The 2019 Ivory Coast Marathon
Country # 48
Date: November 15, 2019
My Time: 5:03:35
Updated on January 12, 2024
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
I ran in Ivory Coast arguably the world worst marathon. I've therefore not included the race in the list of my marathons.
By the time I write this article, I had run marathons and ultramarathons on all the seven continents and completed over 400 marathons in 105 countries, including Ivory Coast, with the unique purpose to stay fit and healthy and promote around the world the health benefits of long-distance running.
Africa has rewarded me with both the best and the worst experience in endurance running. The world oldest ultramarathon—the Comrades Marathon in South Africa—is also the world best long-distance race. I explain why on this website and in my book Running Barefoot for Human Survival. I did the Comrades Marathon three times: in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
On the other hand, I participated three years ago in West Africa in arguably the world worst marathon: the 2019 Ivory Coast Marathon. Many African countries don’t organize marathons or even half marathons. I therefore commend any African country for organizing at least one marathon. That’s the reason why I decided in 2019 not to mention the Ivory Coast Marathon on this site and in my statistics, because of the negative experience.
On November 15, 2020, I walked 1.2 km from a hotel in the Downtown of Abidjan to the start of the race on the Boulevard of the Republic. While most tropical marathons start between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. to limit the impact of the heat and the humidity on the runners, the Ivory Coast Marathon started at 7:30 a.m. when the temperature had already reached 25 °C (77 °C Fahrenheit) combined with too much humidity, a scorching sun and no shade.
After just over 1 km, we reached an island where we had to run a loop twice. I did first lap barefoot. It went fairly well despite the rising temperatures and the mounting traffic.
The second lap soon turned out a different experience: all race marshals, volunteers and aid stations had vanished. I unexpectedly found myself lonely running under extreme climate conditions in a foreign city with nothing to drink, nothing to eat, no signs of the course, no one to show you the right direction and no one to protect you from the extremely chaotic traffic. The marathon became literally a fight for survival.
I put minimalist shoes on and tried to figure out the way. I later caught up with a local runner who seemed to know the course. He bought two bananas and kindly offered me one. We ran few kilometers together, but when he became too tired to keep up, he advised me not to wait for him. So I went ahead after thanking him for the banana and the company.
When a fire fight vehicle caught up with me, the crew offered to take me to the finish line. I replied that I was OK, I was just thirsty. They gave me two small bottles of water and told me always to run straight towards the bridge. When they later caught with me again, they stopped and showed me the direction to the finish line...
Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Date: November 15, 2019
My Time: 5:03:35
Updated on January 12, 2024
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
I ran in Ivory Coast arguably the world worst marathon. I've therefore not included the race in the list of my marathons.
By the time I write this article, I had run marathons and ultramarathons on all the seven continents and completed over 400 marathons in 105 countries, including Ivory Coast, with the unique purpose to stay fit and healthy and promote around the world the health benefits of long-distance running.
Africa has rewarded me with both the best and the worst experience in endurance running. The world oldest ultramarathon—the Comrades Marathon in South Africa—is also the world best long-distance race. I explain why on this website and in my book Running Barefoot for Human Survival. I did the Comrades Marathon three times: in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
On the other hand, I participated three years ago in West Africa in arguably the world worst marathon: the 2019 Ivory Coast Marathon. Many African countries don’t organize marathons or even half marathons. I therefore commend any African country for organizing at least one marathon. That’s the reason why I decided in 2019 not to mention the Ivory Coast Marathon on this site and in my statistics, because of the negative experience.
On November 15, 2020, I walked 1.2 km from a hotel in the Downtown of Abidjan to the start of the race on the Boulevard of the Republic. While most tropical marathons start between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. to limit the impact of the heat and the humidity on the runners, the Ivory Coast Marathon started at 7:30 a.m. when the temperature had already reached 25 °C (77 °C Fahrenheit) combined with too much humidity, a scorching sun and no shade.
After just over 1 km, we reached an island where we had to run a loop twice. I did first lap barefoot. It went fairly well despite the rising temperatures and the mounting traffic.
The second lap soon turned out a different experience: all race marshals, volunteers and aid stations had vanished. I unexpectedly found myself lonely running under extreme climate conditions in a foreign city with nothing to drink, nothing to eat, no signs of the course, no one to show you the right direction and no one to protect you from the extremely chaotic traffic. The marathon became literally a fight for survival.
I put minimalist shoes on and tried to figure out the way. I later caught up with a local runner who seemed to know the course. He bought two bananas and kindly offered me one. We ran few kilometers together, but when he became too tired to keep up, he advised me not to wait for him. So I went ahead after thanking him for the banana and the company.
When a fire fight vehicle caught up with me, the crew offered to take me to the finish line. I replied that I was OK, I was just thirsty. They gave me two small bottles of water and told me always to run straight towards the bridge. When they later caught with me again, they stopped and showed me the direction to the finish line...
Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Dr. Sidy Diallo's 2019 Ivory Coast Marathon Medal
Dr. Sidy Diallo's 2019 Ivory Coast Marathon Garmin Data
Dr. Sidy Diallo’s 1.2 km walk to the start of the 2019 Ivory Coast Marathon
Dr. Sidy Diallo at the start of the 2019 Ivory Coast Marathon
Statue of a woman carrying a jar on her head in Abidjan, Ivory Coast