Runners hit the stairs for China’s Great Wall Marathon
Posted June 15th, 2007 at 2:19 PM by Jessica Galvano
Section: News & Results, Marathons
26.2 - For some runners, this number means endless months of training, unnatural sweating, and corporal agony. For these runners, 26.2 is simply out of the question.
For others, a deep-rooted affection for the marathon drives them to what many perceive as insanity and is arguably exemplified by those who compete in China’s Great Wall Marathon.
While many people cannot even fathom the physical demands of a typical marathon, some runners continue to test their physical limit with nearly 4 miles of the Great Wall. Even New York’s bridges and Boston’s notorious “Heartbreak Hill” cannot compare to the 3,700 individual steps that make China’s marathon one of the world’s most grueling.
This year, the eighth installment of the marathon boasted a field that not only beat, but shattered former records. Prior to 2007, the course record for females was 4:12:42; this year, however, the first-place finish bested the previous time by more than twenty minutes. Not surprisingly, the new 3:50:21 women’s record in China still exceeds the faster world-record time by over an hour and a half.
With the men’s marathon world record set at just over two hours, the Great Wall Marathon’s record completion time for men is, as expected, a significantly longer 3:23:10. Though the gap between Great Wall and world-leading times is inevitable, this year’s record finishes suggest that future performances in China will exhibit a continued downward trend.
How to prepare for this stair-stepping marathon? Your household staircase will likely prove ineffective, and may even crumble before you do. The stair master at the local gym can sustain heavy wear and stadium bleachers have the added benefit of changes in scenery, even if only slight. For many hopeful finishers however, training involves running up and down skyscraper stairwells. This unconventional method offers the best possible simulation of the seemingly endless ascent of the Great Wall.
When it comes time to actually tackle the wall, even seasoned veterans of the marathon acknowledge that it is best to adopt a considerably slowed pace. Most participants find that a moderate jog quickly becomes a brisk walk, a brisk walk slows to a leisurely stroll, and ultimately, a leisurely stroll gives way to a sluggish crawl.
In spite of the exhausting climb, the marathon’s breathtaking rural surroundings and historic setting entice more and more runners to enter each year. The recognizable difficulty associated with scaling the world’s longest man-made structure adds considerable distinction to an already challenging 26.2 miles.
For more information, please visit: [MSNBC], [Great Wall Marathon - Official Site]
In addition, click on the image below to watch a video about last year’s Great Wall Marathon:
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Tags: 26.2, China, great wall, great wall marathon, great wall of china, marathon, marathoner, stair stepping, stairs
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The Final Sprint
[…] Runners hit the stairs for Chinas Great Wall <b>Marathon</b> […]
June 15th, 2007 at 4:14 pm