TEHRAN – The eighth edition of a marathon running is scheduled to be held in the touristic Shahdad region of the UNESCO-registered Lut Desert on October 17.

So far, over 500 runners, including two Russian athletes, have applied to take part in the competition, Moein Afzali, a tourism activist, said on Monday.

This year’s marathon will also mark the second time it is held as a night race as well, offering a unique desert running experience, Afzali said.

The marathon, organized in collaboration with the private sector, continues to grow in popularity each year, added Afzali, who is the executive manager of the competition as well.

In addition, the head of the Shahdad’s tourism department, has highlighted the role of such events in promoting tourism.

“All accommodations in Shahdad have been fully booked from October 16 to 18 by marathon participants,” Hojjat Ebrahimizadeh added.

The Lut Desert spans across three provinces of Kerman, South Khorasan, and Sistan-Baluchestan, with 70% of it located in Kerman province. Key attractions include the massive Kaluts, nabkhas, Gandom Beryan (one of the hottest points on Earth), the Shahdad cistern, and Shafi-Abad Castle. The desert is also one of the top areas in the world for finding meteorites, thanks to its unique parameters. In recent years, significant findings have been made, with the efforts of national and international teams of researchers.

Shahdad is located 100 kilometers east of Kerman, the provincial capital.

AM