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Mayor Nir Barkat has already personally completed five marathons around the globe, so it's high time that Jerusalem host a full marathon of its own, which is just what's happening this spring, with the First Jerusalem Marathon set to take place on March 25th, 2011. Not that this is Jerusalem's first international race - the past 18 years have seen half-marathons traversing the Holy City, but this is the first time that Israel's capital city is springing for a full-length 42-kilometer race.

Here's the low-down:

Length: In addition to the main 42k marathon (26.1 miles) there will be a 21k half-marathon and a 10k race as well.

Expected number of runners: 20,000

Starting times: 42k begins at 7:00, 21K at 8:00 and the 10k at 8:00

Start line location: Israel Museum

Finish line location: Gan Sacher

Main landmarks passed: the Mount of Olives, Mount Scopus, Sultan's Pool, Zion and Jaffa Gates, the Supreme Court, the Knesset, the German Colony and the Israel Museum

Bottles of water to be handed out: 100,000

Number of volunteers and staff: 800

The municipal government's Sports Department Director Uri Menachem, whose office is overseeing the marathon initiative, explains the marathon's inclusive concept. "The marathon is not directed at just one age group," he tells GoJerusalem.com. "It's international and multi-generational. There will be people from all over the world, ages 16 to 80, competing."

Indeed, Jerusalem has been recruiting all over the world - sending delegations to cities like New York, Berlin, Amsterdam and Athens to recruit runners and publicize the event, which is also being advertised in trade magazines and being promoted in six languages on its official website.

Of course, planning a marathon of this scope is not without its logistical hurdles. As Menachem tells GoJerusalem.com, "The biggest challenges are dealing with Jerusalem's topography and closing the city for the marathon. We want to give the runners a feel for Jerusalem - take them past its most famous sites - but that will involve dealing with traffic and the opening or closing of the roads. We really want to get the whole city involved."

Indeed, Jerusalem is gearing up to become a proper marathon town via numerous events leading up to and following the race - including a pre-run this past fall, training events, a pre-marathon pasta dinner for the runners, a three-day health and fitness expo at the Jerusalem International Convention Center, and a "finish-line" extravaganza at Gan Sacher with stands, a central stage (where the medals will be handed out) and a general party-in-the-park atmosphere for those not too tired out from the marathon itself.

While the Jerusalem Marathon is a multi-generational event, the Sports Department has also, in recent years, been working in close cooperation with the Culture Department and with various university student organizations, to offer a variety of activities (including "extreme sports" like the rock-wall climbing and rappelling, featured at last summer's White Night extravaganza) to attract the city's youth.

At the same time, the Sports Department has a number of additional ambitious projects lined up to continue long after the last runner has crossed the finish line. Initiatives to look for in 2011 include the Jerusalem March, which attracts thousands on Chol Hamoed Succot, and early planning for the 2013 Maccabia which is set to be based in Jerusalem.