Great Wall of China Marathon

Why?

I think it was Laura Drullie who told me about the Seven Continents Club.  It's simple really, run a marathon on each continent and you're a member.  I'm not saying I'm going to make the cut, but I'm starting to think that I might give it a shot . . .  Obviously I'm choosing to ignore the £10,000 price tag for running a marathon in Antartica.

So with North America ticked off the list (New York in 2008), it's Asia's turn.  And what better place than on the Great Wall?  There are two marathons held there each year, the Great Wall Marathon and the Great Wall of China Marathon.  I chose the latter because it's cheaper to enter.  A lot, lot cheaper.

Training

I'll be honest, I didn't do a lot of training . . .  Yes I did some runs and some stair work but it definitely wasn't enough.  My excuse is that I couldn't face running around Tianjin.  It's dusty and full of people!  Stair training is tough because it is incredibly boring, but I did manage 2,000 steps on one day.  That was fun.

Briefing

On April 30th we were invited to a posh hotel in BJ where we collected our race packs.  Inside were our race bibs and, after being No. 16868 in New York, I felt strangely proud to discover I was to be No. 2 (I am aware that the number means absolutely nothing).  In total there were 150 people running either the full marathon, half-marathon, 10km or 5km.  About 70 were running the full course.

Race outfit = looking good.

The organisers introduced the marathon route which you can see here and also told us about the dreaded steps and hills that we would be facing.  Here is a chart showing the change in elevation during the run.  We were also told that one part of the wall involved a 75˚ incline (and therefore a 75˚ decline on the way back) which freaked me out a bit.

A runner tackling the 75˚ decline.

Race Day

The buses were scheduled to leave at 05:00 so I was up at 03:00 to get ready.  I didn't mind because it meant I could catch the first half of the Manchester derby!  I snoozed a bit on the coach but mostly talked to my fellow runners who were all great and a truly international bunch.

The start/finish line of the marathon.  The flags give you an idea of all the different nationalities that were represented in the race.  I think the Union Jack is in the top right.  Not too sure how many Brits were there.

 At 09:00, after a lot of waiting around and some interesting warm up exercises, it was finally time to start.  The first half of the marathon involved running on a trail by the wall as well as on the wall itself.  There weren't too many steep inclines but going uphill was very tough.  The path could be slippery in places and I actually hit the deck at one point.  Luckily there was no damage done and as a bonus I don't think anyone saw me go down.  It was quite a hot day and there were bugs everywhere (I definitely swallowed a few).

The views from the wall were absolutely spectacular and I almost wish I had carried a camera with me (but glad I didn't because it would have been a burden).  Here are some great photos from the GWCM website which give you an idea of the conditions.

A runner on an old stretch of the wall.

A view over the marathon route.

The second half of the course involved a lot more steps and climbing but this section of the wall had been rebuilt which made it a lot easier to run on (where there were flat bits).  By this point there were more tourists on the wall.  At times this could be a bit frustrating as it was difficult to pass them on the narrow sections but it was great to have them cheering you on too.

The last stretch was pretty tough (take a look at the elevation map again) as there was a steep downhill staircase to conquer.  All I could think as I was going down was that I'd have to come back up again once I'd reached the turning point at the bottom.  That was definitely a low moment!  But I got through it and, despite my right leg cramping up a mile from the end, made it home in 5:41:54.  The organisers held up a red ribbon for each runner which was a great touch.

A very happy and relieved man!

All Done

Crossing the finish line was a HUGE relief and a great feeling.  I'm very happy with my time but for those who are interested, I believe the quickest time was around 3h 30m which is just unbelievable.

This marathon was completely different to New York in so many ways but it was an incredible experience and I feel really lucky to have been able to take part in it.

Post Marathon

From finishing the marathon up until this point I have mostly been eating, drinking and sleeping.  My legs don't seem to be hurting too much which is a massive bonus.  After New York my quads were screaming with every step.

I treated myself to a massage today.  It was mostly great, but occasionally incredibly painful.  The masseuse punched me, kicked me and at one point stood on my back.  As if my body was a surfboard.  Oh and she stuck her fingers in my ears.  Right in.

Jake's Marathon Tips

Most people have stopped reading by now but I thought I would just give a few of my marathon tips (because I'm so experienced).

1. Comfort is key.  Wear clothes that are designed for running.  Also, chafing is a very real concern.  Plasters on the nips is how I roll.
2. Buy some Skins (compression clothing), I can't recommend them enough.  I think the reason my legs are not burning today is because of these manly tights.
3. I get very hungry when I run far so I've started to carry energy gels such as these.  Tasty and they give you an energy boost (duh).
4. Prepare your body by drinking lots of water in the days leading up to the run.  Also stick to basic foods the night before.  No vindaloos etc.  I think most experienced runners recommend pasta.
5. A lot of runners think that you shouldn't listen to music when running.  I think at big events it is better not to so that you enjoy the atmosphere and occasion, but I'm glad I had my iPod with me on the wall.  Sometimes you need an uplifting song to keep you going.
6. Final tip, get advice from an experienced marathon runner who knows what they are talking about rather than some guy who has run just two.  You know how to use Google.