Registrations open for Istanbul Marathon Fun Run

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL

Registrations opened on Thursday for the 8-kilometer transcontinental Istanbul Marathon Fun Run.

Runners can register for the race at 39 Spor Istanbul facilities and booths set up in Taksim and Caddebostan.

Participants can get their official t-shirts at the Eurasia Show and Art Center in Istanbul held between Nov. 8-10.

The Fun Run will start at 9:45 am (0645GMT) local time from the Altunizade Bridge, and after crossing the Asian side to the European side, will end at Dolmabahce.

Separately, a record number of runners are expected to compete in the world's only transcontinental marathon in Nov. 11.

The marathon will start on the Asian side of Istanbul’s July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge, formerly known as the Bosphorus Bridge.

The finish line is located in the historic Sultanahmet Square on the city’s European side.

Around 30,000 professional runners, including 3,500 foreigners from more than 100 countries, will take part in the 40th Vodafone Istanbul Marathon.

The event features a 42-kilometer (26-mile) marathon, and three other races on courses of 15 km (9.3 mi.), 10 km (6.2 mi.), and 8-km (4.9-mi.). It will also include a race for wheelchair-bound participants.

Vodafone is the main sponsor of the race organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Spor Istanbul.

Last year, French runner Abraham Kiprotich won in the men's category and Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich the women's race.

For more information, visist www.maraton.istanbul and follow the #runistanbul and #run4health hashtags on Twitter.