Runners compete in the 2016 Fuzhou International Marathon in Fuzhou, provincial capital of Southeast China's Fujian province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Registration for the 2017 Fuzhou International Marathon, which is scheduled to be held in Fuzhou, Fujian province on Dec 24, opened on Oct 29.

A total of 30,000 runners from across the world are expected to participate, 10,000 more than last year.

The race shall include three events: a full marathon, half marathon, and mini marathon (five kilometers).

This year's edition shall start from the Haixia Olympic Sports Center and finish at the Haixia Exhibition Center, allowing runners to enjoy the city’s chic modern skyscrapers, tranquil natural landscapes, and traditional architecture along the route, a large stretch of which passes along the banks of the Minjiang River.

The event, which has been held for two years in a row, is jointly sponsored by the Chinese Athletics Association, Fujian Provincial Sports Bureau and Fuzhou municipal government and is an important part of the 2017 National Marathon Championships series.