READY TO GO: Participants receive their numbers at the press conference in Beijing on September 26 (CHEN RAN)

The 2011 Beijing Marathon is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at Tiananmen Square on Sunday, October 16.

A total of 8,500 participants will compete on the whole 42.195-km course, while 21,500 others will participate in a half-marathon and shorter 9- and 4.2-km races.

This year's run has three features, according to Shen Chunde, vice president of the Chinese Athletic Association. The finishing point will be transferred to the Celebration Square of the Central Zone at the Beijing Olympic Park, or better known as the Landscape Avenue between the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. "Run for charity" will be introduced for the first time, aiming to promote charity concept through sports and offering a platform for charity and public service institutions to raise funds and awareness. Prizes will be awarded by the organizing committee as encouragement for the top 50 male and female amateur Chinese marathoners.

In addition, the National Marathon Championships and the 12th Capital University Marathon Challenge will be held in conjunction with the event. The Beijing Marathon Science Forum and the Beijing Marathon Expo are also scheduled to open on October 15 and October 13-15, respectively.

Sponsored by the Chinese Athletic Association, the Beijing Marathon was launched in 1981, and is a gold label road race certified by the International Amateur Athletic Federation and recorded in the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.