The city staged the 2014 edition of the event, with Kenya's Geoffrey Kipsang and Gladys Cherono winning the men's and women's races respectively, but hopes to spread races across a whole weekend if successful in its 2018 campaign.

Elite races would be held on a Sunday with a "running for a better world" five kilometre event on Friday, where those taking part would be asked to collect spare running shoes for people in developing countries.

On Saturday, an open 10km race is proposed, to illustrate how we "are all runners". 

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) are due to pick the host of the Championships on November 27 with no other bidders yet confirmed.

“It is of high importance to us that the event format that we create for the IAAF Running Festival in 2018 is sustainable - meaning that the IAAF Running Festival, in the years to come, can take place anywhere in the world and create a legacy not only in Denmark but also in future host cities of the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships," said CEO of the Danish Athletic Federation Jakob Larsen.

"This will build another strong event brand for the IAAF."

Organisers hope the festival will provide a combination of amateur and elite running with the Championship races set to begin and end at Copenhagen's Parken Stadium.

“First, we ask people to come join us and run for a better world, collecting spare running shoes for runners in developing countries, while having a fun Friday night," said Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark.

"Secondly, we ask everyone to come join us with their friends, kids, parents and grandparents for a 5km road race on Saturday, illustrating that we are all runners.

"Finally, on the third day we ask people to come join us for the World Half Marathon Championship and run together with the elite - and with a start and finish at the national stadium."

Lars Vallentin, head of Sport Events at Wonderful Copenhagen, added: “Copenhagen has proven its worth as an epic sporting event venue for many different sports over the years and as one of the fastest half marathon courses in the world.

"We are thus extremely proud of presenting our capital as a unique world class course for the IAAF World Half Marathon 2018.”

The Championships are held every two years with 2016's event scheduled for the Welsh capital Cardiff.



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November 2014: Support for major events not a problem in our country, says Sport Event Denmark deputy chief
April 2014: Annual international running event in pipeline for Denmark after success of World Half-Marathon Championships