often run the final five miles with the runners. The winners of each group are awarded $2,000, which amounts to a small for- tune when converted to Cameroon currency. Each person who completes the race receives 10,000 cfaf, or about US$13. A four-time race winner is Cameroonian mother of seven, Sarah Etongue. She describes her success as a combination of sacrifices, God's power, and training. The record holder for the men is Lekunze Leku Timothy, whose time of 3 hours 46 minutes is still the best ever recorded. Most of the runners come from Cameroon, but there are participants from overseas now; some com- ing from other parts of the African continent and several from Europe and the Americas. Cameroon is one of the most peaceful nations on the continent-shopping bags are often labeled with the motto "Cameroon: Peace Nation"-but it draws many athletes to run the race who are from countries torn by war. For them, the race is a symbol of hope for Africa's future-it is a symbol that, paired with the challenge of the mountain's steep slopes, continues to attract hundreds of runners each year.-Marsha Johnson