On the 28th August 2011 over a thousand Liberians, expatriates and visitors came together to 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.
The marathon is an open, inclusive and uplifting public event in Monrovia that strengthens Liberia’s developing success story and helps transform how Liberians and others see the country. The long term vision is a mass public event, where runners participate for themselves, charity or an organization in an internationally respected annual race that also develops elite distance runners to represent Liberia on the world stage.
The 2013 Liberia Marathon on August 25
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 are introducing chip-timing to Liberia, which makes for more accurate times and prohibits cheating.
Please stay tuned for updates! Check for more information and latest news on www.liberiamarathon.com and follow us on facebook and twitter,.
