Runners set a scorching pace early on at the 2016 Wuxi International Marathon on March 20,2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With the number of people registering for the event expected to surpass the amount of available spaces, Wuxi plans to hold a live online lottery at 10:00 on Jan 6, 2017, to decide who will receive a place on the starting line in March. The results of the lottery will be published on the marathon’s official website --wuximarathon.com-- after the draw is completed.

Some applicants will be given priority during the registration process, including those who have previously participated in the Wuxi International Marathon for three consecutive years, athletes rated as "elite marathon runners" by the Chinese Athletic Association, and the top ten finishers in the 2016 Little Swan Round Lihu Lake International Half Marathon.

Runners can also get a place in the race via the 200 newly-added charity entries. The charity registration fee is 1,160 yuan, with all the money raised through these higher registration fees to be donated to a global non-governmental organization.

Anyone needing to cancel their bookings will be entitled to a partial refund if they do so at least two weeks before the race, according to a press release published by the organizers on Dec 19. Runners who cancel their bookings between Jan 6 and Feb 5 will be given an 80 percent refund of their registration fee, while those who cancel between Feb 5 and March 5 will receive a 50 percent refund.