The Mau Conservation Marathon is set for its second edition on July 3, 2026, with organisers unveiling a more competitive event designed to blend sport, conservation and community development.
The announcement was made in Nairobi by Environment Principal Secretary Dr. Eng. Festus Ng’eno, who said the event will play a key role in supporting restoration efforts in the Mau Forest Complex.
The marathon, sanctioned by Athletics Kenya, will feature four categories: a full marathon (42km), half marathon (21km), 10km race and a 5km corporate fun run.
Prize money has been significantly increased, with winners of the full marathon set to receive KSh 600,000. Winners of the half-marathon and 10km race will take home KSh350,000 and KSh100,000 respectively, with a total prize pool of KSh7.8 million.
Organisers are targeting 2,500 participants, although early registration figures show about 500 runners have signed up so far. Registration closes on June 25, 2026.
The race route will traverse the scenic Mau landscape from Olenguruone in Kuresoi South to Baringo Senior School in Kuresoi North, at altitudes between 2,547 and 2,790 metres above sea level.
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Beyond athletics, the marathon is anchored in the Mau Forest Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme (MFC-ICLIP), which has restored 1,500 hectares and planted 1.5 million trees since its launch.
Dr. Ng’eno said the event is designed to turn sport into a platform for environmental awareness and action, under the theme “Transforming Footsteps into Conservation Action.”
Organisers say the marathon will help raise funds for conservation while promoting talent development in athletics and strengthening public participation in environmental protection.
The initiative also aligns with Kenya’s broader national restoration agenda led by President William Ruto, who initiated the planting of 15 billion trees by 2032.
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The programme aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stop and reverse deforestation, and restore 5.1 million hectares of degraded landscapes under the African Landscape Restoration Initiative launched on 22nd December 2022.
This initiative brings together governments, NGOs, businesses and individuals in large-scale nature restoration efforts aimed at combating climate change and restoring biodiversity.
It also underscores the urgency of increasing national forest cover from the current 8.8 per cent to at least 10 per cent before 2030.
This expansion is expected to significantly contribute to environmental conservation by improving air quality, enhancing rainfall formation and strengthening agricultural productivity across the country.
