Dennis Kimetto, former World Record holder for Marathon, is the only Kenyan elite runner featuring in the men’s race, except for the two Kenyan pace setters at the 2025 Dubai Marathon, the first IAAF Gold Label Marathon in the Middle East. It is also the region’s biggest mass participation event.
The race was first organised in 1998. It has seen seven of the world’s top men’s and women’s times set. This is on a fast flat course with optimal cool early morning weather.