MWCT and Absolute Travel Run the New York Marathon!

We are thrilled and proud to announce that Absolute Travel has chosen to join together with the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust this year to run the 2014 New York Marathon!  

The 2013 MWCT Marathon team!

Absolute Travel, named Travel + Leisure's World's Best Tour Operator, has put together an incredibly impressive team of 8 runners (all AT staff!) that will run alongside team MWCT at the beginning of November! 

 Joining from Kuku Group Ranch this year to run the marathon will be MWCT President and Chairman, Samson Parashina, returning marathon participant (and warrior), Jacob, and a fellow local warrior, Phillip!

An incredible amount of thanks needs to be given to Absolute Travel. Your dedication to join in on efforts of sustainability of conservation as ambassadors of of the planet is extraordinary, and on behalf of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, and the Maasai community of Kuku Group Ranch thank you for joining in to raise awareness and funds for the efforts and programs of MWCT. The outcome will have sustainable lasting benefits to thousands of Maasai and we could not be more happy for our joint action! See you in New York! 

The 2009 Marathon Team in the Chyulu Hills - in 2009 MWCT successfully raised
over $1 million towards Conservation, Health, and Education Programs!

Absolute Travel is extending tremendous outreach in hopes to raise $40 000 for MWCT (incredible!), you can support the 8 members of the Absolute Travel team in their efforts by visiting their CrowdRise page here!

Running for the Maasai - A Post by Mark Somen

Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust board member, Mark Somen, chose to share his personal thoughts with us regarding the New York Marathon that occurred this past November. Read about it here!

Running for the Maasai:

I remember marvelling at the fact that 3 Maasai's ran the NY Marathon with shukas and all, in 2009 - accompanied by Luca Belpietro and Edward Norton. I ran my first New York Marathon in November with the team from MWCT. I wanted to share some things that really stood out for me. This was my second marathon - the first being the Safaricom (Lewa) Marathon in Kenya.

STAND OUT #1 - the crows of supporters in New York are famous. The crowds at the Lewa Marathon, well, lets say for much of the route the giraffe outnumbered the humans. So I was expecting huge crowds through New York, but nothing prepared me for the volume, intensity and passion that the crowd brought with them.

STAND OUT #2 - As some of you may know, we flew Jacob Lamaron out from the Chyulus to run with us and for the 2 days before the race, we walked Jacob around the streets of Manhattan. Jacob was dressed somewhat traditionally - and Stand Out 2 was the number of people stopping him to take his picture. Really? I though New Yorkers just dealt with all things unique and unusual...

STAND OUT #3 - pre Marathon party. Modo Yoga, Dina T the yoga instructor, DJ Kylie T, Health Warrior and the fabulous Melissa Chmelar from Spoon - all donating time/food/energy and great spirit to make the party happen; as well as numerous other people. When I think of the fact that we are 7000 miles away from the Chyulu Hills in New York City - and there are all these people who care passionately about MWCT - it humbles me. I am Kenyan, I am on the board of MWCT, I love what is happening there, and love Luca, Antonella and the extended family there - so in a way, I should be doing something. But these random other people - why are they making this a priority? The evening at Modo Yoga and the deep sense of community, sharing and togetherness will say with me for a long time. And the pride that I feel being a part of MWCT hopefully will stay with me forever.

STAND OUT #4 - my immense sense of gratitude. Finishing that distance made me feel amazing, but in no way did I feel it was only ME. The hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors that carried me though the distance and my many friends who sponsored me to reach my goal of $5000 for my charity. My Italian Maasai friends Luca and Antonella who got me into this incredible family called Campi ya Kanzi and MWCT, my New York (Japanese) running buddy, my best friend who was there practically every step of the day, and of course my lovely wife Yassi and kids. Yassi and the kids for putting up with my never-ending training, as well as giving me that boost just before the 59th St Bridge - boosting me over the bridge and through the second half of the marathon. I am so grateful to you all!

And so my mind turns to the upcoming year, to the next Yew York Marathon, and the words of Nelson Mandela:

"When people are determined they can overcome anything"

I think about the beautiful Chyulu Hills with all the challenges: filling the camp, having enough water, protecting the wildlife, building more schools and clinics - the list goes on. Running 26.2 miles seems like a task that is relatively easy to overcome, when you put it into perspective...

Maasai in 2013 New York Marathon

In December 2012, MWCT held the inaugural Maasai Olympics where our friends at AECOM provided the winner of the 5000 meter race with an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to run the New York Marathon. The winer was Jacob Lamaron, from a small village in Rombo, near Kuku Group Ranch. Having never been out of Kenya before, Jacob was demonstrated excitement to run for MWCT in this special way.

Competitors in last years' Maasai Olympics

In 2009, the New York Marathon was a monumental occasion for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, and three other Maasai warriors. Edward Norton, President of the US Board for MWCT, hosted three local Maasai, along with Luca Belpietro, in New York. The purpose of this adventure was to raise funds for the Trust through Edward Norton’s established website CrowdRise. The fundraising efforts were extraordinarily successful, raising over $1 million for MWCT. You can read more about the marathon of 2009 right here.

Due to it’s success in 2009, MWCT wanted to keep it’s presence in the marathon by continuing to send local Maasai to have the chance to run in the marathon that contributed to so much success for this community. Although Jacob was chosen to run in the marathon many months ago, it was by no means an easy journey to get him to New York for November 3.

Jacob - 2013 Maasai marathon competitor

Jacob is from a very small village and grew up in the Maasai community his whole life. He would first need a birth certificate, a passport, and a visa, a treacherous journey of its own. After months of working, and thanks to the tireless work of MWCT's team, including our friend, former US Ambassador to Kenya, Mark Bellamy who was able to help by speeding up the Visa process, and on Thursday Oct 31st, Jacob had his visa and boarded his first-ever plane and landed in NYC at 5 pm on Friday November 1st!

By keeping many of the other details out, it was a very long process that involved contact with many connections, in Kenya and in the United States. However, it is evident in a situation like this, that true kindness and generosity can be seen through the works of many people to create an everlasting memory for one man.

Absorbing the sights of New York and riding the subway

In only two hours after landing, Jacob met US MWCT Board President, Edward Norton and the entire MWCT Marathon team at out pre-race event at Modo Yoga in Manhattan. The next day was full of new experiences: a bagel breakfast, Times Square, first subway ride, and at last, ending with a large spaghetti dinner.

The US MWCT team couldn't get enough of Jacob. The connection to all that MWCT does, thought Jacob, was tangible and incredibly motivating for all that met him.

Jacob on the ferry to the marathon starting line!

Bib numbers in hand! Ready to run...

The next morning was marathon day! Jacob is truly talented and had an amazing marathon time of 2 hours 20 minutes in the Chyulu Hills while practicing here in Kenya. But unfortunately because it was not an official race, Jacob was not qualified to start earlier than the other thousands of recreational runners. Jacob started with the "herd" of runners at 10:30 a.m..

Despite all these circumstances, he was running at an astounding pace, averaging six minute miles until the 10 kilometre mark, in which he unfortunately sustained an slight knee injury that caused his pace to slow down. His finishing time for the total marathon distance of 42 kilometres was 2 hours and 58 minutes. An unbelievable time! Although Jacob said he was not very happy with his time, it was truly remarkable to place under 3 hours for having travelled multiple hours, along with experiencing a different culture, eating different food, running with different shoes, and running on pavement!

Sampling Gatorade flavours post-marathon 

Fortunately Jacob is recovering well from his slight injury, and had the warmest support from many people in New York that were there to run alongside him, or to just cheer him along.

Relaxing in the morning the day after the marathon

MWCT and the entire Marathon team are forever inspired by Jacob's courage and determination. If you would be interested in running on the MWCT NYC Marathon team, please email mwct.team@gmail.com. We can't wait for 2014!

A big thank you must be extended to ALL of those in New York, the AECOM team, and the rest of those in the US who helped make Jacob's experience a successful and memorable one. All of us here at MWCT were very excited to welcome Jacob home! Please enjoy the video below of Jacob being welcomed home by the President of MWCT, Samson Parashina!

You can find the video on YouTube here: Welcome Home Jacob

Help MWCT Win the Holiday Charity Challenge!

Today’s blog post is about an extremely important opportunity to directly help MWCT!  We’re competing in Mozilla’s Firefox Challenge, a competition held over the holidays to see which charity can raise the most money.  You can learn more about the challenge here, but it boils down to this: Mozilla is donating $50,000 to the charity that raises the most funds, and with your help we can all work together to get MWCT this money! 

Support our continued work with the Maasai of Kuku Group Ranch!

So donate if you can, and tell all your friends – the competition runs for nearly two more weeks through January 10^th.  Mozilla is donating $50,000 to the 1^st Place charity, $30,000 to 2^nd Place, and $20,000 to 3^rd Place; we’re currently locked in a battle for the lead.  As an added incentive, Edward Norton is donating a bunch of signed merchandise almost every day from now until the end of the contest!  You can learn more and win the prizes on this page. 

Win signed merchandise from famous actor Edward Norton!

With your help, we can win the prize and help MWCT expand its goals for the coming year!  Please spread the word, and donate if you can – we truly appreciate all of the support and generosity you’ve shown MWCT in 2012, and we’re looking forward to an even brighter 2013. 

http://www.crowdrise.com/edwardMFC/fundraiser/edwardnorton