There are people who may speak little or act modestly, or perhaps have never looked up to great heights, yet they live their entire lives adhering to their own beliefs.
Yet in the trail running community, the folded-hands emoji carries the shared grief of fellow runners mourning the passing of their common “mentor for their first trail race.” Hui Pao (Huipao)
On this occasion, let us together commemorate the "life-long dedication" of the running community's patriarch.
The first trail running race of one’s life
In 2015, Hui Pao
Since the TNF100 in 2015, the newly added 25-kilometer and 10-kilometer events have seemed to become a major highlight of the race, attracting countless "rookies" eager to give them a try; meanwhile, the adjusted timing for the 100-kilometer and 50-kilometer categories has allowed seasoned runners to experience the breath of Beijing’s deep mountains at night and gaze down at the city’s slumbering silhouette.
From 2015 to 2018, TNF100 achieved milestone after milestone. With finish rates rising from under 60% to sold-out races prompting a waiting list system in 2016, expanding beyond Beijing’s trails in 2017, and culminating in a spectacular tenth anniversary edition despite stormy weather in 2018, TNF100 has not only become a highly influential event across Asia-Pacific but also a byword for reliability within the running community.
TNF = THE NICE FOOD
Starting in 2016, TNF100 earned the nickname “The Nice Food 100.” The abundant race nutrition has had participants joking that TNF100 has essentially turned into a grand outdoor buffet. This truly generous food supply has become a comforting reward for runners after their long journeys.
With the start and finish lines set at the midpoint of the course—Kuangbiao Amusement Park—100-kilometer runners complete the highest-altitude Yangtai Mountain Ridge before nightfall, significantly improving safety. Meanwhile, 50-kilometer participants summit Ghost Laughing Rock in the middle of the night, offering a breathtaking view of Beijing’s illuminated cityscape.
Bearing the lives of runners
As Shen Tong once aptly put it, explaining the responsibility of the TNF100 organizers: “Runners entrust their lives to the race organizers—they place immense trust in you.”
In fact, while trail running originated from “lightweight fast trekking,” it’s even more minimalistic than “light packing.” Thanks to the supplies and support provided by the event, hundreds or even thousands of participants venture deep into the mountains with very limited gear. This minimal equipment is entirely dependent on the pre-promised support from the organizers, such as nutrition stations, medical aid, and protection against weather risks.
It is precisely out of this sense of duty that Hui Pao resolutely canceled the 100-kilometer event of TNF100 Beijing in April due to unexpected rain and adjusted the timing of the 50-kilometer event.
It is these most crucial safety standards, combined with TNF100’s new positioning, that have created what we see today—a race that draws both veteran and novice runners to its trails in unending numbers.
The pioneers may be gone, but runners endure, and trail running goes on!
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