Nairobi Marathon is an annual road running competition over the marathon distance held in every month of October in Nairobi by the Standard Charted bank. The Marathon was first held in 2003.
As time went by, the competition expanded and now includes a half marathon race along with the main race.
It was part of “The Greatest Race on Earth”, fully sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank. The other three legs of this four-marathon race were the Hong Kong Marathon, the Mumbai Marathon and the Singapore Marathon.
The winners of the Marathon share a whopping Prize of 8,000,000 KES.
Since the launch of the Seeing is Believing initiative in 2003, the Bank has raised more than Sh250 million. Among the programmes funded so far include screening of 6.2 million people, 170,000 surgical interventions, training of over 2000 health workers and upgrading of more than 10 health facilities around the country.
On Sunday October 28, 2018, the marathon was held in the Kenya’s capital, which saw many athletes participate.
Among the races held on Sunday were the 42 km marathon race for both men and women, the 21 km half marathon race for men ad women as well as the 10,000 km race.
There was also wheel chair race.
However, the 42 km marathon race attracted Nahashon Kamau, a 72 year old man, who participated the race to the end.
Mr Kamau was the oldest athlete in the race.
He attended the Anti Doping Outreach sensitization session with the Anti-Doping Kenya Agency before he got on the track for the race.
The 72 year old Kamau who competed the race to the end had a word for all athletes in Kenya.
Kamau now urges athletes to compete clean for their well-being.
Nahashon Kamau,72, attending our Anti Doping Outreach sensitization session during the @StanChartKE Nairobi Marathon. He competed in the 42 kilometers race. He urges athletes to compete clean for their well-being #StayCleanWinRight #StanChartMarathon #stanchartmarathon2018 pic.twitter.com/lFSSx2ibAV
— Anti-Doping Kenya (@ADAK_KE) October 28, 2018
It was really a motivation and a challenge to many to see an old man participate in the long marathon race and finish without giving up along the way.
Kamau has motivated many Kenyans who now claim that they will be out ready to participate in the next 2019 October Standard chartered marathon.
The oldest runner in this year’s marathon is Mr. Nahashon Kamau who is 72 years old. See how is actively participating in the 42KM race. #StanChartMarathon @StanChartKE @citizentvkenya pic.twitter.com/jN187ScdO6
— Embakasi Finest . (@mwanetuz) October 28, 2018