Having said that, the annual Masai Mara Marathon which draws large audiences from the international community will be held on September 22, 2012, across the picturesque plains of The Mara.
The inaugural Masai Mara Marathon was held in 2009 with 352 runners participating across the 5km fun run and 21km half marathon categories. With the incredible growth the marathon has witnessed in the past 4 years, the event has become a clear driving force for development in the area.
Talking of development, the Kenyan Airways which is the title sponsor brings the element of education hence its involvement, through the Lemek Conservancy Community who are the direct beneficiaries.
“Kenya Airways invests in initiatives geared towards supporting communities in the areas of education, environment, water and health as part of its contribution to the sustainable development. A strong educational foundation will also ensure that our young people are appropriately skilled for the demanding job market,” says Dr Titus Naikuni, Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Airways.
The KQ Masai Mara Half-Marathon aims to raise funds that will be channelled towards conservation of the Mara ecosystem and raise awareness of the plight of the stakeholders within the ecosystem. All proceeds generated by the marathon event will be used to provide education facilities, healthcare support, improvements in sanitation and the provision of clean drinking water to its residents.
According to Naikuni, this is in line with the airline’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, which seeks to work with various communities across Africa to improve educational infrastructure.
Registration for the 4th annual Kenya Airways Masai Mara Marathon closes at midnight on the 10th of September.
The main race is the half marathon (21 kilometres) which is open for social and professional runners. Other categories include a 5km individual Fun race, 5km corporate team race and a special javelin throw event.
Each participating athlete will receive a medal & certificate. Kenyan Shillings cash prizes are offered to the top 10 in each category.
For participants and visitors, the Lemek Conservancy has 4 accommodation available from 3000Ksh per person per night at KQ Simba Self Catering Camp, Twiga Tented Campsite, KQ Chui Camp and the KQ Premiere World Camp.
For those with penchant for traveling the Mara Reserve, comprises over 320 square kilometers of open plains, woodlands and riverine forests and is home to a prolific abundance of wildlife, including the famous “big 5”. It also offers an interesting and complex tribe of nomadic cattle herders and glimpse of their world famous culture and distinctive cultural nuances.
For more information visit http://kenyaairwaysmarathon.com/
