Taipei, Aug. 5 (CNA) For the first time ever, Taiwan will hold a marathon on Yangming mountain in suburban Taipei on Saturday, the organizers said Thursday.
"Road running events have been held on Yangmingshan over the past 18 years, but never a marathon, " said Sunny Chen, secretary-general of the Chinese Taipei Road Running Association.
About 5,000 runners, including 32 foreign participants, will compete in the Yangmingshan Summer Marathon, on a scenic 42 kilometer route up and down hills, Chen said. The course starts at 450 meters above sea level and winds uphill to an altitude of 750 meters then drops to 45 meters above sea level, she said.
The Yangmingshan marathon is the second race in a series of four seasonal international marathons sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and held in Taiwan's major national parks this year.
The idea is to attract more people to the country and give them an opportunity to experience its natural beauty and biodiversity, according to the MOI.
The spring marathon, which took place in Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan, attracted 5,000 runners, Chen said.
The autumn event will be held in Kinmen National Park in the offshore Kinmen County and the winter race will be staged at Taroko National Park in eastern Taiwan, she said.
Among the top foreign runners who will be competing Saturday are Kenyan Bernard Mutai and Carolyne Chemutai Komen, both of whom are familiar with Taiwan.
Mutai, 31, won two marathons in the southern city of Tainan in 2008 and 2009. Komen, 19, won the women's category of the Tainan marathon this year.
According to Mutai, one of the challenges this time around will be the high temperatures in Taipei, which have risen to 38.4 degrees Celsius this past week.
Mutai said he has never ran a mountain race in such high temperatures.
A half marathon and a 7-kilometer road race will also be held alongside Saturday's marathon. (By Chris Wang) enditem/pc