New Ways to Run Marathons in China: "Internet + Running" Outnumbers Traditional Events by 15 Times

Medals for Online Marathon Runners

Last weekend, temperatures across the country dropped significantly, officially marking the arrival of winter.

However, the cold didn’t dampen the enthusiasm for marathons, as nearly 20 marathon events kicked off in cities nationwide. Many netizens joked that there are now too many marathons every weekend—there aren’t enough elite athletes, not enough para-athletes, and even regular runners are in short supply.

With such intense competition among events, a high-quality marathon is no longer just about basic aspects like event services, course setup, or logistics. How to break away from homogenization and stand out among numerous races has become a new challenge for China’s sports industry brought on by the running craze.

The concept of "Internet +" has spread across various industries. Whether it's traditional manufacturing or emerging entertainment and cultural sectors, everyone is finding a way to connect with the internet, and the sports industry is no exception.

In marathon events, besides registering and earning a spot through a lottery to participate in person, many runners also opt to complete an "online" marathon using internet technology.

An online marathon refers to completing a full or half marathon at any location on the official event day, according to the event’s requirements, and receiving an officially authorized finisher’s medal, event prizes, or an electronic completion certificate.

The "Yuepaoquan" (Happy Running Circle) app was one of the first to introduce the concept of "online marathons," followed by other running apps like "Codoon" and "Wo Yao Yun Dong" (I Want to Exercise), all of which launched online marathon services.By partnering with major marathons, these platforms allow more people to participate, increasing the running population while also serving as a promotional tool for the marathon events themselves.

Online Marathon App Records

Often, the number of participants in online marathons exceeds that of in-person events.

Take the third Yiwu Marathon held this weekend as an example: 13,310 people participated on-site, while the online event saw a staggering 201,191 registrants—nearly 16 times the number of in-person participants.

Why do online marathons have such widespread appeal?

First, the concept of "online marathons" lowers the barrier to entry, solving problems for running enthusiasts who may lack the time, money, energy, or luck to participate in an in-person marathon. It also caters to the desires of those who enjoy collecting medals.

Runners Show Off Their Online Marathon Medals

A runner surnamed Wu from Fujian has collected an entire wall of marathon finisher medals and certificates through online events. He said these awards and medals are his motivation to keep running.

"If it weren’t for online marathons—and if I couldn’t join real ones—I probably would’ve given up running long ago."

Similarly, some smaller marathon events have used online marathons to build popularity and gather a pool of participants for future races.

This runner surnamed Wu also mentioned that he often finds out about events through the app.

"Once I’ve run an online version, I’ll keep an eye on it for the next year. If time allows, I’d love to go in person and complete both the online and offline versions."

Making Marathons a Bond for Cities

There is an inseparable relationship between sports and cities. Sports showcase a city’s character while also acting as a hub connecting different cities.

In recent years, using marathon events to foster friendly relations between cities has become commonplace.

Online Marathon App Records

Just this year, the Shanghai Marathon formed a friendly city marathon relationship with the Chicago Marathon. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Marathon also continued its second year of collaboration with the Taipei Marathon in China, exchanging race experiences and fostering athlete interactions to strengthen cross-strait friendship and promote marathon development together.

At the Yiwu Marathon last weekend, a bridge was also built between Chinese and Spanish runners.

"We hope to establish a connecting bridge between the Yiwu Marathon and the Madrid International Marathon, linking, integrating, and bringing together Yiwu and Spain," said Pedro Longobardo, Vice President of the Madrid Marathon Association.

In addition, these days, if a marathon doesn’t have a few foreign runners, it’s almost embarrassed to call itself an “international marathon.”

And since Yiwu itself is a hub for foreign merchants, it has attracted many “foreign locals” to participate in the race. According to data provided by the organizers, a total of 210 foreign athletes from 43 countries and regions registered for the event.

“Our entire Pakistani association sent 12 people to take part in the race. I want to take lots of photos to show my friends back in Pakistan, to tell them how great Yiwu is and how fun the events here are.”

Bohari, a Pakistani runner who runs a machinery business in Yiwu, shared his running experience excitedly after the race. While being interviewed, he also video-called his family in Pakistan, showing them the marathon through the camera.

“I’ll come again next year, and I’ll bring more of my friends,” said Bohari.