Baringo Half Marathon

Baringo Half Marathon
The race takes place near Kenya's Lake Baringo
Date	December
Location	Baringo, Kenya
Event type	Road
Distance	Half marathon
Established	2001

The Baringo Half Marathon is an annual road running competition for men and women over the half marathon distance which takes place every December in Baringo, Kenya. The programme previously had a 15 kilometres race for women, but this was extended to a half marathon in 2011.^[1]

The race was established in 2001 by Paul Tergat, a former marathon world record holder, who was born in the local area.^[2] Tergat hoped that the race would unearth and nurture high quality runners in the area.^[1] It tends to attract around 500 (mostly Kenyan) runners, among them a number of world-class road racing athletes.^[3][4]

The course of the road race features many curves and multiple uphill and downhill sections.^[5] Mubarak Hassan Shami became the first runner to defend the title,^[3] and Agnes Kiprop became the first woman to win the competition twice consecutively. The race received greater commercial support in 2009, attracting sponsorship deals with Safaricom and the National Social Security Fund.^[6] Around 300 runners took part in the 2010 men's half marathon race.^[7]

The men's event was changed to a 20 kilometres road race in 2006 and 2007,^[8][9] but it returned to its original half marathon format in 2008 with the 20 km races not considered to be within the editions of the race.^[10]

Past winners

The 2007 women's winner, Peninah Arusei

Key:   20 km men's course   10 km women's course   15K women's course

Year	Men's half marathon winner	Time (h:m:s)	Women's 15 km winner	Time (h:m:s)
2001	?	?	?	?
2002[11]	Yusuf Songoka (KEN)	1:00:54	Irene Kosgei (KEN)	54:07
2004	James Yatich (KEN)	?	?	?
2005	Mubarak Hassan Shami (QAT)	1:01.57	Irene Jerotich (KEN)	52:49
2006	Mubarak Hassan Shami (QAT)	1:06.55	Caroline Kiptoo (KEN)	41:25.23
2006	David Kemboi Murkomen (KEN)	57:28	Joan Jepkorir Aiyabei (KEN)	50:08
2007	Moses Kipkosgei Kigen (KEN)	56:14	Peninah Arusei (KEN)	50:52
2008	Vincent Loritam (KEN)	1:02:06.4	Agnes Kiprop (KEN)	50:55
2009	Eric Ndiema (KEN)	1:02:13.8	Agnes Kiprop (KEN)	51:08.6
2010	Robert Kipkorir (KEN)	1:02:25	Joyce Jepkurui (KEN)	50:25.9
2011	Solomon Kiptoo (KEN)	1:02:23.1	Joyce Jepkurui (KEN)	1:10:57.1
2012	Hosea Nailel (KEN)	1:02:32.5	Philomena Cheyech (KEN)	1:01:15.3
2013[12]	Kenneth Kimeng'wa (KEN)	1:03:52	Agnes Kiprop (KEN)	1:13:43
2014[13]	Josephat Kiprop (KEN)	1:01:24	Cynthia Limo (KEN)	1:10.06

References

1. Macharia, David (2011-11-06). Jepkurui dominated Baringo Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-11-07.
2. Kenyan New Year road races provide few surprises. IAAF (2004-01-05). Retrieved on 2009-12-23.
3. Macharia, David (2006-01-07). Shami defends Baringo Half Marathon title. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-12-22.
4. 500 athletes at Baringo marathon. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (2007-01-07). Retrieved 2009-12-22.
5. Macharia, David (2005-01-10). Shami remains in good form. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-12-22.
6. Macharia, David (2009-12-20). Teenager Ndiema surprises with Baringo Half Marathon victory. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-12-22.
7. Macharia, David (2010-11-07). Kipkorir surprises to take victory at Baringo Half-Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.
8. Macharia, David (2006-12-09). Last two uphill kilometres decisive for Kemboi in Baringo. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-12-22.
9. Macharia, David (2007-11-10). Kigen runs 56:14 for 20km in Kabarnet. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-12-22.
10. Macharia, David (2008-12-06). Loritam and Kiprop take Baringo road race titles. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-12-22.
11. Songok Wins Baringo Half Marathon. Africa News Service (2002-01-02). Retrieved on 2011-11-07.
12. Magut, Stanley (2013-11-04). Kenya: Kimeng'wa and Kiprop Top Baringo Half Marathon. All Africa News. Retrieved on 2015-01-05.
13. Otieno, Derek (2014-11-02). Kiprop records first ever win at Baringo Half Marathon Archived November 11, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.. People Daily Kenya. Retrieved on 2015-01-05.