MUSCAT: More than 10,000 people from 110 countries will take part in the biggest running festival — Al Mouj Muscat Marathon set to be held on January 17 and January 18.

The two-day event is hosted at Oman’s premier lifestyle destination, Al Mouj Muscat. The centrepiece full Marathon, Half-Marathon and 10 km will be held on Friday, January 17, while Saturday, January 18, will see the streets of Al Mouj filled with people taking on the 5 km Charity Fun Run, as well as the children’s 1 km, 2 km and 3 km races.

The fast and flat routes have all been certified by world-running organisation AIMS, aligning the event with International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) standards which opens the door to personal bests and world record performances.

The last chance to sign up is Thursday, January 9.

David Graham, Oman Sail, said, “The event has grown rapidly from just 135 people in 2012 to over 8,000 last year. Participation records will once again be broken in 2020 as the race continues to capture the imagination of the public in Oman and runners worldwide. More international athletes are registering each year, choosing to explore Oman as part of their extended marathon experience.”

He added, “We have a weekend-long festival of running planned, with the race village to be a hub for live entertainment for all the family, food and beverages, as well as stands highlighting traditional handicrafts and local businesses.”