The Lewa Marathon
7/30/2023
On the 24th of June, one of the wildest marathons in the world took place on the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Established in 2000, the fundraising event has grown from an initial 180 entries at its debut to just over 1,200 participants. The male winner this year was John Mitei finishing in 2 hours 21 minutes and 23 seconds. The overall female winner was Mercy Kwambai with 2 hours 48 minutes and 35 seconds. The course is 13 miles out and back - set on dirt roads that meander across savannah plains, along river banks and through acacia woodland. Unlike any other marathon, however, Lewa requires armed patrols along the route, while a helicopter and Supercub light aircraft monitor the movements of the large species during the race.