“This year’s event was better and bigger than ever, I’m hoping we will raise a significant amount of money than we ever did before since we had more participants both locally and internationally.
“About the theme, we thought about it since in Kenya and Africa there has been a huge challenge in the context of wildlife crime and we wanted to demonstrate to them the extraordinary asserts they posses and how relevant it can generate improvement to their lively hoods and that’s what this marathon is all about,” the CEO stated.
He added, “It’s been a long journey starting with 100 runners with an Englishman winning the inaugural but ever since it has been won by a Kenyan.”
Safaricom Marketing Director Rita Okuthe was impressed with the progress of the event and challenged locals to take advantage of the event.
“People have come to run the marathon because it has a purpose and one feels proud when they transform the community.
“What we have seen this year is an overwhelming support from international teams like the 12 members who raised over Sh26,340,036 (USD300,000) on their own,” Okuthe declared.
For this 76 year-old Suzzane Witson, she has been participating for the past three years to make sure her contribution counts.
“I’m usually encouraged to ran by my friends and since I was doing it for a cause to save our wildlife from poachers and improving the lives of the people in this region, I’m glad to be part of it.”
British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner who was among the runners in the half marathon to reach the finish line after two hours and 16 minutes, supported the cause but confessed how difficult the course was.
“There was no word to sum up how horrible it was to run, it was hot and difficult but I got through and I have done it once but I will never do it again.
“It’s the most amazing event and what the organisers are doing is really a commendable job and as you can see I’m running with my arm band for the support of elephants so it’s for the benefit of the Kenyans to conserve and protect the wild animals and that’s why I have run,” the British High Commissioner told Capital FM News.
Getting a hint on how next year’s event will be especially after the two conservancies merged, Watson said, “next year if everything goes according to plan it’s going to be bigger and better than this year, I would like to see more international exposure but we will not change the route neither the limit of participants.”
This year’s race saw former Porto Marathon champion Philemon Baaru, from Nyeri, win the title for a third consecutive time while 2009 Kuala Lumpur Marathon winner Fridah Lodepa defended her 42km in the women category.
About The Author
