>> go! go! >> reporter: and they're off. runners in the 15th beirut marathon. in a country where divisions have led to war, this is a race about unity. joining athletes professional and amateur, young and old, the able and the disabled and others. a record number of people are participating in this year's beirut marathon. however, one person who participated in the past is conspicuously absent, and that's runner number 3. that's saad al hariri, who resigned suddenly as prime minister from saudi arabia more than a week ago. sunday evening hariri spoke up on lebanese television for the first time in eight days, explaining his resignation was intended as a wake-up call for the people of lebanon to the dangers facing them from iran and others.