Sixteen thousand runners are expected to join the races of this year's Raiffeisen Bucharest Marathon, set for October 14 and October 15, the organizers announced.

The event, at its 16th edition this year, and the athletes support 14 social causes. Its marathon race is a qualifying criterion for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The non-competitive races - the wheelchair race, the Popular Race, and the children's races - are scheduled for Saturday. All of them start and end in Constituției Square, going along Unirii Blvd to Unirii Square.

The competitive races are set for Sunday, with the 10k wheelchair one scheduled to start first, at 07:50. It will be followed at 08:00 by the 10k individual one, and the 42 km, 21 km, and relay races at 09:30.

The runners will race past city landmarks as they start at Libertății Blvd (Izvor Park) to reach Constituției Square, along Calea Buzești, Victoriei Square, Șoseaua Kiseleff, Calea Victoriei, Unirii Blvd, Decebal Blvd, and Basarabia Blvd.

Traffic restrictions will be in place on Saturday between 08:00 and 15:00 and on Sunday between 07:00 and 16:00. More on the traffic restrictions here.

(Photo: Marcel Ilie |Dreamstime.com)

simona@romania-insider.com