The first ever Palestine marathon was held in Bethlehem in 2013. The complicated boundaries with Israel have constrained the course to a mere ten-kilometre stretch, meaning that participants must complete the route four times in order to run a full marathon. Forced to conform to the unique political geography of the West Bank, the course follows sections of the West Bank barrier, passing alongside baleful Israeli guard towers and sentry guns, before pushing through the narrow roads of Bethlehem’s refugee camps. To run here is a powerful symbolic act, and one that highlights the pervasive sense of restriction that Palestinians experience daily.