Beijing Marathon

The Beijing Marathon (Chinese: 北京马拉松) is an annual marathon race held around October in Beijing, People's Republic of China, since 1981. It is a special event that brings together runners from all over the world to enjoy running through the beautiful streets of Beijing.

The race begins at Tiananmen Square and finishes in Celebration Square in Olympic Green. Participants get to see many famous landmarks while they run. The full marathon is the only distance offered, so everyone who joins is aiming to run the full 42.195 kilometers.

The Beijing Marathon is very important because it was the first international sport event ever to be held in China. It made history again by being the first marathon race to use a lottery system to decide who gets to enter. It was also the first full marathon race to take place only in China, making it a unique and exciting event for runners everywhere. The course is officially certified by AIMS and is categorized as a Gold Label Road Race by World Athletics.

History

The Beijing International Marathon has been held every year since 1981. It is organized by the Chinese Athletics Association. The race began when China started to open up to the world.

The marathon has hosted many important events. In 1997, it included the Chinese men's national marathon championships. In 2005, it was part of the National Games of China. It has also held the Asian Marathon Championship races, like in 2006.

Sometimes the race faces challenges. In 2014, heavy smog made the air hard to breathe. The 2020 race was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, the race was postponed due to a virus outbreak. The 2022 race had about 30,000 runners, the first big event since 2019.

Course

The Beijing Marathon starts in Tiananmen Square. This square is between the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the National Museum of China. Runners finish in Celebration Square. This area is near the Olympic Green, the Beijing National Stadium, and the Beijing National Aquatics Center.

Winners

The Beijing Marathon has had many champions over the years. Some races are also important for national championships or international competitions, like the Asian Marathon Championship. The fastest times ever run on this course are marked in bold.