Marty the motorcycling Giraffe Story 9 Marty's friend Peter's big race

Marty the Motorcycling Giraffe

Story 9 Marty’s friend Peter’s big race

As you know Marty works as a window cleaner’s assistant with his friend Peter Ngono (the window cleaner)

As well as being a window cleaner Peter is a very good long distance runner. Peter had been saving up his money and he brought himself a very expensive pair of running shoes.

“Wow “exclaimed Marty when he saw the running shoes “they are good running shoes I bet you run very fast wearing those”.

“Yes I think I can” replied Peter. And then he told Marty that he has been training very hard and that he wants to enter a marathon race in Nakuru (another town in Kenya).

“If I do well in the race, I might get picked to run for the Kenyan national team and maybe even get to run in the Olympics” shouted Peter excitedly

Peter then asked if Marty would give him a lift on the back of his motorcycle to Nakuru for the race.

“Of course I will” said Marty “and I will stay to cheer you on in the race as well, and also we can see if Emmanuelle (Emmanuelle Wangana, the farmer and a friend of Marty and Peter) would like to come”. Marty told Peter that Emmanuelle has brought a new motorcycle and could follow them to Nakuru

“That would be great to have my two best friends there to cheer me on” said Peter.

On the day before the race Marty and Peter set off for Nakuru, they stopped at Emmanuelle’s farm on the way.  Emmanuelle jumped on his motorcycle to follow them

“Don’t go too fast” Mart shouted Emmanuelle “I am not as good as a motorcycle rider as you and I will never keep up with you”

“Hakuna matata (no problem)” laughed Marty and zoomed off towards Nakuru.

Along the way they passed Lake Naivasha that has so many flamingos walking and swimming on it, that from a distance it looks like the water is pink!!

A last they arrived at the town of Nakuru. Marty and Emmanuelle got to work putting up the tent they were going to sleep in that night, while Peter studied the route of the race.

Peter told Marty and Emmanuelle that the race goes form the centre of the town down to the edge of Lake Nakuru and back to the centre of town for the finishing line, and said “it seems an awful long way to run”

“Don’t Worry you’ll be fine” said Marty”you ahve been training hard for this race and don’t forget that you have your new running shoes to help you go really fast”.

That night the three of them slept well in their tent, but as Marty’s neck is so long his head was sticking out of the tent all night long.

On the day of the race Peter lined up at the begining line with all the other runners, Peter’s race number was 32 and this was stuck to the chest of his running vest.

The race organiser stood on a high table and shouted

Tutu (Three) Mbili (two) Moja (one) kuanza mbio (Start the race)

And all the runners set off on the long race.

Marty and Emmanuelle rode their motorcycles quickly down to the lake, to cheer Peter on as he went past the half way line

“Come on Peter, keep going” they shouted as Peter passed.

They then quickly got back on their motorcycles and raced back to the finishing line to see the end of the race.

There was a big crowd at the finishing line and Marty and Emmanuelle were stuck at the back, which was ok for Marty, but Emmanuelle couldn’t see over the crowd.

“I know” said Marty” you can sit on my head, like Peter does at work”.

Emmanuelle climbed on top of Marty’s head and they both had a good view of the finishing line.

Soon the crowd gave a big cheer as the leading t five runners came into view. Marty and Emmanuelle cheered even louder when they saw that their friend Peter was in the lead.

It was a hard fast race to the finish line but Peter managed to stay in front of the others to win the race.

After the race Peter looked very tired as he proudly showed Marty and Emmanuelle his winner’s medal

 “Well done Peter” they shouted” and now you might be able to get to run for Kenya in the Olympics

“We will have to wait and see about that” replied Peter wearily.

It was now time to go home and a very tired Peter climbed on to the back of Marty’s motorcycle and off they zoomed...

Marty and Peter said “Kwaheri (goodbye)” to Emmanuelle at his farm and then headed back to Nairobi

At his house, Peter got off Marty’s motorcycle and said that he was going to sleep well tonight as he was so tired after the race.

Marty was very pleased and proud that his friend had won the race, and thought that going to Nakuru Peter and Emmanuelle had been a great adventure and he went back to his own little house wondering about what other adventures could be found for:-

Marty the motorcycling Giraffe.

Next instalment of Marty's adventures will be posted on Sat 17th Sept2011