The 2019 Harbin International Marathon opened its registration channel on July 9, according to information released by the organizing committee of the event.

This year’s event will take place on Aug 25 and it’s expected that that around 30,000 running enthusiasts from home and abroad will participate.

Runners are able to choose between a full marathon (42 kilometers), half marathon (21 km) and a mini marathon (5 km) by registering on the official website of the marathon organization committee -- http://www.hrb-marathon.cn --, or registering on the official WeChat platform of Harbin International Marathon (哈尔滨国际马拉松 in Chinese).

To provide better logistics support for participants, medical stations and ambulances will be set up along the race route and professional athletes will be invited to guide participants on making their preparations for the competition.

Additionally, compared with previous iterations, this year’s marathon features a marathon forum and marathon expo to boost the development of the local sports industry.

With long-distance running becoming increasingly popular in China, the Harbin event -- sponsored by the government of Harbin, Heilongjiang Sports Bureau, and China Track and Field Association -- will provide participants with a unique experience as the route takes in the Songhua River and Sun Island which both have stunning scenery.

The sponsors hope that the marathon will help Harbin promote its reputation as a tourism city.