The new routes

I expect all runners in Malta are aware that the marathon and half marathon routes must be changed for this year's races due to current road works.

Since many runners will wish to train over parts of the new routes before race day, here are verbal descriptions of both routes from start to finish, beginning with the full marathon.

Both races still start in Mdina and finish at the Sliema Ferries. The initial five-mile loop in the marathon which has the runners go up to Dingli and back to Mdina has been retained, but with one change.

The race still starts towards San Duminku Church, up to Buskett, and takes the right fork towards Villa Psaigon. However, instead of passing in front of Savio College, the route takes the path on the left like the old cross country route (Triq Hal-Tartani), and follows the Dingli 10 race course which brings the runners round into the back of Dingli near the cemetery.

The runners then run down through the centre of the town and back to Mdina as in previous years. The route is unchanged past the Roman Villa, down around the roundabout and onto the Mtarfa ByPass.

Run down the ByPass around the roundabout and down to the next roundabout (where major roadworks are taking place). The major route changes begin at this point.

Go halfway round the roundabout and down the narrow tarmacked road past the wall of the Military Cemetery and head into Ta' Qali. Run down this road and take the left turn down to come to the small painted roundabout in front of the new stand of the National Stadium.

Do not go round the roundabout but turn right and head out to the runway.

Go around the roundabout, midway along the runway, and head down towards Mdina Glass. Run down the right hand side of the runway and do not go round the roundabout at the end but out past Mdina Glass and exit on the Rabat Road.

Turn left and head towards Attard. Where the red bricked centre strip begins (just before Mount Carmel) take a left fork (over a small bridge into Misrah Kola). Immediately take a sharp left turn into Triq Dun Mikiel Xerri and run to the end where there is a T-junction onto the road into Pitkali. Turn right and down to St Catherine's and turn left (heading for Mosta).

Cross the roundabout and then take the next major road on your right (Pantar Road) leading out to the main Birkirkara-Mosta Road exiting at Francesco Fenech.

Go left and follow this road past Subaru showroom, and to the very end of Independence Avenue. Go left and up and round past the front of Ta' Qali and the pizzeria (as in previous years).

Continue past Flower Power and take the road on your right (exactly opposite Pantar Road) called Triq il-Gradilja which leads up to Pitkali.

At Pitkali turn right, and follow the road all the way round the end of the runway (past the model aircraft) straight on and past the National Stadium to once again come back to the roundabout midway up the runway.

Go round the roundabout and exit Ta' Qali exactly as earlier in the race. Once again, turn left down staying on the Rabat Road all the way to the lights at Mriehel ByPass.

Go down Mriehel ByPass, staying on the left. After the long straightway the road forks with the right hand lane going over the flyover. Stay on the left-hand lane and go under the flyover, across the roundabout and head out towards Flamingo showroom. Here the road again splits with the left side going down the tunnel.

Cross over and take the right fork which leads to a flyover and onto the road leading from the tunnel towards Marsa. Move into the left-hand lane and do not take the next exit (leading to Wands) but the exit after that which leads down to December 13 Road heading towards Valletta.

From there to the finish is unchanged from last year.

The Half Marathon route is as follows:

From Mdina straight to San Duminku Church, turn right and right again and down past Nigret as in previous years but straight down to the roundabout at the beginning of Mtarfa ByPass. Run along the ByPass and into Ta' Qali exactly as the marathon route.

From the National Stadium turn right and come to the roundabout midway along the runway. Run round the roundabout and down the runway past Mdina Glass and exit Ta' Qali onto the Rabat Road.

Turn left and run down the main road until you reach the traffic lights at Mriehel ByPass. From here to the finish is exactly as for the marathon route.

Important notes:

Attard Athletics Club are once again holding their 10k road race on February 13. This offers an excellent opportunity to check your fitness for the Half Marathon two weeks later.

Contact Attard Local Council or Attard Athletics Club at info@attardac.com and sign up today.

If you are running in the BMW Malta Marathon or Half Marathon, then Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija needs your help. They urgently need runners to raise much-needed sponsorship to assist their disability programmes, which offer 35,000 sessions to over 1,000 disabled persons, free of charge, every year.

The Maltese were quick to help Tsunami victims, let's not forget those closer to home. Contact Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija as soon as possible for official sponsorship forms.