Marathon running is becoming popular on the mainland
Marathon running is becoming popular on the mainland as the middle class discovers the benefits of exercise, writes Jeanette Wang
In 1981, when mainland China's first international marathon was launched in Beijing, fewer than 200 people took part. Last October, the 33rd edition of the event drew 30,000 runners from 40 countries, and all the race slots were snapped up just 13 hours after registration opened.
Two months later in December, the 18th edition of the Shanghai International Marathon saw a record 35,000 runners from more than 80 countries, with sign-ups filling to capacity within days.
I think this is a great way for athletes to see other parts of China
Running has caught on in the mainland so rapidly in recent years that the race calendar has ballooned. In 2010, the Chinese Athletic Association (CAA) held 12 official running events; in 2012 there were 33.
This year, there will be 53 events in the annual national running series, the association revealed in January. The bulk of these races are marathons (42.195 kilometres), though there are events ranging from 10 kilometres to more than 100 kilometres.
Launched in October 2012 in response to the running boom, eRun360 has more than 60,000 registered members and 1.2 million daily page views.
Active Network, a US-based company that provides online race registration services, opened offices on the mainland last year, when 10 races used its registration platform.
