List Of Nairobi Roads To Be Closed On Sunday

The StanChart Nairobi Marathon will be flagged off at the Uhuru Gardens on Sunday, October 30 and as a result, a section of Nairobi roads will be closed.

A section of Ng'ong, Lang'ata and Mombasa roads will be closed for 12 hours on that day, all of which are connected to the Southern Bypass, according to Nairobi Traffic Police officer Mary Kiarie on Tuesday, October 25.

The three roads will not be accessible to motorists beginning from 12 am, and those affected include the section of Mombasa Road connecting the inland container depot (ICD) to the bypass at Ole Sereni.

Those using Lang'ata Road will experience traffic disruptions in the area surrounding Uhuru Gardens, where the race will begin from.

They will also not be able to use the roadway to Ngong or Mombasa road and have been advised to seek alternative routes.

Other affected roads include Karen-Kikuyu,  Karen-Mombasa Road, Lang'ata-Kikuyu, Galleria - Kikuyu, Lenana-Kikuyu and Mombasa Road- Ole Sereni.

Traffic police officers and marshalls will be deployed to the roads to ensure the free flow of traffic during the 12-hour period.

However, Kiarie noted that the closure will last until 1.30 pm when the event will be concluded, after which motorists can resume their daily travels.

Since its first edition in 2003, the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon has grown tremendously and has earned recognition from World Athletics and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AMS).

Having attracted over 250,000 participants across its 18 editions, it is currently the largest single-day sporting event in Kenya.

In 2021, it launched the first 2-in-1 marathon which consisted of a virtual and physical marathon which featured over 5,800 virtual runners from 61 countries and 2,500 elite runners running along the Southern Bypass - a new route that allowed great views of the Nairobi National Park. 

Kenyans participating in the marathon have a choice between the 5,000m, 10,000m and half-marathon (21 kilometres) and for the daring ones, the 42-kilometre full marathon for both men and women categories.

Runners crossing the finish line at the Stanchart Nairobi Marathon. /CAPITAL GROUP

This year's virtual race will take place between Monday, October 24, and Saturday, October 29 for those who cannot make it to the physical event.

How To Take Part in Virtual Race

1. Register for a virtual race category (5km, 10km, 21km, 42km)
2. Download Strava or your preferred activity-tracking app on your phone
3. From wherever you are, pick a day from the virtual marathon week to run your race and use your
   app to track the distance. You can also use a smartwatch.
4. Log into your results portal on the website or through the email link shared with you.
5. Submit your recorded distance and time
6. Your results will be processed in 2-3 minutes
7. Check how well you did against other runners all over the world through the results tab on the website
8. Take a picture and share your achievement with your family and friends.