French scientist Philip Fochs has started his marathon from Paris to Beijing, aiming to get to the Chinese capital before the 2008 Olympic Games.

The 57-year-old marathon lover will run for nearly 10,000 kilometers, with the route covering Belgium, Germany, Russia and Mongolia.

He is scheduled to run 20 weeks at a speed of 85 kilometers per day. Fochs says this is his way to celebrate the upcoming Olympics.

"I wish I can get to Beijing before the opening of the Olympics. That's why I choose to start now."

During this marathon, Fochs' running cadences and heart rates will be recorded as research data for the development of sports science.