SHIJIAZHUANG, China, May 29  -- The 2014 Hengshui Lake International Marathon will kick off in Hengshui city, north China'a Hebei province on September 20, local official sources said on Thursday.

The annual race, initiated in 2012, features three events of marathon, half marathon and 5km marathon.

As one of China's gold medal races, Hengshui Lake International Marathon attracts over 15,000 participants each year, including top-level runners from Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco and some 20 countries and regions.