Runners try their best at the Wuxi Marathon. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxifabu2013]
Preparations for the annual Wuxi Marathon are entering the final stage, according to a news conference held on March 30.
The marathon, which will be held on April 11, attracted about 90,000 applicants though the number of entrants has been limited to 27,000. Among them, 1,800 will run the full marathon (42.2 kilometers), 7,000 will run the half-marathon (21.1 km), and 2,000 will run the mini-marathon (5 km).
Applicants who fail to win the lottery can pay the registration fee to be eligible for the waiting list. During this period, they can go through the formalities of withdrawing from the waiting list or reserve a spot for next year's marathon.
Well-known for its picturesque sites, this year's Wuxi Marathon will follow the same route as last year and continue to offer the city's top early spring views, such as the Yuantouzhu (Turtle Head Isle) scenic spot, Jiangnan University, Lihu Lake scenic spot, and Xuntang Ancient Town.
Students from the Wuxi College of Vocational Technology spend 10 days drawing blooming cherry flowers on the route. [Photo/wxrb.com]
The route's 1.6-km Cherry Blossom Avenue inside the Yuantouzhu scenic spot features many hand-drawn pictures of blooming cherry flowers by students from the Wuxi College of Vocational Technology. They spent 10 days drawing them, finishing on March 24.
The Wuxi Marathon has also been praised for its high-quality services. Participants can learn about the race via the official WeChat mini program.
This year's marathon will continue to require participants to make appointments at different times to obtain their supplies in an effort to avoid crowds. Participants must also provide negative nucleic acid test results from within seven days, their travel route from the past 14 days, and a green health code, and must have their temperature taken before taking part in the event.
