African athletes are legendary in long distance running events. In the recent London marathon, Kenyan athletes Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany won both the men and the women's race. Long distance races at the Olympics are dominated by East and North Africans. But you don't hear enough about marathons being run in Africa.
At the end of June, Kenya will host the 13th Safaricom marathon. The race takes place in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and runners will be up against non-human contestants as well, zebra, impala and maybe even a rhino or two. More than 2000 runners will take on the challenge and the money raised will go toward wildlife conservation and community projects. The mere possibility of spotting a lion while running, would certainly propel me to the finish line.
Other Marathons Taking Place in Africa in 2012/13
Running a marathon is always a great excuse to travel. So why not try one of these marathons and run in the desert, mountains, savannah, or forest. All of these marathons can be combined with safaris, treks and cultural tours.
- International Peace Marathon Kigali - Kigali, Rwanda - May 27, 2012
- Big Five Marathon - Entabeni Game Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa - June 23, 2012
- Knysna Forest Marathon - Knysna, South Africa - July 14, 2012
- Amazing Maasai Marathon (Ultra) - Mt Kenya, Kenya - September 29, 2012
- Kilimanjaro Marathon - Moshi, Northern Tanzania - March 3, 2013
- Two Oceans Marathon - Cape Town, South Africa - March 29, 2013
- Marathon des Sables (extreme 6 days) - Western Sahara Desert, Morocco - April, 2013
And for more dates and races check this African marathon calendar
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