From September 28 to October 4, China’s first ultra-long-distance top-tier trail running event, the inaugural 800 Li Desert Ultra, is set to officially kick off.Top trail running athletes from around the world willcompete in a showdown at the Mohoyanqi Gobi in Guazhou, Gansu.Recently, the event organizers unveiled this year’sslogantheme: “The Hero’s 800-Li Journey.”SThis slogan vividly captures the essence of the 800 Li Desert Ultra’s course — a heroic 800-li path walked by champions, and also symbolizes that every athlete who tackles this grueling 800-li route is a hero.
What is the origin of the “Hero’s 800-Li Journey”?
The race route of the 800 Li Desert Ultra is set in the Mohoyanqi Gobi at the border of Gansu and Xinjiang — historically known as the “800 Li Desert.” Over 1,300 years ago, Master Xuanzang endured life and death here, ultimately vowing, “I would rather die facing west than live returning east.” Though he “went four nights and five days without a drop of water, nearly perishing,” he pressed on fearless and undeterred. Master Xuanzang is the “backbone of the Chinese nation” and a “hero of the Chinese people.” This great stretch of land where heonce wavered, faced mortal danger, and ultimately achieved perseverance and transcendence is undoubtedly a hero’s path.
In the 800 Li Desert Ultra,the 800 Li Desert Legion — composed of over fifty elite international trail runners and top domestic athletes — will also step onto this800-li-longhero’s journey,pushing their limits and surpassing themselves through the run.
Where does the “Hero’s 800-Li Journey” get its difficulty?
The course of the inaugural 800 Li Desert Ultra passes through the nation’s only national-level extreme arid desert ecological reserve. Eighty percent of the race sections lie within uninhabited desert areas, covering diverse and rugged terrains such as gobi, yardang landforms, hills, saline-alkali land, sand dunes, canyons, glaciers, rivers, and alpine meadows.
The route spans three counties and cities in Gansu — Guazhou, Dunhuang, and Subei — where the climate is extremely volatile. Guazhou is known as the “World Wind Repository,” with historical peak winds reaching Force 12. The area has recorded an extreme maximum temperature of 42.8°C and an extreme minimum of -29.1°C, with temperature differences exceeding 70 degrees between day and night. It is truly apt to describe it as “scorching hot winds by day, biting cold gales by night.”
Facing such harsh natural conditions, all participants must navigate entirely on their own, carry their own gear and supplies, and complete the 800-li desert crossing within the 150-hour cutoff time.This is undoubtedlya grueling and brutal journey, and every athlete brave enough to take on the course deserves our admiration simply for their fearless courage.
How does the “Hero’s 800-Li Journey” prove itself?
The event organizers have chosen the uniquely Chinese symbol of the General’s Tiger Talisman as the finisher’s medal for the 800 Li Desert Ultra. Each medal is split in two — before the race, participants receive one half, and the other half is awarded upon completion. This means only those who possess the complete medal can prove they have successfully conquered the Hero’s 800-Li Journey. Such a creative and meticulously designed concept shows just how much thought the organizers have put into crafting a truly unique and premium event.
To honor the champion’s outstanding performance, the organizers have partnered with the Guazhou cultural heritage authorities to present a one-of-a-kind gift to the winning athlete: the designation of a newly discovered Tang Dynasty beacon tower as the “800 Li Desert Champion Beacon.” Future champions’ names will be permanently engraved on this beacon and the structure will be named in their honor, enshrining their legacy in the event’s history.
The “Hero’s 800-Li Journey” is both a physical quest that pushes the limits of human potential and a spiritual voyage that transcends the boundaries of the self. Every participant in the 800 Li Desert Ultra will, through this journey, emerge with a stronger version of themselves, completing a rebirth.
It is reported thatthe event organizers will also hold a runners’ meet-up in Beijing on September 24. Top domestic and international trail runners taking part in the 800 Li Desert Ultra will gather in the capital to warm up for the race, engage in close communication with trail running enthusiasts, share experiences, and answer questions.