More public toilets provided for Beijing Marathon

Participants in the upcoming Beijing Marathon will have access to more public toilets that will be clearly marked, the Beijing Youth Daily said on Tuesday.

At last year's event, several male runners were forced to urinate against exterior walls of the Palace Museum due to the lack of portable toilets provided.

The municipal government issued a new regulation last November, ordering organizers of big events to provide at least one temporary toilet for every 70 people. The previous standard was one toilet for every 100 participants.

Some runners have complained that although the city has many public toilets, they can be hard to be find.

Chen Yong, an official at the Beijing Municipal Management Committee, said that a smartphone application mapping out the capital's public bathrooms is being developed and will be delivered soon.

The marathon will kick off at Tian'anmen Square on Sunday.