Yesterday began cold and wet so we forewent a long walk or bike ride and Marie decided she’d try to join the over 40 run against poverty in celebration of UN day. She joined Michelle to complete the contingent of expats. For some reason (possibly the rain) no UN expats joined. The registered along with 107 other runners of all ages and received a cap and t-shirt. I went to sit in the tent with my friends who were there to represent various aid organisations.
After a couple of speeches by the UN Resident Representative and a Dasho I didn’t recognise, they were sent on their way around the block. It was only 4km, but some women were running in kira and heeled shoes. Smiles adorned every face as they came in. Marie and Michelle came in 12th and 15th respectively, the first two among the women and Marie said that it was mostly a social run. She’d been chatting with an army musician most of the way. Despite the short distance, officials stood at every corner, backed up by police to stop traffic, and there was a water stop half way. The women in kiras arrived near the back of the group, cloth in disarray to the point of looking like a western skirt rather than the neat tube it’s meant to be.
All in all, a great event enjoyed by participants and spectators alike. The only strange aspect was that when trophies were presented, they didn’t even acknowledge the expat participation, let alone the fact that both of them were place getters. Those trophies went to Bhutanese, which is fair enough, but how does that represent the United Nations?