WELCOME TO THE LIBERIA MARATHON
On the 28th August 2011 over a thousand Liberians, expatriates and visitors came togetherto run in the first ever Liberia Marathon and 10km race. Fun runners ran with elite athletes, able-bodied participants next to wheelchair and crutches users. Laymen competed with Mayors, Ministers, Ambassadors and Presidential candidates. There was no class, gender, background or difference – just people united in a spirit of celebration.
Staging the first successful marathon in Liberia was no small thing in this remote West African country of 4 million people, which was ravaged by 14 years of civil war from 1989 to 2003. More than 250,000 people were killed and more than one-third were displaced, making for one of the most violent wars the world has ever seen. The story of the marathon is not one of history though; it is a story of emergence and celebration of a country now getting back on its feet.
In 2005, the most free and fair democratic elections the country had ever seen took place, bringing to power the Harvard-educated and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Under her leadership, access to health systems has increased, more schools have been built and infrastructure investments are starting to materialize. The President even ran a short distance in the 2011 race, before deciding her role was best “praying for the other runners” than continuing on.
The 2013 Liberia Marathon
This year's event is going to be even better! We are expecting more than 2,000 people to participate in the full marathon, the 10k, or the 10k disabled race. We areintroducing chip-timing to Liberia, which makes for more accurate times and prohibits cheating. People are welcome to run alone or with teams, as you can register as a team and encourage each other during training and on race day. Registration will open on the day of our official launch event, currently planned for May 4th.Running a marathon is a great physical challenge. Because of this, we'll be uploading a variety of information on training and how to stay healthy during your preparations. Safety is our main concern, as Liberia's hot, West African climate makes for a challenging environment for any physical activity.
Please stay tuned for updates! Registration will be possible at select locations in Liberia, as well as online, beginning soon!
