Participants set off during the 2024 Hangzhou Marathon. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

The 2025 Hangzhou Marathon will kick off on Nov 2 in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, boasting a record $120,000 top prize — the highest ever offered for a domestic marathon.

Registration runs from Aug 26 to Sept 1 via the official website, WeChat account and the Zhe Sports mini program, with results announced in mid-September.

First staged in 1987, the Hangzhou Marathon is one of China's oldest and most prestigious road races and it's now a World Athletics Gold Label event.

This year's course will again start at the Huanglong Sports Center. The full and half marathons will finish at the Olympic Sports Center Stadium and Civic Center respectively, while the fun run ends at Pinghu Qiuyue, or Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, one of the 10 must-see sites of West Lake.

Adding to the excitement, the popular Hangzhou Marathon Seal medal also makes a return.

The event will feature exclusive bonuses for Chinese runners, upgraded community engagements across 38 neighborhoods and improved tech-driven services.

Sports icons including Westlake University President Shi Yigong, Olympic swimming champion Wang Shun, sprinter Xie Zhenye, basketball star Hu Jinqiu and inaugural Hangzhou Marathon champion Zheng Jiali will serve as event ambassadors.

With last year's race drawing 36,000 runners from over 125,000 applicants, expectations are high for another record-breaking turnout.

The prized Hangzhou Marathon Seal medal makes a return. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]