On December 6, the sixth stop of the "Village Run" kicked off in Kinmen, Taiwan. More than 800 running enthusiasts and their families from 27 cities across 11 provinces nationwide, as well as from Austria, Canada, Malaysia, and the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions, signed up to participate. Through a combination of "running + travel," they experienced Kinmen’s historical, cultural charm, and natural scenery.
The innovative "event + tourism" and "event + family" models have drawn attention from the sports and cultural sectors. Qiang Wei, COO and CMO of LeSports; Yu Jia, a famous host from CCTV5; Cai Yingyuan, General Manager of the Outdoor Sports Division at LeSports; Ma Xin, Promotion Director of CTV5+; Yan Yi, Editor-in-Chief of Runner's World; Su Ziling, Editorial Director of Outside Magazine; renowned screenwriter and bestselling author Cai Chunzhu; Li Zixin, founder of China Sandwich; Liu Qiongxiong, former Executive Editor-in-Chief and COO of Urban Monthly; and celebrated artist Chen Ke, among others, have all participated in the Village Run and spoken highly of it. In an interview, Cai Yingyuan from LeSports said, "The Village Run has established a new model and approach for using events to drive tourism. Through this Village Run experience, we hope that LeSports can explore, together with the Village Run team, ways to integrate event and tourism resources, and promote a regionally typical, top-tier event-tourism model to the whole country and even further afield."
Since its establishment in July last year, the Village Run is still like a toddler learning to speak. Its future is full of imagination and countless possibilities. Qi Bing, President of Fujian’s Strait Tourism Magazine, the organizer, expressed gratitude in an interview to government departments at all levels, partners, and runners who have supported and affirmed the Village Run. He also hopes that more organizations, institutions, and runners will join the Village Run journey. "Having reached its sixth stop, the Village Run is the single-brand event with the most stops among domestic running series. The 'sports + tourism + family' model we’ve created is unique among domestic running activities. At the same time, the 'Village Run' incorporates elements related to history and culture. Historically, China has been a typical agricultural society—its history is inseparable from the countryside. In the current rapid economic development, however, rural areas are gradually disappearing. Through events like the 'Village Run,' we hope to bring everyone back to the countryside to understand the unique charm of traditional Chinese rural culture."
What is the Village Run?
The "Village Run" is short for "Most Beautiful Countryside Cross-Country Run." It is a creatively developed running event with independent intellectual property (IP), independently launched by Fujian Strait Tourism Culture Media Co., Ltd. The event promotes the "sports + tourism" and "sports + family" models, aiming for participants to enjoy the thrill of exercise while also taking in the beautiful scenery along the route, experiencing the local cultural charm, and reconnecting with the land. The Village Run reinterprets the meaning of running and travel. Instead of running alone, why not run and play with family and friends, and reach the most beautiful countryside at the speed of running.