Tranquil scenery at the Haohe River scenic area in Nantong, Aug 3 [Photo/IC]   

The Nantong International Marathon will kick off in Nantong, East China’s Jiangsu province, on Oct 13, according to local officials.

Registration opened on the official website (www.nantongmarathon.saihuitong.com) on Aug 27. Nearly 5,000 runners from across the country had already signed up for the event by 4 pm on Aug 29.

The event will consist of a full marathon (42.195 kilometers), a half-marathon (21.0975 km), and a 5-km run. Quotas will be set at 3,000, 5,000, and 7,000 runners, respectively. Registration will close when the quotas are reached.

Organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Sports Bureau, the CPC Nantong Municipal Committee, and the Nantong People’s Government, the marathon is one of nine Nantong-related activities of the 2019 China Forest Tour Festival, which will be held in Nantong from Oct 18 to 21.

According to Jiang Haiquan, deputy director of the city’s sports bureau, the race will start at the Nantong Sports Exhibition Center and end at Nantong No 2 Middle School.

The route goes through Chongchuan and Gangzha districts, as well as the Nantong Economic and Technological Development Zone, passing a number of landmarks on the way, including the Langshan National Forest Park, the Haohe River scenic area, and the Nantong Central Innovation District.

The most unique thing about the marathon is that it thoroughly showcases the host city, said Jiang Haiquan.

The event will demonstrate Nantong’s beautiful natural scenery, profound culture, and recent development achievements.