Nairobi — The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon route has been changed again. It's the third time that the course for the marathon has been altered.

This year's race, the sixth since inception, will be run on place on October 26.

While officially unveiling the new route, race's director, John Velzian confirmed that athletes will this time use the Central Business District streets as opposed to the traditional Mombasa Road course.

"For the sake of bringing the race closer to the people, we have resolved to revise the route for this year's race," said Velzian.

From the start at Nyayo National Stadium, the race will take the runners up Uhuru Highway, Kenyatta, Harambee and Haile Selassie Avenues, and Mombasa Road upto the Airport North Road junction.

"In our endeavour to up the standards of this international marathon, we have sought a better route that will eliminate logistical problems with the growing number of participants," he added.

The Nairobi marathon is part of the prestigious Greatest Race on Earth series, run in Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong.

Kenyan men's team has remained unbeaten since GROE began in 2004/05, after winning the Gold Baton trophy for the fourth consecutive time last year.

Both men's and women's team B teams successfully defended leads in their respective Nations Challenge competitions, winning the Hong Kong Marathon, the final leg of the GROE series, last year.

Challenging course

Cyprian Kiogara Mwobi and Anne Jepkemboi Kosgei completed the challenging course in impressive times of 2:18:03 and 2:41:09, giving their teams winning cumulative times of 9:09:16 and 10:49:09.

Kenya A representatives Monica Muthoni Njeru 11:35:19 and Peter Kimeli Chemei 9:24:15 finished second in the overall standings.

Each team pocketed Sh7 million ($ 100, 000), with an additional Sh2.8 million ($40, 000) for winning the Africa regional category, plus a bonus Sh700, 000 ($10, 000) each for setting new series record times.

The prize money is shared between the four athletes who make up each team that compete in Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong.

The Kenya B men's team comprised Cyprian Kiogara Mwobi, John Kelai, Amos Tirop Matui and Benson Rangondi Ogato.

Anne Jepkemboi Kosgei, Irene Kemunto Mogaka, Emma Muthoni Kiruki and Hannah Chepkoech Mitei made the women's team.