By Bruno Mutunga
The world’s fastest marathoner Eliud Kipchoge today completed a 16-kilometer run with rangers at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in support of conservation.
Kipchoge appealed to members of the public to take part in this year’s Lewa Marathon, an event that will be done virtually because of coronavirus pandemic.
The runner, who was in the company of five-time world champion and half marathon record-holder Geoffrey Kamworor, and two other athletes, Philemon Rono and Jonathan Korir, ran the race with six Lewa Conservancy rangers.
The INEOS Challenge winner lauded the rangers for their invaluable effort in protecting wildlife, especially the animals targeted by poachers such as the rhinos and elephants.
He called upon members of the public to adopt a running culture in order to stay fit and healthy, adding that a large percentage of the people who have been hardly hit by Covid-19 and other diseases are the people who live sedentary lifestyles and do not take part in any physical activities.
Kipchoge asked Kenyans and other people across the world to embrace conservation by registering and running for at least 5 or 10-km races wherever they are on June 27, when the virtual Lewa Marathon is scheduled.
Tusk Trust’s Director of Programmes in Africa Sarah Watson, a co-organizer of the Lewa Marathon, also took part in the run.
The event, which in previous years has raised an average annual amount of Ksh50 million for a range of conservation, community development and education projects across Kenya, benefits thousands.
Kipchoge and Kamworor expressed optimism that their presence and gesture to run in the wild with conservancy rangers will be an encouragement for them.
