Palestine Marathon in Bethlehem in April

JERUSALEM: The not-so-little town of Bethlehem is to host the West Bank's first-ever marathon next month in a race starting at the Nativity Church and taking in several refugee camps, organisers said Wednesday.

The brainchild of two Danish women runners, the Palestine Marathon will take place on April 21 and offer runners the choice of three distances: a full marathon of 42.2 kilometres (26 miles), a 21.1 km (13 mile) half marathon or a 10 kilometre (six mile) race.

But given the problems of finding an uninterrupted 42-kilometre stretch within Area A, the small portion of the Israeli-occupied West Bank which is under full Palestinian control, those running the full distance will have to do two loops of the town on a course which passes through Aida refugee camp.

The event is being organized in coordination with an umbrella NGO called Right to Movement and the Higher Council of Youth and Sports.

News of the race emerged a week after the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, announced it was cancelling its third annual Gaza marathon after the ruling Islamist Hamas movement refused to let men and women run together.

But Fischer said the Palestine Marathon was aimed at encouraging all people to start running, particularly women.

Organisers say up to 100 international participants have already signed up for race, and hundreds of Palestinians have expressed an interest although local registration only opens this week.

Meanwhile, the Tel Aviv marathon, which had been due to take place on Friday, has been postponed due to soaring temperatures, organisers said.
Although runners registered for the half marathon and the 10 kilometre event will be able to run as planned, their events will start earlier to avoid the worst heat of the day which forecasters predict will hit 35 degrees Centigrade.

But those who signed up for the full 42.2 kilometre course will have to wait another week until they can run, with their race postponed until March 22.

Organisers say more than 35,000 people have signed up to take part in the three races, but did not say how many were registered for the full marathon.
Two years ago, the Tel Aviv marathon took place in blazing temperatures and 15 people were treated for heat stroke, including a 42-year-old man who died several days later. (AFP)