About the Astana Marathon

The story began back in October the 12th 2008 in London. Gauhar Bramley-Fenton (the Astana Marathon founder and Race Director) came to support the Air Astana runners, a mix ability group who completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London. The team finished the gruelling 13.1 mile course and were greeted by Gauhar and Saule Kudaibergenova (former Agip KCO employee). The idea of organising the Astana Marathon was born on the grass of Hyde Park over photographs and conversations.

That year, a well coordinated and ambitious group was formed with one goal in mind - Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, deserves to host its own annual marathon. Gauhar, Saule, Janar Jailauova (Air Astana) and Gani Toxanbaev (former Credit Suisse Kazakhstan Vice President) were determined to set things in motion. On the 26th of September 2009 the very first charity run in Astana greeted athletes with kind weather and collected 972,994.00 Tenge for SOS Children's Villages and Astana Children's Home. For the next eleven years Gauhar continued to organise charity races in Astana every year, adding Almaty in 2012 and London in 2013 and the capital’s first half marathon on 22 September 2012. In total 39,425,458.00 Tenge was raised since 2009 for various Kazakhstani charities.

13 September 2015 was the landmark day in the history of Astana - the very first marathon in the capital of Kazakhstan. 

In 2019 Astana Marathon was awarded World Athletics Bronze Label, hence becoming the first label road race in Central Asia and the only label marathon in the CIS.

From 2020 Astana Marathon became one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group qualifying races.

The Astana Marathon has four clear goals:

1. to use the Astana Marathon as a launching pad for Kazakhstani citizens completing all six Marathon Majors.

2. to support charity organisations and raise much needed funds for good causes. Also to raise funds for our own charity project One Steppe Beyond. The project aims at spreading the love for running in rural areas of Kazakhstan by setting a series of short-distance races throughout the year, particularly targeting young people.

3. to establish a link between relevant government bodies and the Astana Marathon in order to recognise those Kazakhstani runners who meet Master of Sport or Candidate for Master of Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan requirements.(fulfilled)

4. to continue improving the event and promote globally Astana city and the country as a whole.

To get in touch please contact us on

E: info@astana42k. com