By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter

Besides professional athletes, a large number of children, youths and women are expected to run at Qtel’s 2013 marathon for a cause which will begin at 7am at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) on January 26.
A total of 1,200 runners from different communities in Qatar and from other countries,  have registered for the charity run.  Qtel employees are also taking part.
“We have people with special needs, we have ladies, we have men, we have children, we have youth, and that’s really a very good mix,” said Qtel’s public relations director Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari at a press briefing yesterday.
She said they were also proud of the number of youth participants who have registered.
“They are the future of the country, they are the future of the nation and living a healthy lifestyle is a key for us,” she said.
The categories include a 10km run and a 21.1km half marathon while those under 18 can register for the 1km run. The race, beginning from the MIA, would proceed on the Corniche  and then return to the MIA to finish the 10km run.
“We make sure that our activities accommodate different age groups of the community,” al-Kuwari said.
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad al-Thani, Qtel’s head of Corporate Sales, said the public and many of their employees responded to the call. He also urged those who will not run to join other spectators in cheering for the runners.
All the money raised from registration fees will be donated to the Red Crescent aimed at helping different communities in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Adults paid QR50 while children paid QR30 to participate in the event.
Al-Kuwari said the event is part of Qtel’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.  
She also announced that the 2013 marathon is just a preparation for a bigger event in 2014 where thousands of participants are expected to join. “Next year would be a bigger marathon.”
Asked why Qtel chose to organise a marathon and not any other sport, al-Kuwari disclosed that it is the easiest way to engage a larger number of society members in addition to professional runners.
“People can walk while others can run,” she said. “That’s a key element.”
She also recounted that when they were still young, there was a marathon that used to happen in Qatar every year. “It’s one of the important events that used to happen and we are just restarting that in the country,” she said.
The winner of the adult race will receive an iPhone 5 (16GB) while the second prize will be a Samsung Galaxy S-3 and the third prize an iPad 3 . There are 10 other categories based on age and gender.
Different categories in the Youth Run will also receive prizes that included a 64GB iPod for the champion, 32GB for the second  and 16GB for the third place winners.
Organisers have urged the participants to get their race packs an hour before the start of the marathon.
Al-Kuwari said the marathon was also part of the preparation for the Qatar National Sport Day on February 12.
“We do not only sponsor or support existing events, we have created this new event to be a major event on the landscape of sports in Qatar,” she added.