Gyeongju International Marathon
Encyclopedia
The Gyeongju International Marathon is an annual road running
event over the marathon
distance (42.195 km) which takes place in mid-October in Gyeongju
, South Korea
. It gained IAAF Silver Label Road Race status in 2010.
First held in 1993, the event began as an amateur competition for the city's residents and club-level runners. By 1999, over 10,000 runners took part in the day's event on an annual basis. After an initial incorporation of an international race in the mid-1990s, the race again reverted to being a national Korean competition due to financial constraints. The race was moved to Seoul
in 2000 but the Gyeongju marathon re-emerged in 2006 and elite foreign runners returned to the city the following year.
The competition now features an international elite-level marathon race for both men and women, as well as amateur fun run
events over the half marathon
, 10K and 5K distances. The event is one of a series of races in the country (alongside the Baekje Marathon and Seoul International Marathon
) which are sponsored by The Dong-a Ilbo, a Korean daily broadsheet
. The competition is one of two annual road running festivals in the city, the other being the Gyeongjyu Cherry Blossom Marathon which is held in April when the trees come into blossom.
The course of the marathon begins in Hwangseong Park
and ends on the running track of the Gyeongju Public Stadium within the park. The men's course record for the marathon is 2:08:52, which was set by Yemane Tsegay
in 2008, while the women's record is held by national runner Yun Sun-suk, whose mark of 2:31:21 was set in 2007.
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
event over the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
distance (42.195 km) which takes place in mid-October in Gyeongju
Gyeongju
Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. It gained IAAF Silver Label Road Race status in 2010.
First held in 1993, the event began as an amateur competition for the city's residents and club-level runners. By 1999, over 10,000 runners took part in the day's event on an annual basis. After an initial incorporation of an international race in the mid-1990s, the race again reverted to being a national Korean competition due to financial constraints. The race was moved to Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in 2000 but the Gyeongju marathon re-emerged in 2006 and elite foreign runners returned to the city the following year.
The competition now features an international elite-level marathon race for both men and women, as well as amateur fun run
Fun run
A fun run is a friendly race that involves either road running or cross country running with participants taking part for their own enjoyment rather than competition. A fun run will usually be held to raise funds for a charity, with sponsors providing the revenue to cover organisational costs...
events over the half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
, 10K and 5K distances. The event is one of a series of races in the country (alongside the Baekje Marathon and Seoul International Marathon
Seoul International Marathon
The Seoul International Marathon, also known as the Dong-A Ilbo Seoul Marathon, is an annual marathon race that takes place in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of two annual races over the 42.195 km classic distance in the city, alongside the JoongAng Seoul Marathon which is held in November. It...
) which are sponsored by The Dong-a Ilbo, a Korean daily broadsheet
Broadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...
. The competition is one of two annual road running festivals in the city, the other being the Gyeongjyu Cherry Blossom Marathon which is held in April when the trees come into blossom.
The course of the marathon begins in Hwangseong Park
Hwangseong Park
The Hwangseong Park is a park located in the neighborhood of Hwangseong-dong, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea. Many of public sport facilities are located in the park with an area of 1,022,350㎡ including a luxuriant pine trees forest. The site is originally where Doksan was...
and ends on the running track of the Gyeongju Public Stadium within the park. The men's course record for the marathon is 2:08:52, which was set by Yemane Tsegay
Yemane Tsegay
Yemane Adhane Tsegay . World Marathon Majors. Retrieved on 2010-10-17. is an Ethiopian long distance runner who specialises in the marathon....
in 2008, while the women's record is held by national runner Yun Sun-suk, whose mark of 2:31:21 was set in 2007.
Past winners
Key:| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (h Hour The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds... :m Minute A minute is a unit of measurement of time or of angle. The minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour or 60 seconds. In the UTC time scale, a minute on rare occasions has 59 or 61 seconds; see leap second. The minute is not an SI unit; however, it is accepted for use with SI units... :s Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
Women's winner | Time (h Hour The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds... :m Minute A minute is a unit of measurement of time or of angle. The minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour or 60 seconds. In the UTC time scale, a minute on rare occasions has 59 or 61 seconds; see leap second. The minute is not an SI unit; however, it is accepted for use with SI units... :s Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2007 | 2:09:44 | 2:35:53 | ||
| 2nd | 2008 | 2:09:53 | 2:31:21 | ||
| 3rd | 2009 | 2:08:52 | 2:46:42 | ||
| 4th | 2010 | 2:09:13 | 2:32:09 | ||
| 5th | 2011 | 2:09:23 | 2:38:21 |