Event History
The standard Chartered Nairobi marathon was first held in 2003 and the inaugural race had 6,000 registered runners. It was the first major marathon in the country and over the years, it has grown to be the largest sporting event in Kenya attracting approximately 15,000 every year.
From a humble beginning back in 2003, the marathon has marked major milestones, fully achieving its objectives as set on the onset. The following were the key objectives of the marathon:
- Raise the profile of Kenya internationally
- Help identify and provide opportunity for the local athletic talent to excel
- Help boost tourism to Kenya
- Create a community event for everyone’s enjoyment
- Raise funds for the needy in the community i.e. our ‘Seeing Is Believing’ community initiative.
Since 2003, Athletics Kenya; the organizers and the official sponsors and Standard Chartered Bank have raised the bar of the Nairobi marathon making it the only athletics event on the calendar of the IAAF. The marathon is fully accredited by IAAF and complies with their rules to the highest level including having timing capabilities that are as good as any other international marathon.
The marathon has since its inception attracted tremendous media interest from across the world which has seen the event broadcasted around Africa on DSTV SuperSport and other international news channels as well as in the local media. This has put Kenya on the world map, profiling Nairobi as a city in the sun and promoting the country as a tourist attraction destination while marketing Kenyans prowess in this great sport.
In addition, the marathon has given young and upcoming athletes a perfect platform to launch their athletics careers at home.
In the initial six years, over KShs30 million was raised from the marathon which has been used to sponsor Seeing is Believing Initiatives in Kenya. In 2010 we managed to raise Kshs. 16 million and this year the target is to raise Kshs. 20 million.
The funds raised in the first year i.e. 2003, were used to fund 60 cataract operations for children under five at Kikuyu Eye Hospital. Right now we are doing about 600 operations on children countrywide.
Over the years, the marathon has been supported by partners and friends like; Hilton Hotel, Capital FM, Majestic Printers, AAR, Bio foods, Alpine Waters, Kenya Data Networks, SuperSports, Subaru, Athletic Kenya and Nairobi City Council.
The staff of the bank have also greatly contributed to the momentum of the marathon as over 1,000 Standard Chartered Bank staff have volunteered by taking part in the run.
The marathon also currently boosts of a consolidated road route criss-crossing from the City Centre-Uhuru Highway-Mombasa and has maintained six distinct races which include;
- Full Marathon (42 KM) road race for men and women
- Half Marathon (21KM) road race for men and women
- 10KM road race for men and women
- Tricycle race (42KM)
- Wheelchair race (21KM)
- 5KM Family Fun Run
The Nairobi Marathon has indeed taken our athletics heritage to another level. As an international meet, the push is always to raise the standard higher. The Nairobi marathon has positioned the country as the real home of athletics.
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