Kathmandu, October 4:

The Springwood NRN Kathmandu International Marathon, slated for October 6, has given due importance to the rich cultural heritage of Kathmandu Valley. The route of the marathon links all three traditional cities of Kathmandu Valley — Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.

The race starts from Dasharath Stadium and passes through Lalitpur and Bhaktapur before ending at the staring point. President of Nepal Marathon Pvt Ltd Nilendra Raj Shrestha said the route was determined to promote Nepali art and culture in the international arena.

The organisers have given even more importance to Durbar Squares of all three cities making runners pass through the centres that are rich with art and culture. The organisers are considering to mobilise musical bands on the route to encourage the athletes.

The 500 volunteers have been trained and preparation for the technical manpower is in final stage.

Meanwhile, athletes from Ukraine and Maldives arrived today making the number of foreign participants to 19 as of today.