The mountains are red all over, the forests are dyed, and it is a good time to enjoy autumn in the ancient Great Wall of Badaling. On October 19, the two-day 2024 Autumn Badaling Shixia Guangu Ring Great Wall Cross-Country Race kicked off with drumming in the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area and the Badaling Ancient Great Wall Scenic Area. The competition attracted 1,574 players from 33 provincial-level administrative regions including Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin, as well as 17 countries including Germany, United States and Japan. The contestants took the Great Wall as the track, ran all the way, enjoyed the autumn all the way, and gained a unique experience.
At 2 p.m. on the 19th, with the sound of drums, the runners in the 10km and 6km events set off on time, and they ran along the track all the way to the Great Wall trailhead. It is understood that the event has set up a total of 45 km, 30 km, 20 km, 10 km and 6 km five groups, of which the 6 km parent-child group attracted many runners. The race route is carefully set around the rich cultural and tourism resources of Badaling, and the starting and ending points are set in the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area and the Ancient Great Wall Scenic Area. There are various types of tracks, including the Great Wall section, the Taihang Mountain National Forest Trail, dirt roads, forest roads, stone roads and some paved roads. The reporter of the Beiqing Daily found that after running on the stone road for a while, the contestants could reach the Great Wall. I saw that the mountains were like fairies overturning the palette, and there were both verdant greens, bright yellows, and gorgeous reds. Along the route, you can also see the ruins of King Chuang and the remains of the stone yard where the Great Wall was built, and imagine the difficulty of soldiers fighting the border in those years.
A random interview with a reporter from Beiqing Daily found that most of the runners participated in the Great Wall mountain trail run for the first time. A young runner who participated in the 10-kilometer race told a reporter from Beiqing Daily that the previous competitions he participated in were all flat, and this time he climbed and cross-country, although he was very tired, but he enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way and had a very good experience.
In order to ensure the safety and smooth progress of the race, the organizing committee conducted many track surveys before the race and formulated a detailed plan. There are 7 supply points, 7 medical stations, 7 medical personnel, 105 members of the Blue Sky Rescue Team, and 5 AEDs and 4 track emergency vehicles along the track to provide emergency rescue at any time. At the same time, 291 volunteers were recruited to provide reception guidance, safety tips, dining guarantees and other services for the contestants. The 22 shuttle buses also did a good job of traffic security in a safe and orderly manner.
"This is the third year of this trail running event. Relying on the abundant resources of the Great Wall and the culture of the Great Wall, Badaling Town has cleverly integrated the Great Wall and sports by holding brand events such as the Shixia Guangu Great Wall Cross-Country Race, creating a distinctive cultural tourism brand and promoting the development of cultural tourism along the route. Zhang Wenjing, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and mayor of Badaling Town, Yanqing District, said.
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Liu Yang
Photo/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Yuan Yi
Editor/Zhang Peng