The Jerusalem Marathon () is an annual

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

running event held in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

during the month of March. The course begins at

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

's parliament (the

Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...

), passes through

Mount Scopus Mount Scopus ( he, הַר הַצּוֹפִים ', "Mount of the Watchmen/ Sentinels"; ar, جبل المشارف ', lit. "Mount Lookout", or ' "Mount of the Scene/Burial Site", or ) is a mountain (elevation: above sea level) in northeast Je ...

and the

Old City Old City often refers to old town, the historic or original core of a city or town. Old City may refer to several places: Historical cities or regions of cities ''(by country)'' *Old City (Baku), Azerbaijan * Old City (Dhaka), Bangladesh, also ca ...

, and finishes at

Sacher Park Sacher Park (Hebrew: גן סאקר) is the largest public park in the center of Jerusalem,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 pro ...

are held in conjunction with the marathon. The 2022 edition took place on 25 March.

Ageze Guadie Ageze Guadie ( he, גואדה אגזה; born September 11, 1989) is an Ethiopian-born Israeli Olympic marathon runner. Early and personal life Born in Ethiopia, he is an Ethiopian Jew (Beta Israel The Beta Israel ( he, בֵּיתֶא יִש ...

, from Israel, was the winner of the men's race, in 2:37:17, and Valentina Versca, of Ukraine, and a refugee from the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...

, was the winner of the women's race in 2:45:54. The next edition is scheduled for 17 March 2023.

History

Prior to the formation of the current event in 2011, a Jerusalem Marathon was staged for three years running between 1992 and 1994.

Half-marathon A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcut ...

races were held in the city after that and a subsequent push from Jerusalem mayor

Nir Barkat Nir Barkat ( he, נִיר בַּרְקָת; born 19 October 1959) is an Israeli businessman and politician. He served as mayor of Jerusalem between the years 2008–2018. Biography Nir Barkat was raised in Jerusalem. His father, Zalman, was a ...

resulted in the re-establishment of an international standard marathon in the city. The marathon was reestablished in March 2011 and drew 10,000 participants from 40 countries. That year, the three leading runners in the men's race veered off course and arrived at the wrong finish line. The 2012 event, which drew 15,000 runners including 1,500 from 50 countries outside Israel, was marked by rain, strong winds, and pounding hail. In 2013, twenty thousand runners from 54 countries participated in the third Jerusalem Marathon. The

Palestine Liberation Organization The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO; ar, منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية, ') is a Palestinian nationalism, Palestinian nationalist political and militant organization founded in 1964 with the initial purpose of establ ...

called for participants and sponsors to boycott the race in 2013. In 2014, the number of participants rose to over 25,000. The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the

coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

, with all registrants given the option of transferring their entry to 2021 or obtaining a refund.

Course

The starting point of the marathon is Israel's parliament, the

, in the western part of the city. Runners thence loop around the Giv'at Ram campus of the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

, pass alongside the

Valley of the Cross The Valley of the Cross ( he, עמק המצלבה Emek Hamatzlevah) is a valley in western Jerusalem, named after the Monastery of the Cross which is located in the valley. The monastery was built in the 11th century, during the reign of King ...

, and cross through various neighborhoods on their way up to Hebrew University's

campus in eastern Jerusalem. The route then descends to the

, taking runners through

Jaffa Gate Jaffa Gate ( he, שער יפו, Sha'ar Yafo; ar, باب الخليل, Bāb al-Khalīl, "Hebron Gate") is one of the seven main open Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. The name Jaffa Gate is currently used for both the historical Ottoman gate ...

and the

Armenian Quarter The Armenian Quarter ( ar, حارة الأرمن, ''Harat al-Arman''; he, הרובע הארמני, ''Ha-Rova ha-Armeni''; hy, Հայոց թաղ, ) is one of the four sectors of the walled Old City (Jerusalem), Old City of Jerusalem. Located i ...

and out

Zion Gate Zion Gate ( he, שער ציון, ''Sha'ar Zion'', ar, باب صهيون, ''Bab Sahyun''), also known in Arabic as Bab Harat al-Yahud ("Jewish Quarter Gate") or Bab an-Nabi Dawud ("Prophet David Gate"), is one of the seven historic Gates of the Ol ...

, on their way to the

Jerusalem Forest The Jerusalem Forest is a municipal pine forest located in the Judean Mountains on the outskirts of Jerusalem. It is surrounded by the neighborhoods of Beit HaKerem, Yefe Nof, Ein Kerem, Har Nof and Givat Shaul, and a moshav, Beit Zeit. The fo ...

. The race's finishing point is

Sacher Park Sacher Park (Hebrew: גן סאקר) is the largest public park in the center of Jerusalem,Asrat Mamo, 2011 * Fastest Israeli woman: 3:09:50,

Beatie Deutsch Bracha “Beatie” Deutsch (ברכה דויטש; née Rabin; born August 29, 1989) is a Haredi American-Israeli marathon runner. She has won the Tiberias Marathon and the Jerusalem Marathon, as well as the Israeli half-marathon and marathon nat ...

, 2018 * Men's half marathon course record: 1:05:55, Onesmus Serem,

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

, 2011 * Women's half marathon course record: 1:18:00, Margaret Njuguna Wangui,

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

, 2016 * Fastest Israeli in the half marathon course: 1:08:45, Godadaw Belachew, 2019 * Fastest Israeli woman in the half marathon course: 1:21:47,

, 2019 * Men's 10 km course record: 31:19, Haimro Alame,

, 2013 * Women's 10 km course record: 37:31,

Lonah Chemtai Salpeter Lonah Korlima Chemtai Salpeter ( he, לונה צ'מטאי-סלפטר, , born 12 December 1988) is a Kenyan-Israeli runner. She won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. At the European Athletics Championship ...

, 2016

Notes

References

{{Reflist, 2

External links

Jerusalem marathon 2012 in pictures
(''

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'')
Ready, set, run!
(''

The Jerusalem Post ''The Jerusalem Post'' is a broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, founded in 1932 during the British Mandate of Palestine by Gershon Agron as ''The Palestine Post''. In 1950, it changed its name to ''The Jerusalem Post''. In 2004, the paper w ...

'')
Running in Jerusalem Marathon helps S.F. artist gain clarity
(''

Jweekly ''J. The Jewish News of Northern California'', formerly known as ''Jweekly'', is a weekly print newspaper in Northern California, with its online edition updated daily. It is owned and operated by San Francisco Jewish Community Publications In ...

'')
Survivor who escaped Nazis runs Jerusalem Marathon
(''

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/ AP'')
"My vocal epiphany racing in the Holy Land"
– Ben Kaplan (''

National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper available in several cities in central and western Canada. The paper is the flagship publication of Postmedia Network and is published Mondays through Saturdays, with ...

'')
Reporter's Notebook: More than just a race
– Melanie Lidman (''

'')
Despite the weather, Vancouverite finishes run
– Fred Tischler (''The Jewish Independent'')

(''

Public Radio International Public Radio International (PRI) was an American public radio organization. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, PRI provided programming to over 850 public radio stations in the United States. PRI was one of the main providers of programm ...

'') Marathons in Israel Sport in Jerusalem Recurring sporting events established in 2011 Annual sporting events in Israel

History

Course

See also

Notes

References

External links