The Great Wall of China Marathon Autumn

You are not actually running on the GREAT WALL, except for abt. 2km!!! There is no clear indication of the real track in the website, so I supposed was all on the GREAT WALL, and I was so wrong!! You are in the middle of nowhere and you climb on the wall with a wood ladder (is that legal in a race???), once you complete the hiking to get to the wall. I thank a lot all the running mates and all the staff that made this experience fun despite the track.

I was so happy I did not signed up for a longer distance, due to the actual track!

Wow - This is a must! You collect your bib and after race drop off bag with a technical long-sleeved t-shirt the day before hand in the hotel reception. On the morning you are collected from the designated hotel at 5:30am in the morning to travel to start of the race for a 8:00am start. Which seemed like a rustic hostle. Bring plenty of warm clothing as the weather is initially super cold and windy at the top of the wall! You will benefit from a camel bac and your own nutrition for the race, the finishing times are not like a normal race. Be prepared to be slow, there are plenty of single file trails with limited overtaking, when you get on top of the wall you will want photos of the scenery! Some parts of the wall are extremely steep, you will be crawling up it, if you do have a problem with heights – oh dear… You will be given a timing chip, each check point is marked with specifically coloured wrist bands. All routes are very clearly marked. There will be no one other than the participants on this part of the wall, it is remote. You will travel from the start on a quiet road, up the side of the mountains through woodland and climb onto the Great Wall of China via a wooden ladder which is propped against the side of the wall with a man holding it in place. You will travel along the Great Wall of China for a mile with an elevation of around 3,850 feet in total. By mile five you are coming down from the experience, there is however more steady elevation as you return back up another trail past a working farm. At the base check in point there is plenty additional water in bottles, fruit and pastries. People of all ages participate in this event from 10 year olds to 70 year olds. When you have finished you will be transported by bus back to the hotel at two different times. Remember to bring your lunch and hydration after such extreme exertion. The organisers are super helpful and go out of their way to make sure your adventure goes smoothly.

The full marathon is very much a different, harder and technical race. You travel on a part of the wall that is abandoned, that the other distances do not use. Be mindful of the additional exertion.

Running at the Great Wall of China is a once in a lifetime unique experience! Overall, the organization is solid, though finding detailed information for optimal preparation—such as weather, logistics, and support—can be challenging due to a somewhat confusing race website. However, runners do receive an email during race week that clarifies details and provides helpful tips. The 21 km course includes approximately 3 km along the Great Wall. This distance allows runners to fully enjoy the unique experience of running on the Wall while still making the race achievable for a typical runner, given the intense challenge of the steep trail leading to it and the irregular, steep stairways along the Wall itself. Please find below a summary breakdown of the race extension: - 2,5 km slight uphill road - 1,5 km steep uphill trail - 2,5 km at the Great Wall - 1,5 km steep downhill trail - 2,5 km slight downhill road - 4,0 km medium uphill road - 4,0 km medium downhill road - 1,5 km slight uphill road - 1,5 km slight downhill road For the Autumn race, be prepared for a temperature close to 5 degrees at the start line. In summary, if you are expecting a full race at the Great Wall, you will be frustrated. But if you are seeking for a challenging and amazing adventure with the Great Wall as a backstage, this is THE race.

Be prepared for limited water distribution points, due to the race path and carry along a camelback in case you cannot stand a distance of 5 km without water supply. Gatorade and bananas are provided in the water distribution points.

Well organised, rustic few miles to begin with. An awesome to testing endurance of the runner for the first few miles. However, sheer exhilaration you get running with fellow runners on the Great Wall with no tourists is priceless.

It was a truly amazing experience. Organisers were so helpful and kind. Shigematsu san was so helpful and fun as well as helpful! Having the Great Wall closed to all except the participants was so special and a huge honour. It was hard and we all struggled, but to run on the Wall kept a smile on our faces! Highly recommended. One thing is that I wanted to take the photo with all the runners together! Thanks.

Long enough! Amazing wall! Wish if the running part of the wall was little longer?