The Beijing Marathon kicks off in Beijing on November 6, 2022. Photo:VCG

 

The 2023 Beijing Marathon will start on October 29 in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, with this year’s course having been upgraded.

Apart from the 15 elite athletes that have been invited, over 130,000 runners signed up for the race and about 30,000 were selected after a lucky draw, the organizing committee said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The new course will see runners start at Tiananmen Square before going past some iconic landmarks including the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution and the CCTV Tower, before finishing at the Olympic Park near the National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest.

The organizers retained most of the classic course and optimized the last three kilometers by reducing curves and turning points, allowing runners to strive for better results, said Dai Qijun, general manager of the China Olympic Road Running Company.

With regard to the event’s security, the organizing committee has set up 100 facial recognition devices to verify the runners before and after the race, which will streamline the verification of the participants.

Xu Guochen, who has run in previous Beijing Marathons, told the Global Times that although he was not lucky enough to get a place in the race this year, he will still take his child to the event. 

“The Beijing Marathon is on top of a runners’ wish list, like a dream pilgrimage. The course is like a city tour through Beijing’s four districts. You can also watch the national flag raising ceremony in the early morning while waiting for the start at Tiananmen Square,” Xu said.

Founded in 1981, the Beijing Marathon is the oldest marathon event in the Chinese mainland and is known as the "national marathon." Due to the pandemic, the event was canceled in 2020 and 2021. This year is the 41st edition, and it also serves as an important part of the national marathon championships.

A kids run and a food festival will also be held during the race to enrich the runners’ experience and promote the event to the public. An online museum about the Beijing Marathon will be launched for the public to gain a better understanding of the evolution and route changes of the event, which has played an important role in driving the development of national mass fitness sports.

Alessio Punzi, head of running and mass participation at World Athletics, said at the press conference that he will come to Beijing to compete this year. 

The Beijing Marathon has had unique international qualities since its inception. The road race enthusiasts will complete their challenge at the Olympic Park, which is a reminder of the exceptional Beijing Olympic Games, said Punzi. 

This year, 68 Chinese running event organizing committees have filed their applications to World Athletics. A total of 133 road races across China were registered from January to June. 

“China remains the largest and most innovative road race market in the world,” said Punzi.