010 8525 1200 / www.beijing-marathon.com
Begins at the National Olympic Sports Centre
Chaoyang
October

The Beijing Marathon, which was first run in 1981, now attracts 30,000 runners a year. Past races began at Tiananmen Square, but the 2007 event started and finished at the national Olympic Sports Centre, passing several venues for the 2008 Olympic Games en route, including the ‘Brid’s Nest’ stadium and the ‘Water Cube’ swimming centre.