SPORTS | Local marathon takes new route

The acting vice-president of the Sport Development Board, Lau Cho Un, has revealed that the 33rd Macau Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon (the Macau Marathon) will take a different route this year due to traffic issues.
The event will this year take place on December 7.
Lau Cho Un said that the participants will not be running across the Estrada do Istmo this year due to the busy traffic there.
As a result, the organizers have changed the course after extensive discussion with relevant government departments.
It has been revealed that the route will be extended near the Coloane Karting Track. Participants will also run along the Sai Van Bridge twice this year.
Similar to previous years, runners can choose to participate in one of the three major categories: the Marathon, Half Marathon and Mini Marathon.
Given that some segments of the courses of these three categories will overlap, Lau Cho Un said that they will dispatch sufficient staff to advise runners at various points on the routes.
“There are also fences [to separate the courses]. We have had experience [in past marathons] and noticed that this is a crucial issue. Therefore, we will not set up separation points only at the very end of the course,” he said.
In the 2012 Macau Marathon, runners ran an extra three kilometers after the two leading runners took a wrong turn at the beginning and the other 2,000 runners followed them.
The race director Chan Pou Si acknowledged that the signalmen “didn’t do a perfect job.” Nevertheless, he claimed that runners should also know the course.
Lau Cho Un said that all information relating to the course will be put on the Macau Marathon website (www.macaumarathon.com).
He encouraged runners to attempt the courses, but reminded them to pay attention to road safety.
Additionally, ID and the Athletic Association of Macau China have already been organizing seminars focusing on the technique and knowledge of marathon-running.