Max Dodd-Noble (Walpole 12) The Lewa Marathon
18 June 2018
![]()
On 30th June 2018, Max Dodd-Noble, along with some other Old Stoics friends, will dare to attempt the Lewa Marathon, situated in northern Kenya at 5,500 ft. They will be running one of the toughest marathons in the world to raise money for The Tusk Trust and the Tristan Voorspuy Conservation Trust.
The Lewa Marathon is an annual fundraising event held at Lewa Downs, about 140 miles north of Nairobi, Kenya. Well known for its unique setting the Lewa Marathon is described by Runner’s World Magazine as, 'One of the top ten races to run in your life'.
One of the more notable characteristics is that the race takes place on the Lewa wildlife conservancy, a game park that is home to a variety of large African wildlife. There are no physical barriers separating the runners from the wildlife, making Lewa a unique experience in the running world. The average elevation of the course is 5,500 feet (1,700 m) above sea level. Located within one hundred miles of the equator, the sun can bring afternoon temperatures as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. The elevation, when combined with the equatorial sun, have proven to test even the most seasoned marathon runners.
The Tusk Trust is an organisation that initiates and funds conservation, community development and environmental education programmes across Africa.
The Tristan Voorspuy Conservation Trust was recently set up in memory of Imogen’s father, Tristan, who was sadly shot last year in March by some illegal pastoralists invading his land up in Sosian. He dedicated his entire life to the preservation and conservation of Kenya and the TVCT seeks to channel his passion and raise awareness.
The Old Stoics taking part are Max Dodd-Noble (Walpole 12), Imogen Voorspuy (Lyttelton 12), Chloe Stewart (Nugent 12), Annabel Duthie (Lyttelton 12), Octavia Trevor (Lyttelton 12), Charlotte Cook (Lyttelton 12), Archie Nesbitt (Bruce 12) and Ed Pettifer (Walpole 12).
Max says “It is sure to be a very testing experience for us all despite the huge variation of running abilities across the board. Not only will we be facing the harsh terrain and altitude and average temperatures of 32 degrees, but there will be all sorts of wild animals along the 26-mile route with us! Training has been going well and I completed a 20-mile run last week! Some may think we’re being overly ambitious to attempt to run a marathon in a country that produces some of the best runners in the world, and we agree that it is a challenge but one that we are willing to give a go! We can’t promise to set any records but you can be sure that the threat of nearby predators and any kind donations, however big or small, for such a brilliant cause will help us along the way!”
Max and the team will be grateful for any donations received to help them across the finish line. If you would like to donate to the cause, please click on the link below
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fuk.virginmoneygiving.com%2ffundraiser-portal%2ffundraiserPage%3fpageId%3d927499&c=E,1,JxwZXekLcUmdS0eiaPpfYo6W2UwBVZyOocKPKhOhN0bcaMqZyEaaFVGqTPxe9ckxBbjioKEv6KCVCW1al4IbYfcnVqThpF9iWnwK0gom&typo=1
We wish them all the best of luck with their challenge and will let you know how they get on upon their return.