Great Wall Marathon (Half)

It still feels a little surreal that I ran a half marathon on the Great Wall of China…well, about 2 miles of a half marathon on the great wall of China to be exact. This race had been on my radar since I ran my first half marathon in 2012. I was at the expo for Disney World Marathon Weekend and one of the booths was for Albatros Adventure Marathons, who hosts a variety of marathon adventures, one of which being the Great Wall Marathon. I took a brochure and remember thinking that it would just be the most incredible (and brag worthy) experience. I mean how many people can say they’ve run the Great Wall of China! (Turns out 2,500 people each year can say that – that is the participant cut-off. Still, just myself and 2,499 other people this year can say it. Pretty cool!)

Fast forward four years and in 2016 I finally said, “That’s it, this year is the year!” and I signed up to run the Great Wall Marathon in May. As soon as I hit the button to confirm my participation, I just sat there and thought, “Holy crap! I’m going to China!” My second thought was that I needed to get ready.

Despite countless google searches, I was not able to find a training plan from past participants, so my running mind thought, “I will just climb stairs.” Cutting-edge, I know. I joined a gym with a stair climber and alternated between climbing and running. My post race self now knows a bit better and would definitely have trained differently, especially since I hail from the flatlands of Houston, TX and a stair climbing machine did not cut it (I will talk about the course in a bit).

Finally departure day came and I headed to Beijing via Vancouver. Once you arrive, Albatros has someone at the airport to pick you and fellow runners up. Through Albatros you not only have registration into the race, you also have the option of picking different tour packages (6 day or 7 day). One where you have scheduled excursions and the other allows you to tour Beijing on your own. The race is toward the end of the week. I chose the 7 day planned excursion package as I was traveling alone and wanted to meet other runners. It was definitely the right choice, I was in a great group of people.

The other runners staying at my particular hotel made up the group of people I would be touring with for the week. The first tour day, I met a couple of ladies from Dallas, Texas. I tell you what, no matter where you go in the world, you will run into some one from Texas. Happens to me every time!

The week prior to the race was made up of Beijing hotspots (Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Ming Tombs, a silk factory) and on one of the days, we headed to the Great Wall for inspection day. For inspection day, all runners are bused out to the wall where we gather in Ying Yang Square for a rundown of the race and an opportunity to walk the route on the Great Wall we will take on race day. Inspection Day is helpful in preparing for the big day, but organizers also wanted to provide additional time to runners to be on the wall, experience the condition of the wall, and take photos. They encourage you to take photos on inspection day since you will be running on race day. In my case, I do not plan to win the race, so I can stop for photos.

Inspection Day was an eye opener when it came to the state of the wall. Throughout the wall route, you experienced: short steps, tall steps, and sections where there were no steps and just crumbling rock that you had to find toe-hold purchase and hang on to the railing for dear life. I might be a bit dramatic, but one serious tumble and I am going over the side and taking at least five people with me. This sobering thought is when I came to the realization that my little stair climber at the gym did not prepare me for this. Not sure what would have (I mean, it is one of the 7 Wonders of the World, so basically, there is nothing similar out there), but a lot of trail running, especially at an incline, and running stands would have benefitted me. Not easily accessible in Houston, TX (trail running at an incline that is; stadium stands we have aplenty), but those in areas with more diverse terrain are at an advantage. I know one runner from Canada trained by running a trail up Grouse Mountain. She killed it.

Because of narrowing passage along the wall through the Beacon Towers, you knew you could expect delays and traffic jams during the race. Unless you are at the front of the pack on race day, I am not sure exactly how you can run the wall without delays. Of course, my way of thinking, you are on the Great Wall of China! Why race through it? This is not a PR race.

Race day finally arrives and we head out from our hotels at 3.30 am (it is about a 2.5 hour bus ride from Beijing to the wall – brutal!). The hotel provides a breakfast bag with a variety of items including: mystery meat in a hot dog shape, a roll, fruit, and some sort of bagged fish-type item. I myself did not partake, but watched in utter fascination as a fellow runner consumed her entire bag on the bus. I was convinced that meal was going to revisit her at a very inopportune time on the wall.

As we exit the bus, a choir/band is set up to welcome us as we head into Ying-Yang Square for the start of the race. The square was packed and it was a bit chilly starting out. Fortunately the band/choir had moved inside and were entertaining the crowd with a rendition of Jingle Bells. We all were a bit confused why in the middle of May we were singing Jingle Bells, but I tell you what, we were all singing it.

The race was made up of 5k, Half Marathon and Marathon runners. I was a half marathon runner and basically everyone had 8 hours to complete their race. After 8 hours, the race organizers packed up and headed out. The race kicked off with a presentation by Beijing officials and race organizers. Then the gong sounded and the race began. The waves moved through pretty quickly, and then off I went!

The race takes you out Ying Yang Square and winds you around to a paved road leading up to a higher entrance to the Great Wall. This is the first Feats of Strength in the race. Right off the bat, you are going up for about a mile. Once you reach the base of the Wall…you continue up. At this point, down is not on the horizon. So you start climbing stairs and make your way onto the wall and go up, up, up, and up, until you start heading back down the wall and to Ying Yang Square. By the time you hit the square, you have 3 miles under your belt.

At the square, the 5k runners are done! The Half Marathon and Marathon runners continue out the square and head through town to a local village (Marathon runners go further out to
another area of the village as well). The terrain here is pretty eclectic. One minute you are running on a paved road, then you are running along a gravely ravine, then you are trail running it through parts of the village, and in other areas it is simply packed dirt. You definitely have to stay aware, but the course is pretty amazing. You expect to be amazed on the Wall, but all along the route you have the opportunity to run through some beautiful landscape as well as get a glimpse of how those who in the area live. Everyone in the village, especially the kids, stand along the path and cheer the runners on; taking pictures and video. They are truly welcoming to these insane people running through their town.

After running through the village, you head back to Ying Yang Square and for the lucky Half Marathoners like myself, it is over. You receive your medal, grab a beer, and cheer on your fellow runners. For the Marathoners, it is back up the wall you go. Marathoners retrace the path taken at the beginning of the race. I tell you, mad respect to those marathoners. The day had become pretty warm and to finish the race by climbing up a mountain…impressive.

Overall, the Great Wall Marathon was an incredible experience. From the tours, to meeting runners from all of the world, it was one of the best experiences. I still keep in touch with some of the runners I met at the race (thank you, Facebook), and hope our paths cross again at another racing adventure.

For a look at the Great Wall Race experience, here is a video shown at the Gala dinner held after the race. It is a great overview of the event and yes, that is Pippa racing with us! No big.