Skopje is running today, October 4, in the 22nd edition of the Wizz Air Skopje Marathon - with a record 15,050 registered competitors from 63 countries. Last year more than 14,000 runners from 58 countries took part. Apart from the locals, the biggest groups of guests come from Serbia, Germany, Great Britain and Turkey, and elite athletes from abroad will also line up at the start.

Four races are on the program: the 42.195-kilometre marathon, the 21-kilometre half marathon, a 5-kilometre race and the "EU for Sport" relay. The 5K starts at 8 am at the traffic lights by the Red Cross, heading towards Aerodrom. The marathon, half marathon and relay start at 8:05 at Rekord, at the junction of "Dimitrie Chupovski" and "Makedonija" streets - not in front of Parliament, as in previous editions. All races finish on Macedonia Square. Around 500 volunteers will be on duty along the course, and the organizer promises eight refreshment stations.

Streets closed from 06:00 to 14:00

Closed is the stretch from Rekord - "Makedonija" and "Dimitrie Chupovski" streets - then along the "Mitropolit Teodosij Gologanov" boulevard and "Vasil Chakalarov" street to the Hrom area. Also closed are parts of "11 Oktomvri", from Parliament towards the Red Cross, as well as parts of the "Krushevska Republika" and "Treta makedonska brigada" boulevards up to American College. In Aerodrom a special regime applies on the stretches towards Voen Bazen, Majchin Dom and the "Jane Sandanski" boulevard up to the junction with the "Srbija" boulevard.

The Interior Ministry is urging drivers to avoid these routes until 2 pm and to follow police instructions, as diversions will be rolled out in stages, following the movement of the runners. If you have to cross the centre today, plan before you set off: the race map is not a complete list of every closed access street.

The record turnout is a nice picture for the city. Today's test is a different one - whether 15,000 runners and an entire city can get through Sunday without chaos at the junctions.