Extreme weather in outdoor competitions is a great challenge for the athletes. Visual China / Figure
Life is a wilderness, not a track. This sentence is seared in the hearts of many outdoor enthusiasts, and the real wilderness is full of dangers.
On April 14, 2024, Liao Hongtao participated in the "Xuedou Mountain Jiangnan 100-mile Cross-Country Race" in Ningbo, and was lucky to find a temple under the chase of strong winds, torrential rain, thunder and lightning, and flash floods. There was no signal from the mobile phone, there was no response to the GPS call for help, and the hungry and cold players lost contact with the outside world, physically and mentally exhausted, and sat on the ground silent. The statues of the gods in the temple are solemn, and some players begin to pray.
April is the best time for outdoor events, but according to statistics from Southern Weekly, from April 13 to 21, eight outdoor races such as cross-country running, marathons, and bicycles were canceled or suspended due to extreme weather such as strong convection.
According to the statistics of meteorological disaster warnings issued by the China Meteorological Administration in April 2024, there are 38,800 warnings nationwide, and the warnings of severe convection, hail, thunderstorms and strong winds are the highest in the same period of the previous year.
In the temple sheltered from the rain, although no one mentioned the silver incident, everyone tacitly understood it. In 2021, the 100-kilometer cross-country race of the Yellow River Stone Forest held in Baiyin City, Gansu Province encountered extreme weather such as hail, freezing rain, and strong winds, and 21 runners were unfortunately killed.
After the silver incident, the requirements for the circuit breaker mechanism for sports events were strengthened. The Measures for the Administration of Sports Events issued by the General Administration of Sports of China in 2023 mentions that organizers should pay close attention to meteorological and other early warning, disaster and accident information, and stipulates that the emergency scenarios for activating the "circuit breaker" mechanism include meteorological disasters and traffic accidents.
But what happens after the break? Dilemma. Constantly, life safety is paramount; If the weather suddenly improves, it will be burdened with the dissatisfaction and financial losses of the players.
Before the circuit breaker: There is even a sun hanging in the sky
At 7 o'clock on April 20, more than 1,200 runners started on time in Dinghu Mountain, Zhaoqing.
The Zhaoqing Dinghushan 100 cross-country race has four categories: 8, 30, 60 and 100 km. In April 2024, Guangdong's rainfall broke the historical record for the same period. At 10 o'clock the night before the race, the rain was still falling, and the organizing committee notified that the 100km group was cancelled, and the runners could change to participate in the 60km group with a different course and slightly less difficulty, or withdraw from the race and return the registration fee.
Jia Hua in the 60km group is mentally prepared for the "rain battle". He has nearly 10 trail running races, and although running in the rain is challenging, it is also the norm, and is even regarded by many runners as one of the charms of the sport. To his surprise, the morning of the race was good, cloudy and cool.
The eight cancelled/cancelled outdoor events counted by Southern Weekend reporters are concentrated in East China and South China, where there are many outdoor sports enthusiasts. Mid-March to late April is the window period of good weather throughout the year, which can be described as the right time and place - the temperature is right, the climate is relatively stable, the runners are not prone to the risk of low temperature or heat stroke, and the scenery along the way is beautiful.
Similar to Jia Hua's experience, on April 21, more than 200 kilometers away, Chen Xiaoxiao, who participated in the 30-kilometer group of the Shenzhen Balcony Mountain Cross-Country Public Welfare Race, set off in good weather, and there was even a sun hanging in the sky.
A week before, on April 13, more than 1,200 kilometers away from Dinghu Mountain, Anhui Province, the "Huangshan Huizhou Ancient City 100 Kilometers Cross-Country Race" was launched.
But their beautiful mood did not last until noon.
An hour or two after setting off, Chen Xiaoxiao climbed halfway up the mountain, and suddenly the torrential rain poured and the wind was strong, and she felt that it was difficult to control her body, and if it were not for the trees to block the wind, she would not even be able to stand on her feet. On several steep slopes, the water cascades down from above, almost forming a waterfall. She carefully walked around the puddle that had been trodden by her predecessors, and still fell twice.
At a fork in the road, Chen Xiaoxiao went the wrong way. The rainstorm washed away the road markings very invisibly, and soon after returning to the right track, she got lost in a wooded field again, and finally relied on maps and sound positioning to find her way.
After noon, Jia Hua also found that the wind and clouds had changed abruptly. At about one o'clock in the afternoon, the rain fell, and ten minutes later the torrential rain poured and the wind howled, and after another ten minutes, the thunder rumbled. The most feared thunderstorm is still coming.
Thunderstorms are localized severe convective weather that can occur with lightning strikes, lightning, strong winds, heavy rain or hail, often in the spring and summer afternoons. If struck by lightning, it can be fatal.
At about half past three in the afternoon, a weather forecast of a rainstorm warning also popped up on the mountainer's sports watch, and the light rain fell on his body, even a little comfortable. He also thought, "Is it the watch that is wrong, looking at the weather does not look like there is a thunderstorm".
In the 100-kilometer race of the ancient city of Huizhou in Huangshan, at about half past three in the afternoon, the athletes' sports watches received a storm warning. Interviewee/Figure
More than an hour later, the rain became heavier, and the mountaineer changed into a jacket. At this time, he had just climbed a steep and difficult slope, and there was an easy step path in front of him. As he approached a village, the rain had risen to torrential levels, and he went to a kiosk to take shelter from the rain while receiving a notice from the organizing committee to suspend the competition. Outside, the rain was pouring down, and the mountain guests drank water and rested at the commissary, but fortunately, the clothes under the jackets were not wet.
Chen Xiaoxiao, who was lost, was not so lucky, she felt the cold and told herself that she had to keep running, otherwise once she stopped, a lot of heat would be lost, and there was a risk of hypothermia.
Hypothermia, one of the most terrible dangers in outdoor sports, is an important cause of casualties in the Silver Cross Country Race – the body loses more heat than it supplies, and the temperature in the core area drops, leading to chills, cardiopulmonary failure, and even death.
Circuit breaker: Some people regret it, and some people look forward to it
There is no uniform rule on what weather requires a circuit breaker to be activated, but thunderstorms are clearly the accepted trigger point.
At around two o'clock in the afternoon, Jia Hua heard from other players that the game had been suspended. At the same time, he received a text message from his mobile phone: Affected by the continuous strong thunderstorm and other strong convective weather, the organizing committee has decided to activate the circuit breaker mechanism after a prudent decision, and all players are requested to follow the instructions of the staff and assemble at the corresponding CP point (check point), and the organizing committee will arrange vehicle transfer and transfer.
After staying in the commissary for more than 20 minutes, the rain gradually subsided, and the organizing committee informed that the competition could be continued. Unexpectedly, after walking more than 2 kilometers, the staff at the check-in point told him that the game was fused. Shanke was a little unwilling, feeling that it was just a light rain, and the most difficult sections had already been walked, and the finish seemed to be only a kick in the door.
The circuit breaker means that the results are canceled, the desire to challenge yourself is disappointed, and the preparation efforts put in the early stage are in vain, and you may not even leave a photo.
Some people don't want to have a circuit breaker, and some people are anxiously looking forward to it.
When Liao Hongtao received the news of the circuit breaker of the game, it was 7 hours after losing contact with the outside world.
In the 110km group, runners need to reach the finish line within 28 hours, which means running around the clock. At about 1 o'clock in the morning, he arrived at CP6, at this time the local meteorological station had sent a rainstorm and lightning warning, he checked his mobile phone, there was no circuit breaker notice. Although he was a little hesitant, he still chose to trust the judgment of the organizing committee and continue to compete.
Waiting for him in front of him is Sanjian Mountain, which is considered the most "desperate" by the competitors among the several "desperate slopes", requiring the use of both hands and feet like rock climbing, and an almost vertical cliff that can only be climbed by pulling ropes.
Liao Hongtao climbing a "desperate slope". Interviewee/Figure
He pulled the rope with both hands, stepped on the cliff with both feet, and pulled himself up little by little with the strength of his upper limbs. After reaching the summit with great effort, several thunderbolts suddenly exploded nearby. There are trees at the top of the mountain, as well as power poles, which are vulnerable to lightning strikes. Liao Hongtao and the other runners immediately ran down the mountain as if they were fleeing for their lives, and the torrential rain poured down, and the narrow and steep dirt road instantly became a muddy stream, and the group could only "fart" - sitting and sliding, rolling and climbing, embarrassed.
After the circuit breaker: A shelter is warmer than home
The circuit breaker means that the race is over, but the runners are still scattered on the track, and it is difficult for the organizers to pick them up one by one.
Jia Hua faced such a dilemma. When he received the circuit breaker message, he was traveling from CP2 to CP3, separated by a mountain more than 1,000 meters above sea level, and he had to climb over the mountain first to reach CP3, where the shuttle bus was parked.
Heavy rain caused the water in the mountain stream to swell, and the runners wore jackets and thermal blankets, and waded hand in hand through the calf-deep section. At a section of the wading road, the road was cut off by a raging flash flood, and Jia Hua was trapped on the mountainside with thirty or forty people, drenched in the rain with the stones next to him.
The contestants felt the helplessness of wild animals in the face of wind and rain. Although "life-saving clothing" such as jackets and thermal blankets are mandatory equipment, some players wearing vests and shorts still shiver uncontrollably. Jia Hua, who has a lot of experience, knows that this is a precursor to hypothermia. He suggested that you take off your wet clothes first, and then put on a thermal blanket to keep your body dry and warm. He also ate a few energy gels to replenish his calories, and his body continued to exercise slightly.
The rain kept falling, and it seemed to be competing with the runners for endurance, and at this time, a shelter was warmer than home.
The interval between lightning and thunder is getting shorter and shorter, which indicates that the thunder is getting closer. Liao Hongtao ran along the road after coming down the mountain, and his jacket had been soaked through the torrential rain and stuck to his body like silk. Except for the light of the headlamp, it was dark all around, there was no village in front of him, and there was no shop in the back, and Lei Gong seemed to be chasing after him, which made him feel scared.
After running for about three kilometers, a temple suddenly appeared, "Saved!" He was atheistic and couldn't help but be grateful.
At this time, it was already more than three o'clock in the morning, and Liao Hongtao wanted to stay until the rain was a little bit lower and continue to move forward. Unexpectedly, the rain did not lighten, and the thunder continued to hit until more than six o'clock in the morning, and a few sounds felt like they exploded overhead. The 49 players were trapped in the temple, but fortunately, they all carried woolen underwear, thermal blankets and other equipment in accordance with the mandatory equipment requirements, and no one was injured or hypothermic.
In the "Jiangnan 100" cross-country race, 49 runners were trapped in the temple and lost contact with the outside world for 7 hours. Interviewee/Figure
赛前就消:褒贬不一
After the event, Liao Hongtao and his runners issued an open letter, questioning the chaotic safety guarantee mechanism and the sluggish circuit breaker mechanism of the organizing committee and the organizers. The director of the Ningbo 100-mile cross-country race declined an interview with Southern Weekend on the grounds that "the conclusion of the government investigation has not yet been announced".
God is not just "unreasonable" in one place. On the same day that Liao Hongtao participated, East China originally planned to hold the Qiandao Lake Huanchun Southwest Road Cycling Race and the Ningbo Women's Half Marathon.
The Qiandao Lake Cycling Race is the highest-level race that Zheng Yongming will participate in in 2024, and the significance is as high as "giving up any other race". However, at 7 o'clock in the morning on the day of the race, the event was cancelled due to heavy rain.
The weather in Qiandao Lake is changeable, the rain soon stopped, and at half past eight, the sun even came out. Zheng Yongming, who was full of regrets, rode about 30 kilometers along the beautiful track with his fellow riders. The air is fresh, the sky is blue and the clouds are white, and the sun pierces the clouds to form the Tyndall effect, shining on the blue lake, and the rubber runway is colorful.
The weather in Qiandao Lake changes rapidly, and blue skies and white clouds appear soon after the rain. Interviewee/Figure
However, he found that some of the tracks were not suitable for racing, and that riders riding at high speeds were likely to slip or puncture tires, causing massive crashes.
After the rain, the Qiandao Lake track is slippery, which is not conducive to road bike racing. Interviewee/Figure
While Zheng Yongming was preparing for the race, Hong Li was also excitedly looking forward to the first half marathon of her life. She was well prepared: she bought sports equipment and watches, ate motherwort in advance to adjust her menstrual period, braided her boxing braids the night before the game, and went to bed with neat gear. On the day of the race, she set off early and arrived at the venue on the first shuttle bus.
Sitting on the shuttle bus, the mobile phone suddenly "ding", followed by an "ah" - the game was temporarily canceled due to rain. Hong Li was extremely disappointed. "I'm not afraid of the rain, I'm prepared for the worst, and I don't even plan to bring electronic devices."
It was 9 o'clock in the morning after returning home to catch up on sleep, and the sun was shining outside the window, and the sun was hanging in the sky. At that moment, Hong Li felt "full of ridicule". At 7 o'clock in the evening, Hong Li put on her running shoes and went out and completed her own half marathon alone.
Circuit breaker criteria: rely on experience
Under what conditions will the game be continued, and under what conditions will it be cancelled or fused? The standards and decisions are in the hands of the event organizers, but they are also in a dilemma.
Profitability is an important consideration for tournament companies. Yao Jia, the race director of the 100-kilometer cross-country race in the ancient city of Huizhou in Huangshan, told Southern Weekend that the majority of the income from a race comes from the registration fees of the runners. Yao Jia participated in the Silver Cross Country Race in 2020 and knows that it is not easy for outdoor events to survive the epidemic and recover.
During the epidemic, dozens of marathons such as the Beijing, Wuhan and Chengdu marathons were cancelled or postponed, and the Changsha Marathon was even changed to online three times - the rules of the race were published on the running app, and runners uploaded their outdoor running tracks and results.
After the epidemic, the number of people who pay attention to health and running exercise has increased, and the event has recovered, which has also brought economic benefits such as catering, accommodation, transportation, and tourism. In April 2024, more than 100 marathons will be held across the country, and there will be about 50 on Sunday, April 21 alone.
A South China marathon enthusiast told Southern Weekend that he had turned down an invitation to race in East China. She noticed that before the epidemic, there were many short-term races, such as 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer city runs. After the epidemic, there are many long-term races of 100 kilometers, "so many that there are not enough runners".
For the event organizers, there will be no easy cancellation or circuit breaker. In East China, except for March and April, the window of good weather is only from early October to mid-November, and the preparations are very complicated, and it is not easy to choose a day to rematch.
At 23:58 on April 18, 16 hours before the start of the race, the Shanxi Yunqiu Mountain Cross-Country Race was also due to the risk of strong convective weather, and the track route of the 168-kilometer group was urgently changed. The organizing committee will not only refund the registration fee for the withdrawn contestants, but also bear the transportation and accommodation expenses; 300 yuan in cash will be returned to the players who continue to play.
Yao Jia said frankly that this kind of operation is an example, and it has also received "zero negative reviews" from the players, but only a few financially strong event companies can be so "heroic".
On the other side of the cost is the safety of the players.
"The standards for on-site circuit breakers must be more stringent than the plan. I'd rather make the contestants think we're making a fuss than take risks. Yao Jia said that the "threshold" of circuit breakers for different events is different, and different organizers have different ideas, even if a complete plan is made before the game, there is still room for ambiguity in the implementation. Whether there is a circuit breaker or not, in addition to instant judgment, depends on the long-term experience of holding races in the place - the topography, environment, altitude, and difficulty of each outdoor competition are different, and it is difficult to use a set of circuit breaker standards to guide all events.
Soon after the thunderstorm, the organizers of the Huizhou Ancient City Cross-Country Race decided to break the circuit breaker. Yao Jia said that there was no too much entanglement, from the discussion to the decision, it took almost half an hour, and the organizing committee unanimously agreed that it must be fused, and the difference was whether it was partially or completely fused - in addition to the weather and possible geological disasters such as landslides and mudslides, the ability of the players was also taken into account. Due to the low difficulty of the course, it attracts many entry-level runners, some of whom are even participating in the 100-kilometer race for the first time.
After the circuit breaker of the Huizhou ancient city cross-country race, the unwilling mountain passengers boarded the shuttle bus. Thunder began to blow outside the window, torrential rain was pouring down, and he saw that some players were still struggling to get to the check-in point. The driver of the shuttle bus is a local, and said that there are several mountains behind, although the altitude is not high, but the downhill is very steep, and it is all dirt roads, which is very dangerous. Sure enough, some teammates said that they encountered the steep slope that the driver said at about 10 o'clock in the evening, and their fatigue led to a decrease in concentration, and they slipped and fell, and almost fell down the ravine.
Streams swell during heavy rains, and cross-country racers are very risky to race in such conditions. Interviewee/Figure
Circuit breaker details: look forward to professional guidance
Thankfully, there were no casualties in the 8 days and 8 canceled or circuit breaker outdoor games, but they left a bunch of complaints on social media.
"I can understand the circuit breaker, but the dissatisfied event party only made a cold announcement without any explanation." Zheng Yongming believes that in terms of information symmetry, the event side can do better.
The test of the rainy event has been increased, and the circuit breaker is superimposed, and some of the runners running in the rain are inconvenient or afraid to look at their mobile phones, and some even lose contact.
There is no mobile phone signal in the temple where Liao Hongtao is sheltering from the rain, and the contestants press the red GPS "emergency rescue" button issued by the organizing committee, but they do not receive a response. It wasn't until around six or seven o'clock the next morning that the villagers came to the temple and told the contestants that there was a signal nearby, and finally contacted the organizing committee. There was no road near the temple, and the runners dragged their tired bodies and walked three kilometers before getting on the shuttle bus.
When Liao Hongtao called his wife, she had already bought a ticket and was about to take the high-speed train to find him.
In the "Jiangnan 100" cross-country race, after the runners got in touch with the outside world, they walked another 3 kilometers before getting on the shuttle bus. Interviewee/Figure
In 2022, the "Notice on Establishing and Improving the "Circuit Breaker" Mechanism for Sports Events" issued by the General Administration of Sports of the People's Republic of China mentioned that the project management centers of the General Administration of Sports and national individual sports associations should provide technical support and professional guidance, further refine the technical specifications of the "circuit breaker", clarify the responsibilities of all parties, and provide necessary services.
Yao Jia said frankly that as an event company, it needs industry associations or experts to give guidance and suggestions on the circuit breaker mechanism, "It would be better if the standards could be more specific." Recently, his colleagues are learning from the Mountaineering Association to make timely and accurate decisions in the event of an emergency.
After being blocked by the flash flood for more than an hour, the rain became lighter, and Jia Hua and the other runners walked down the mountain and got on the shuttle bus arranged by the organizing committee. Looking back on this experience, he believes that the organizing committee should not only make a circuit breaker decision in a timely manner, but also take the initiative to disclose the weather and environment at the time of the circuit breaker, the basis for circuit breaker decision-making, and the aftermath work arrangement after the game, so that the players can be more understanding and tolerant. Unfortunately, there are very few tournaments that can do this at the moment.
Chen Xiaoxiao heard the news of the circuit breaker from the mouths of several runners, and the runners who first walked to the check-in point learned that the 30-kilometer group race had been fused, and when they withdrew, the news spread by word of mouth. But until she got home, she didn't wait for the organizing committee's phone to confirm that the contestants were safe.
(Jia Hua, Chen Xiaoxiao, Shanke, Hong Li are pseudonyms)
Southern Weekly reporter Lin Fangzhou, Southern Weekly intern Tan Zixuan, Wei Yaqi
Editor-in-charge: Wang Tao