ROME—The 23^rd Acea Rome Marathon, an Fidal Gold Label and IAAF Silver Label event, was to take place Sunday, leaving from and finishing at Via dei Fori Imperiali.

 The participants were to depart in waves; the handbikers were to go off first at 8:35 a.m, followed by the first wave of competitors at 8:40 a.m. The runners’ statistics were to be calculated thanks to official real time timekeeping from TDS that will be tracked through chips placed in the bibs handed out before the race. The time limit for the race will be 7 hours and 30 minutes.

The route itself has not changed from last year and will pass over 500 sites of historical, archaeological and architectural importance. It is a route unlike any other and this year received recognition from UNESCO.

 It is made up of 70 different changes in direction and 7km will run over typical Sampietrini cobbled pavement as the partipants will circle around Ostiense up to Ponte Milvio in Flaminio before zig-zagging across the Tevere.

Over 16,000 runners are estimated to participate in Sunday’s race with many roads closing around Rome starting on Saturday evening until the race’s conclusion on Sunday afternoon.

 jp-jj