KUNMING, China, Nov.26 (Xinhua) -- To date, 1072 marathon and road running races have been held in China this year, vice president of the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) Wang Nan announced on Monday.

"Among 1072 races, the number of marathons certificated by the CAA reached 310," Wang Nan said during a working conference held in Kunming, the capital city of southwest China's Yunnan province.

"Now we can say that marathon running has become one of the most popular sports in China. It promotes a healthy lifestyle," Wang added.

According to Wang, the marathon and road running events attracted 5.3 million participants, and the number will reach 6 million at the end of 2018.