On March 23rd, 14 registered marathon events took place across China, with nearly 260,000 runners expected to participate, according to the official China Marathon website. This marked the first “Marathon Super Weekend” of the year, sparking a nationwide running craze.
The Wuhan Marathon led the pack, increasing its participant limit to 40,000, 10,000 more than in 2024. However, the demand was even higher, with over 450,000 applicants, making the acceptance rate just 8.8%.
For seasoned Beijing runner Yang Jun, securing a spot in the Wuhan Marathon was a long-awaited achievement. “I applied five times before and finally got in through the supplementary draw this year,” he said.
“It’s not just about fitness. It’s also about exploring new cities,” Yang explained. He has run several marathons over the past decade. This enthusiasm reflects a larger trend: the China Athletics Association reports that the number of road races nationwide increased to 749 in 2024, up from 699 in 2023. The number of runners surpassed seven million, one million increase from last year.
The road running boom has impacted society in many ways.
Chinese runners’ performances have improved significantly. In 2024, more than 18,000 runners completed marathons under three hours. The national average marathon time dropped by over five minutes to four hours, seven minutes, and one second.
While elite runners focus on records, many amateurs prioritize health and experience over personal bests.
Chen Weifen, from Shandong Province, finished in two hours, 35 minutes, and 50 seconds as the fifth-fastest Chinese woman. “It wasn’t my best performance, but I have no regrets. My goal is to enjoy the race atmosphere in different cities,” she said.
Marathons now also drive local cultural and tourism development.
The High-quality Development Report of Road Races in China, published by the People’s Daily, notes that marathons create significant value for local tourism, dining, accommodation, and other service industries.
For example, the 2024 Wuxi Marathon generated about 280 million yuan, a 45.5% increase from 2023. The dining and accommodation sectors contributed the most, with 127 million yuan and 117 million yuan, respectively.
Zhang Wenzhi, a professional marathon course manager in Beijing, said, “Hosting marathons brings multiple types of value to urban development.”
“During this Marathon Super Weekend, we see not only the passion of 260,000 runners but also cities in China innovatively telling their stories through sports events,” he added.
Zhang emphasized that organizers must balance event management and cultural presentation.
Written by Yi Shen, additional reporting by Xinhua and Global Times.
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