By Editor
The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon is racing towards a full house, attracting over 16,000 participants in just one month of open registration.
The strong early sign-up pace puts the event well on track to hit its target of 30,000 runners before the September 30, 2025, deadline.
The marathon, set for Sunday, October 26, 2025, at Uhuru Gardens, has already secured commitments from twenty elite athletes across its various categories.
Organisers expect a total of 250 elite runners from Kenya and abroad to compete, a significant increase from the 174 who ran in 2024. The event is also drawing strong international interest, with 363 global entrants already registered, compared to over 1,600 international participants in last year’s edition.
This year’s event aims to raise over KES 70 million for Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the bank’s global initiative to empower young people, especially women and persons with disabilities, through education, employability, and entrepreneurship programmes.
The 2024 marathon raised KSh 48 million for the cause.“Registering over half the expected participants this early reflects the strong support from corporates and individuals who are not only backing a premier sporting event but also championing positive community change,” said David Mwindi, Chair of the Local Organising Committee.
The 2025 edition will feature seven categories designed for maximum inclusivity: the 42km full marathon, 21km half marathon, 10km race, 21km wheelchair race, 5km Family Fun Run, CEO Challenge, and Corporate Challenge.
Since its inception, the marathon has hosted over 300,000 participants and raised more than KES 850 million for life-changing initiatives across Kenya.Organisers have planned several key upgrades to enhance the race-day experience.
For the first time, the 42km marathon will feature an exclusive finish-line channel for elite runners. To reduce congestion, the 21km and 10km races will finish at different points inside Uhuru Gardens, and officials have expanded the runner walk-off area by 30 per cent.
“The upgrades we have introduced are all about giving participants a smoother, safer, and more memorable race-day experience,” added Mwindi.
“Every detail has been carefully thought through to make this year’s marathon even more enjoyable for runners.”
Additional improvements include a strengthened medal and hydration team with more personnel to enhance service delivery.
A new photo-finish zone will also allow participants to capture high-quality images without obstructing movement.
Athletics Kenya President Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei endorsed the plans, stating, “Integrity and compliance remain our top priority. We welcome the improvements undertaken by the Local Organising Committee, which will ensure the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon is a fair, safe, and memorable experience for every runner.”
To uphold these standards, the organisers will accept elite athlete registrations only through coaches or the official website.
Athletics Kenya will verify all elite runners, who must collect their race kits exclusively from the AK tent during kit collection at Uhuru Gardens the day before the race.
The event will strictly observe all rules set by Athletics Kenya (AK), the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).Prospective participants can register for the marathon via the official website before the September 30 deadline.
