New marathon trends in China: 'Internet + running' attracts 15 times more participants than traditional events
Published: 2026-11-08
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Last updated 2026-11-08 — Participation 20 times higher – why are online marathons booming? The concept of 'Internet +' has spread across various industries. Whether in traditional manufacturing or emerging entertainment and cultural sectors, everyone is finding ways to connect with the internet, and the sports industry is no exception. ...
New marathon trends in China: 'Internet + running' attracts 15 times more participants than traditional events
Online marathon medals for runners
Last weekend, temperatures across the country dropped sharply, officially ushering everyone into winter.
However, the cold weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm for marathons, with nearly 20 marathon races starting in cities across the nation. 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 participants are in short supply.
With such fierce competition among events, a high-quality marathon is no longer just about basic aspects like event services, course setup, or logistical support. How to break away from homogenized races and stand out among the many is a new challenge that the running craze has brought to China’s sports industry.
Online marathon app records
Often, the number of participants in an online marathon exceeds that of an in-person one.
Take the 3rd Yiwu Marathon held this weekend as an example: there were 13,310 on-site participants, while the online event saw a staggering 201,191 registrants — nearly 16 times the number of the physical marathon.
Why does the online marathon have such appealing popularity?
First, the concept of the 'online marathon' lowers the entry barrier, solving the problem for running enthusiasts who lack the time, money, energy, or luck to participate in an in-person marathon. Secondly, it satisfies the medal-collecting desires of some enthusiasts.
A runner shows off their online marathon medals
A runner surnamed Wu from Fujian has collected a whole wall of marathon finisher medals and certificates through online events. He said these certificates 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 a long time ago."
Similarly, some smaller marathon events have gained popularity through online marathons, helping them build a base of participants for future races.
The aforementioned Wu also mentioned that he often finds out about many events only through the app.
"Once I’ve run an online one, I’ll pay attention to it next year. If time allows, I’d also like 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 and also serve 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 established 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 connecting runners to deepen cross-strait friendship and jointly promote marathon development.
At the Yiwu Marathon last weekend, a bridge was also built between Chinese and Spanish runners.
"We hope to build a bridge between the Yiwu Marathon and the Madrid International Marathon, connecting Yiwu and Spain, allowing them to blend and meet through this bond," said Pedro Longobardo, Vice President of the Madrid Marathon Association.
Besides, it’s almost embarrassing to call a marathon 'international' these days if it doesn’t include several foreign participants.
And because Yiwu itself is a hub for foreign businesses, it has attracted many 'local foreigners' to join the race. According to data from the organizers, 210 international athletes from 43 countries and regions registered to compete.
"Our entire Pakistan Association sent 12 people to participate in the race. I want to take lots of photos to show my friends back home how great Yiwu is and how fun its events are."
Bokhari, a Pakistani runner who runs a machinery business in Yiwu, excitedly shared his running story after finishing the race. While being interviewed, he also video-called his family in Pakistan, showing them the marathon through the camera.
"I’ll come back next year and bring more of my friends," Bokhari said.
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