On November 12, the 2017 Splendid Tang Cup · Penglai Wine International Marathon elegantly kicked off amidst beautiful scenery and fine wine. Over 4,000 runners from across the country gathered in the fairyland of Penglai. By the seaside in November, they experienced an unforgettable journey of "drunk on running" — a perfect blend of wine and landscape.
This event was jointly organized by the Chinese Athletics Association, the People's Government of Penglai City, and the Communist Youth League Yantai Municipal Committee. It was hosted by the Yantai Sports Development Center, the Penglai Tourism Bureau, the Penglai Wine Bureau, the Yantai Student Federation, and the Communist Youth League Penglai Municipal Committee, with support from the Quancheng College of Jinan University, and operated by Yantai Yonghui Sports Development Co., Ltd. The marathon included four categories: full marathon (42.195 km), half marathon (21.0975 km), quarter marathon (10 km), and mini marathon (5 km). Fun competitive formats such as "Family Group" and "University Intercollegiate Race" were also introduced for fitness enthusiasts. Runners and running clubs from Dongying, Longkou, Zhaoyuan, and Weifang participated. Among them, the half marathon attracted over 1,100 participants, and the short-distance races drew more than 1,800, clearly indicating that with the widespread promotion of marathon events, a significant new group of joggers has emerged in Penglai and surrounding areas.
Running along one of the "Seven Great Wine Coasts of the World," be a happy grape
Penglai is located on the northern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, between 37°25′ and 37°50′ north latitude. It boasts the three S’s essential for grape cultivation: sun (sun), sand (sand), and sea (sea), earning it the title of one of the "Seven Great Wine Coasts of the World."
Penglai is dotted with vineyards. For this marathon, the famous JunDing Winery was featured along the route. Endless green vineyards and white European-style estate buildings welcomed the long-distance running heroes with cellared fine wines from JunDing Winery.
Passing through an ancient Chinese naval defense stronghold — even General Qi Jiguang loved to run
A runner dressed as General Qi Jiguang led the crowd into the renowned "Penglai Water City," which dates back to the Song Dynasty. Originally a docking site for warships called DaoYuZhai, it was expanded into a fortified water city during the Ming Dynasty, strategically positioned against mountains and controlling the sea. To this day, it retains coastal defense structures such as water gates, breakwaters, wave-calming platforms, watchtowers, and artillery batteries — making it the most intact ancient naval base still existing in China. The famous national hero Qi Jiguang once trained his navy here to fight off Japanese pirates, eventually forming the legendary "Qi Family Army."
Race refreshments: fine wine all the way — runners were totally tipsy
“Wait, I’ll have another two glasses!” said a runner from Longkou at a refreshment station, raising a glass and beckoning his fellow runners.
The Penglai Wine International Marathon truly lived up to its name — offering local specialty wines throughout the course. The Splendid Tang State Guest Winery contributed its 2013 vintage cellar treasures for all participants. Everyone ran and drank with great joy.
PB Wine — a "Personal Best" created especially for runners
This race’s title sponsor, State Guest Winery · Splendid Tang, in collaboration with Popcorn, created a custom wine for runners — "PB." Also known as "Run Bar," PB is short for Personal Best (meaning a runner’s personal best marathon time), carrying the warm wishes of the Penglai Marathon for all participants.
The rendezvous with wine added extra charm to the Penglai Marathon; the bond with marathon running, in turn, helped spread the fragrance of Penglai’s wine far and wide, intoxicating the world.
In the end, participant A0236M Wang Ping and A0063F Li Shuyun won the men’s and women’s full marathon championships with times of 2:50:48 and 3:13:45 respectively. B0678M Zhang Decheng and B0364F Qu Chunlin claimed the men’s and women’s half marathon titles with times of 1:11:13 and 1:29:45. Meanwhile, the "Path of University" intercollegiate race was won by Quancheng College of Jinan University, which took first place in the inaugural intercollegiate competition with an average team time of 52:43.
Marathon home — a 70-year-old "Class of ’66" enjoys the run
“Age is not an issue. As long as my health allows, I’ll keep running,” said Shi Xuegong, a 70-year-old runner from the Dongying running club, during an interview. His robust physique stood in sharp contrast to his age. Not only is he passionate about marathons, but he has also inspired those around him, turning his family into a true "marathon household." He’s proud, and we’re inspired. Yonghui Sports’ event director, Popcorn, stated on-site: as long as Yonghui Sports organizes an event, age will never be a barrier to running. As long as your health permits, we welcome more runners to join our enjoyable races.
Article from "Drunk on Running 2017 Splendid Tang Cup · Penglai Wine International Marathon Raises Its Glass and Starts" — by Traveler Pi Shi