BY MUIGAI KIGURU
More than 40,000 participants are expected to grace the second edition of the First Lady’s Half Marathon set for Nairobi on March 8.
The race is the anchor event of the Beyond Zero Campaign, which seeks to fight maternal and child mortality and which is spearheaded by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta.
The event will for the first time feature the wheelchair race for the physically challenged. The race also features a 10km and 2km run.
Following a Local Organising Committee (LOC) meeting held at the Nyayo Stadium yesterday, Athletics Kenya vice president in charge of competitions, David Okeyo, said the marathon will be flagged off at Uhuru Highway near Nyayo Stadium with the athletes proceeding towards the Central Business District.
Unveiling the marathon route, Okeyo confirmed the 21-km and 10-km race would see participants use the Haile Selassie, Uhuru Highway Road About, Railways Sports Club, Community, City Mortuary Round About, T-mall Round About, 21km turning point (Lang’ata road), General Motors (turn-around point) and finish.
This year’s 21km spectacle targets to raise Sh600 million, which will go towards buying 27 fully-kitted mobile clinics to be distributed to the counties that are yet to benefit from the proceeds accrued from the first edition of the marathon.
The winner of the 21-km race for both men and women will take home Sh750,000 as prize money, with the runners up winning Sh500,000. Third-placed athlete will pocket Sh250,000.
Winner of the 10km race in men and women races will receive Sh250,000 while runners up will bag Sh100,000. Third-placed finisher will return home Sh50, 000 richer.
Douglas Wakhiuri, who coaches the First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, said they are already on the road in readiness for the event which is three weeks away .
Registration is ongoing at Nakumatt, Uchumi, Nairobi Sports House and Equity Bank branches countrywide at Sh1,500 for individual participants and Sh100, 000 for corporate participants of between five and ten.
Last year, the First Lady Half Marathon helped raise Sh200million which was invested in fully equipped mobile clinics and handed over to various counties.
Courtesy of the-star.co.ke