Marathon Madness: How Running Became China's Weekend Ritual

On any given Sunday morning in China, hundreds of thousands of people are racing. Major city marathons in Beijing, Shanghai and Wuxi now receive several hundred thousand applications for a few tens of thousands of spots, and the biggest events sell out within hours. For many entrants, getting a bib has become a lottery in itself.

The boom is powered by amateur runners rather than elite athletes. Running clubs meet before work, social fitness apps track training plans, and finishing a marathon has become a shared life goal for a generation of office workers. Local governments have spotted the trend and now compete to host races, seeing them as city marketing and a boost for tourism.

The economics are substantial. Sportswear brands, watch makers and sports drinks compete for sponsorship, while “race travel” — flying to another city to run its marathon and stay for the weekend — has become a small industry of its own.

Visitors can join in too. Several big races set aside international entries, and the atmosphere — crowds cheering at the roadside, volunteers handing out everything from energy gels to steamed buns — makes a Chinese marathon a surprisingly warm way to see a city.