Those of you who slept in today will have missed the patter of 13,000 feet racing through Taipei's streets this morning.
Kenyan runners Matthew Birir and Jaqueline Chebor were among the favorites to take the NT$100,000 main prizes in the 42.19km men's and women's marathons, but a strong cast of local road-race warriors runners were expected to give them a run for their money.
A half marathon, 9km race and 3km fun runs -- with competitions for "sweet lovers," "super hot costumes" and couples married for 25 years -- were also planned to start and finish today outside Taipei City Hall.
The Taipei International Marathon was to begin at Taipei City Hall plaza around 5:30am, take competitors up Jenai Road to Chunghan North Road, to the freeway and along stretches of the Keelung and Tamsui rivers banks, the "blue highway" along Taiwan's northeast coast and the Waterfowl Park, finishing at City Hall.
Organizers said yesterday they expected the race to finish after 8am, with the 3km fun race and "alternative" marathons beginning at 8am in front of City Hall. They said 13,000 people had signed up to run in the annual event.
When Taipei held its first international marathon 16 years ago, it went past the Presidential Palace and through the most scenic parts of the city and was widely welcomed by locals who often used to celebrate by letting off fireworks as the athletes went by.
But the race ran into problems in 1990, for two years, because of increasing road traffic and ongoing construction of the MRT.
In 1992, the marathon was revived and held on a section of the Second Northern Freeway, which had not yet been opened to traffic. Nearly 20,000 people participated.
When that road was no longer available the race moved to the elevated section of the Sun Yat-sen Freeway, but the number of runners and spectators declined.
Finally, it seemed, the Taipei City Government and the Chinese Taipei Road Running Association (CTRRA) managed to bring the race back to the city last year.
Despite some criticism for causing traffic delays last year, it was generally agreed the event worked well and will continue in its present form for the foreseeable future.
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