Arusha returns to the 42km full marathon heading to the Tanfoam grand race
ARUSHA: THE annual Tanfoam Marathon, which previously staged a 12km half marathon, has now been upgraded to a 42km full marathon, heading to its flag off in December this year.
Ahead of its official flag off on Sunday, 7th of December, the Tanfoam Marathon has already attracted 1300 runners and will be flagged off at the General Tyre grounds in the Themi Hills area on the outskirts of Arusha City.
Other than the main event of 42 kilometers, the Marathon will also feature the 21km half-marathon, the 10km race, and the 5km fun run.
The chairperson of the race, Glorious Temu, said this time the Tanfoam Marathon has not only grown into a full race, but also has become international, featuring runners from neighboring countries as well as overseas.
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“This time we want the race to have international standards and become the flagship marathon for both Arusha and Tanzania as a whole,” explained Glorious.
For the first time, the Tanfoam Marathon, running under the theme of ‘sleep and sparkle,’ will include time trackers for accurate velocity measurement.
“This year, the cash prizes for winners will be even bigger,” stated Temu, but added that these will be announced later.
Meanwhile, Athletics Tanzania (AT) is revising rules guiding racing events in the country, this time issuing a mandate that all organizers must take into consideration young runners, with specialized categories.
The President of Athletics Tanzania, Rogath Stephen Hakweri, said Tanfoam Marathon is one of the biggest racing events in the country and one that has always adhered to the set rules.
“In fact, one of the runners who is a product of the 2024 Tanfoam Marathon will be representing Tanzania in the forthcoming Tokyo Marathon 2025,” he said.
But effective from January 2026, Athletics Tanzania will roll out new rules and regulations, including the one requiring race organizers to ensure that children’s events become compulsory.
“Children now need to and must run separately, thus should not be mixed with adults, therefore deserve their own and separate events, and must also feature prizes,” he said.
“You cannot force minors to run ten kilometers,” said the AT President, adding that children should be made to enjoy the race, not struggle against older athletes.
