Final touches as Iten prepares to host International Marathon

From Left: Vivian Jerono, Beatrice Rutto, Jacqueline Chelal and Martha Akeno in a past race. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Preparations are on top gear as Iten, one of the world's favorite training destinations, gets ready to host its first annual International Marathon on Sunday, barely three days away.

Yesterday, the Local Organising Committee was finalising preparations for the inaugural Iten International Marathon, a race billed to position Iten as the Home of Champions.

On the other hand, elite athletes were getting ready to line up in the Sunday race. Observers say budding athletes will face their experienced counterparts as they eye their place in the marathon history.

Martha Akeno is, for instance, preparing to run a well-judged race in the Iten Marathon after a fall at the 30km water point lowered her pace at the Frankfurt Marathon. She finished eighth in the German race won by Selly Chepyego Kaptich.

The 2015 winner of Trento Half Marathon (Italy) sustained bruises on her hands during the Frankfurt marathon, and says she has fully recovered and ready to battle for the Iten Marathon title, and the Sh1 million top prize.

Akeno yesterday said she will use the Iten International Marathon to gauge her performance as she plans to take part in global races next year.

"After falling at the water point in Frankfurt where I expected to post an impressive performance, I went back to the drawing board and decided to prove myself at the Iten International Marathon, and I hope to run my own race on Sunday. I have a feeling that I would have performed better in Frankfurt," Akeno said.

The athlete, who was born in Lodwar and brought up in Soi, Uasin Gishu County where her parents worked as casual laborers before settling, added: "I have trained in Iten for the last four years and it is time to compete in my training base. I can't predict anything in the Sunday race because every athlete taking part in the marathon has prepared well for it." [Stephen Rutto]