Tusk Trust - Safaricom Marathon 2011

SAFARICOM MARATHON 2011

The 12th Safaricom Marathon and Half Marathon will take place at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, 140 miles north of Nairobi on Saturday 25th June 2011. Organised by Tusk and supported by Safaricom this fundraising event will host 1,000 runners from 20 different countries. The Safaricom Marathon is regarded as one of the toughest marathons in the world. However, runners of all abilities take part, from fun runners, walkers and amateurs, to professionals like Paul Tergat the Kenyan international and former world record holder.

The event is run through some of East Africa’s most beautiful scenery. Mount Kenya lies to the south and there are breath-taking views north towards Samburu and Mount Lololokwe. The heavily protected 65,000 acre wildlife sanctuary is home to over 100 rhino, herds of elephant and a vast assortment of plains game including zebra, giraffe, buffalo and much more.

REGISTRATION
Entry for the event will open in early 2011. Entry forms will be available for download from the website, or please contact the Tusk office to be added to a database of interested runners.

THE EVENT
There are two race categories; The Full Marathon, which is an individual event, and the Half Marathon, a team event, to which a minimum of five and a maximum of ten runners can enter per team. Both races start at 7.15am at the southern end of the conservancy. The course is set on dirt roads that take the runners on an undulating 21km course through the reserve, across savannah plains, along river banks and through acacia woodland before finishing close to Lewa’s headquarters.

Half Marathon runner completes one loop of the course, Full Marathon runners, two. The route is watched over by a large and experienced team of armed rangers, with two helicopters and a spotter plane in the air throughout the race. Water stations and first aid points are situated every 2.5km along the course. Medical support at the finish is provided by AMREF - the flying doctors, the Kenya Red Cross and local hospitals. On completion of the race each runner is presented with a medal and goody bag. Prizes for race and age group category are awarded at a prize giving ceremony at 12.30pm.

FUNDRAISING
The impact of the event has been huge and the benefits are very tangible. Since its inception the event has raised over $2.5 million. Tusk and Lewa have always shared a common goal to use wildlife conservation as a catalyst to alleviate poverty, reduce conflict, and improve education and livelihoods in rural areas rich in biodiversity.

We ask each competitor to raise a minimum of £1,000 for these causes over and above the cost of entering the event. Tusk Trust is registered with www.justgiving.com and www.virginmoneygiving.com both online charity fundraising websites which allow you to create a sponsorship form that your friends can easily access and donate to knowing their money is going direct to this cause.

MORE INFORMATION
To view a documentary on last years event follow the link to You Tube

Visit 'Latest News' to read all about this years event or download articles written by Charles Starmer Smith in the Daily Telegraph Online March 2010 and Charlie Norton in the October 2009 Edition of Running Free Real Magazine.

If you are based in the USA please email Thom Gilligan at Marathon Tours for more details on the trip that he organises for runners based in the States.

To see the results of the 2010 event you can download the full listings here

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