The annual non-competitive Stramilano marathon has been moved to Sunday 21 March because of regional elections in Lombardy on 28 March, which was the original date for the run.

The event starts at the Duomo at 09.00 and finishes at the Civica Arena. There are three courses, the Stramilano Agonistico Internazionale, which is a half-marathon length, the 50,000 classic which is 10 kms and the Stramilanina for children. For more details www.stramilano.it.

The MilanoCity marathon, an internationally recognised course, is on 11 April. It is usually held in the autumn, but last year it was moved from its scheduled date in November to April this year in order to mark the start of the important international furniture and design trade fair week.

For the first time this year there will be a relay race along the marathon course. In mid-February there were 3,000 registrations from 40 countries. The race starts at the new trade fair centre in Rho and ends at Castello Sforzesco.