How to run in Kigali

I travel to Kigali quite often and of course, because I run almost every day, that means I also have to run in Kigali. Over time, I have realised that Kigali is one of the best cities to run in East Africa with clean roads, fresh air, pavements that actually belong to pedestrians, zebra crossings that work, etc. But Kigali also has its own character, small problems and ways of humbling you.

So here is a practical guide to running in Kigali.

1. What goes down must come up

Kigali is called the Land of a Thousand Hills, which sounds poetic until you are not even halfway through a run and your lungs are screaming. The important thing to understand is this: in Kigali, there is no such thing as a "flat route." That is propaganda. You can start your run feeling very strong because the first kilometer is downhill. You are flying, excellent pace. You are feeling good and athletic, almost judging other runners.

Relax! That hill you are enjoying now will come back for you later, because in Kigali, every downhill has an equal and opposite uphill waiting somewhere ahead. Some of those hills are so serious that they make you stop and look around with regret.

To be fair, the hills are excellent for endurance. If you can run comfortably in Kigali, you can probably run almost anywhere.

2. Kigali pavements were designed by people who love pedestrians

One of the greatest shocks for a Ugandan runner is discovering that pedestrians in Kigali are treated respectfully. There are pavements everywhere. Wide, clean, continuous, where you can run for kilometers without suddenly finding yourself squeezed between a drainage trench and the tyres of a taxi/boda boda.

In Kigali, the pedestrian has rights. As a Ugandan, this thing can almost make you emotional. You actually feel planned for. And because drivers respect rules, you can cross roads safely, which brings me to the zebra crossing.

3. A zebra crossing in Rwanda is sacred

In Rwanda, when you step onto a zebra crossing, cars stop immediately. I do not mean they will eventually stop. No. They stop immediately. The first time this happened to me, I was suspicious. In fact, I thought the car had broken down. But no. The driver was simply obeying the law.

You can even stand in the middle of a zebra crossing for long and experience a level of respect that may confuse you as an East African pedestrian. Nobody hoots at you, nor do they accelerate or behave like you are an inconvenience. The zebra crossing is law. It is culture. It is religion. 

Frankly, I almost wanted to cross back again just to experience the feeling twice.

4. The pavements are excellent. My knees, however, have concerns

Now because no city is allowed to be perfect, I had to find one complaint, and I found it.

The pavers.

Yes, the pavements are beautiful. Yes, they are organised. Yes, they are pedestrian-friendly. But those pavers are hard!! At some point during longer runs, my knees start complaining, especially those of us approaching that age where the body starts sending reminders that things have changed. 

Still, I would rather have hard pavements and safe running (I can always wear knee braces) than soft shoulders and immediate death by traffic. 

So we move.

5. Beware the spitting

Now we must discuss something uncomfortable, which is also Kigali’s greatest running hazard.

Spitting.

Rwandans spit a lot. My goodness, the people spit.

The problem is not even the spitting itself. Granted, people are strange creatures everywhere (for example Ugandans pee by the roadside). The problem is the timing of the spitting. You will be running peacefully behind someone when suddenly the ancestors whisper, "slow down." Then just as you reduce speed slightly, the person ahead launches a spit missile without warning or checking behind them.

Many times, I have survived by instinct alone, sometimes by inches and other times by divine intervention (and grace). It is particularly shocking because Kigali is such a clean city, beautiful roads, with order everywhere. Then randomly, a someone turns into a leaking water pipe.

I do not understand it. I concluded that this is Rwanda’s way of ensuring runners remain alert.

6. Truly, Kigali is a runner’s city

Jokes aside, Kigali is wonderful for running. The air is clean. The city is beautiful. The roads are orderly. Drivers respect pedestrians. There is space to move. If you prefer tracks, there's the Kigali running track and my favourite, the Kimihurura Circle. There is a sense of calm that allows you to run without constantly fearing for your life.

In many cities, running is defensive. Hahaha. In Kigali, it feels possible.

Except for the hills.

And the spit.

But mostly the hills.