――2013 Tecnica Tor des Géants Sharing Session – Beijing Stop
In 2013, the Tor des Géants had 706 participants, of which 383 runners from 42 countries completed the race. The champion finished in 70 hours, 4 minutes, and 12 seconds. This was also the second time that Tecnica brought four Chinese athletes to the race. Zeng Huafeng (Huacheng), Chen Shuwen, and Wang Daqing (Aobaba) (Jin Feibao was unable to attend due to being abroad) came to the event to share their experiences and emotions with fellow runners. The audience also watched a 30-minute documentary co-produced by Tecnica (TECNICA) and CCTV9’s “Ultimate Players” program, bringing the full race experience of those days vividly back to life. Many runners were moved to tears at emotional moments.
Wandering between heaven and earth
The Tor des Géants is not just a race, but a journey. The route passes by the four highest peaks of the Alps. TOR is a dialect word from the Aosta Valley meaning “around,” and GEANTS means “giants” in French. Therefore, those who conquer this route are truly giants.
Before the race, Chen Shuwen thought the Tor des Géants was just a mid-level event, but through the experience, she discovered its greatness and gained insights about nature and life that races under 100 km don’t offer. One night during the run, with a half moon hanging over the Alpine peaks, she and a friend ran as if between heaven and earth, surrounded only by the sound of wind and total silence — much like the state of her heart at the time.
Aobaba recommends that everyone “bring the whole family” to join this race—not to win, but to truly appreciate the scenery along the way. While running with several Italian athletes, they suddenly saw a large herd of gazelles dash past. It was the first time he had ever seen such creatures up close. On the third night, he heard what sounded like whistling. Upon cresting a hill, he discovered a group of gazelles that actually seemed to be whistling. Aobaba couldn't help but play along, communicating with them through whistles, completely forgetting about the race. The moonlight, starry sky, mountain peaks, and magical nature made that moment feel like heaven to him.
Eight months of grueling preparation
Chen Shuwen made very thorough preparations before the race. She downloaded materials from the official Tor des Géants website, organizing and memorizing them, while studying the estimated times needed for each stage.
In Beijing, suitable places for training for the Tor des Géants include Xiaowutai and Lingshan, both excellent for improving climbing ability. Huacheng chose to train at Xishan, running 58 kilometers each day for three consecutive days—totaling 175 kilometers with 6,200 meters of elevation gain. But this intensity and standard still weren't enough. Xiaowutai was better because of its appropriate distance and rugged mountain paths, matching the characteristics of the Tor des Géants course. She also ran at night on Xiangshan, and did the Sanling Traverse at Lingshan, starting at 11 PM and finishing at 2 PM the next day, without sleeping, focusing on mountain training.
Equipment was especially important for this race. Aobaba prepared four pairs of shoes, including ones suited for running in sleet at night, and others capable of handling all terrains. On the first night of the race, it poured heavily, but Aobaba only had gear for light rain. Many European runners came equipped with all-weather clothing that was windproof and waterproof, especially the rescue team, who had top-tier gear. Temperatures in the Aosta region could reach 22°C during the day but plummet to -1°C at night—the huge temperature difference was a challenge for every participant, requiring constant changes of clothing. For such a demanding course, heavier trekking poles had an advantage—above 2,000 meters, there were many rocky sections where heavy poles provided better stability.
Huacheng listed three essentials vital for safety. First was his shoes, V-brand, which have excellent grip and helped him safely navigate watery rocks. Second were trekking poles—the Alps have many ascents that require assistance. Third was cold-weather clothing—one night, due to strong winds and hypothermia, he and Chen Shuwen were stranded on a mountaintop for over ten hours.
On the fourth night of the race, the organizers warned that the mountains were extremely cold and advised everyone to be prepared. Chen Shuwen had already put on a windbreaker, but once on the mountain, she still felt cold. She modified a white Tecnica team jacket into makeshift pants to wear on her legs, which helped her get through the night.
