Some 8000m runners have signed up for the inaugural Uhuru Classic Marathon which goes down on Sunday in Nairobi.

Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jack Tuwei while giving an update yesterday said more numbers are expected especially with registration for the races closing at 6.30 am on Sunday.

The AK boss said that only physical registration will be done on Sunday since the online registration will close on Saturday.

Tuwei said Half marathon (21km) competitors will have the capacity to hit the Nairobi Expressway first on Sunday.

The race will run off at 7.30 am from the Nyayo National Stadium before the competitors pour onto the Nairobi Expressway heading towards Ole Sereni Hotel.

The full marathon (42km) will start at 8 am covering 33km of the route run on the Expressway and the rest on some of the iconic streets in the city.

“We are all set for one of the greatest experiences in the capital and we urge Kenyans to register in numbers,” said Tuwei while disclosing that 10km event at 9 am. The 5km fun run will get underway at 9.30 am.

Tuwei said that they have secured some open grounds near the venue for parking. 

“The traffic department has released an elaborate road closure diversions for Sunday. The road will be closed for the entire duration that the race is happening,” said Tuwei.

The affected roads include sections of Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway, Upper Hill and Forest Road while within the CBD, Kenyatta Avenue, Muindi Mbingu and sections of Haile Selassie and University Way will also be closed. 

Motorists from Mombasa Road heading towards the CBD and Westlands have been advised to use the Southern Bypass or Likoni, Enterprise and Lusaka roads to avoid inconveniences on Uhuru Highway. 

The organisers have set aside $389,500 (about Sh44.8m) as prize money, making the road race the most highly awarded in Africa.

The top 20 finishers in men’s and women’s races that will start and finish at Nyayo National Stadium, will share $370,000 (Sh42.55m). 

The men’s and women’s winners will each pocket $60,000 (Sh6.9m) in prize money with the second-placed athletes in each of the categories going home $35,000 (Sh4.02m) richer. Those finishing third will pocket $25,000 (Sh2.875m) each with the fourth and fifth-placed athletes getting $12,500 (Sh1.44m) and $10,000 (Sh1.15m) respectively.