With the 500-day countdown for the 2008 Olympics coming in two days, thousands of amateur athletes convened at Tian'anmen Square of Beijing on Sunday to compete in the Beijing Spring International Long-distance Running Festival.

Runners dashed from the starting line at 9:00 a.m. after Beijing's mayor Wang Qishan fired the starter's pistol.

About 12,000 people from China and abroad took part in the race. They were divided into eight groups according to age, gender and nationality.

Also among the day's activities was a march at Chaoyang Park. Many locals joined in the event and arrived at the finish line after walking a distance of 18 kilometers.?
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(CRI March 26, 2007)