Streams of people, one step at a time—you and I, coming from all corners of the country, together measure Shenzhen with our feet. Yesterday afternoon, the largest outdoor event in southern China and the 13th “Shenzhen 100 Kilometers” kicked off at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, with over 30,000 outdoor enthusiasts setting off in high spirits. They traversed urban areas, crossed mountain forests, and stepped along beaches, moving from sunset into night, and from darkness into dawn, eventually reaching Rose Coast in Dapeng New Area—a total distance of over 94 kilometers.
New breakthrough:
Over 30,000 hikers nationwide take on the challenge
As the event has no entry barriers and is open to anyone who loves outdoor sports, the annual “Shenzhen 100 Kilometers” has become a gathering for hikers and a citywide celebration. People fly in from across the country—many have come specifically for the event from places like Heilongjiang, Beijing, Shanghai, Hunan, Sichuan, and Fujian—to take on the challenge of hiking 100 kilometers.
Previously, Yuan Zhibin, one of the event organizers, told the Jing Daily that this year’s theme is “Leave No Trace,” promoting an environmentally friendly and healthy lifestyle. “The event garnered over 100,000 registrations, but for safety reasons, only 12,000 spots were made available. However, based on past experience, many will join without registering, so the total number of participants will exceed 30,000.”
New features:
Exclusive enjoyment of the scenic eastern mountain trails
According to reports, the event is divided into a standard group and an experience group. The standard group starts at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, passing through the Futian River Greenway, Xianhu Botanical Garden, Dameisha Beach Park, Ma'an Mountain, and Xiyong Station, before finally arriving at Rose Coast—a total of approximately 94.3 kilometers. The experience group starts at OCT East at 8:00 AM yesterday, covering about 30.7 kilometers.
Speaking about what’s different from previous years, Yuan Zhibin said excitedly: “This year’s route includes a newly opened abandoned mountain trail within the villa area of OCT East. This path has never been visited by tourists and is rarely frequented, but the scenery is particularly beautiful and is sure to leave hikers with wonderful memories.”
@Pingshan Traffic Police: From the check-in point at Yunding Valley Sports Park to the Wutong Mountain Sanzhoutian hiking loop road section, some areas have no mobile phone signal. In case of emergencies, rescue may be delayed. Therefore, please do not take unofficial paths and avoid walking alone. Also, assess your physical condition during the hike, and report any issues to volunteers promptly.
□ Netizen Comments
@ShrimpFishFin: Sitting on the bus on my way home, I saw the crowd hiking along Shennan Avenue and suddenly remembered—it’s that time of year again for the Shenzhen Miller Hike 100 Kilometers. Unfortunately, I had to work overtime on the weekend and missed it again. Reminded of the story “Night Hike,” a heart yearning to walk must wait another year: see you next year, Shenzhen 100 Kilometers.
@ColorfulWorldCrazy: So sorry I couldn’t join everyone this year, please keep it up and do your best!
@XiaoYueAndWind: The 2013 Shenzhen 100 Kilometers, as always, was packed with people. I took a quick stroll, mingled a bit, then decided to call it a day and go indulge elsewhere.
□ Anecdotes
The “Ji Gong” (Chinese monk) with broken fan and hat also showed up
“My shoes are torn, my hat is torn, my kasaya is torn...” A “Ji Gong” appeared at the start of the 100-Kilometer Hike, holding a tattered fan and wearing a battered hat. This wasn’t a movie scene—the participant, nicknamed “Xiao Wu,” had specially come from Dongguan to join the 100-Kilometer event.
Every year’s 100-Kilometer event has its fair share of people in outlandish costumes. A few years ago, there was a group of “Red Army” hikers dressed in military uniforms, caps, with canteens and toy plastic pistols strapped to their waists—they stood out in the crowd. They hoped their attire would remind people of the value of “endurance and hard work.” But what’s this “Ji Gong” up to? “Me? Of course I’m here to get famous!” “Xiao Wu” then immediately laughed and said, “Just kidding. My friends and I have been following the 100-Kilometer event on the Mofang website for ages and have always wanted to join, to see just how many kilometers we can walk. I’m someone who usually likes to joke around and have fun—I find plain clothes boring, so I thought I’d do something flashy.”
This “Ji Gong” outfit was something “Xiao Wu” thought long and hard about. “When Ji Gong was alive, he brought people not just justice, but also a lot of joy. I feel the 100-Kilometer event is the same—it advocates green and environmentally friendly practices, leaving no trace. And I really like Ji Gong’s carefree spirit, so I decided to dress as him.”
□ Tips
Before you set off, apply some Vaseline
What do you need to prepare for the “100 Kilometers”? A sun hat, hiking shoes, quick-dry clothing, a backpack, trekking poles, a towel, plenty of water, “Red Bull,” food… still not enough? You’ll also need a big bottle of Vaseline and plenty of tape to protect your feet well.
At the Mangrove Park, reporters saw some novice hikers who had walked eight or nine kilometers and could no longer continue—they sat on the grass, took off their shoes, and massaged their feet nonstop. In fact, this was due to inadequate preparation.
Zhang Yinyin, a senior medical student at Sun Yat-sen University, was participating in the 100-Kilometer event for the second time. She and over 100 classmates came to Shenzhen in a big group. Before setting off, Zhang Yinyin and her classmates sat on the ground, took off their socks, applied Vaseline to their feet, and put tape on the tips of their toes before putting their socks back on. “Long-distance hiking takes the biggest toll on your feet and knees. Knee wear is inevitable, but foot protection can be done well. Vaseline acts as a lubricant, reducing friction between your feet and socks. Last time I joined the 100-Kilometer event, I didn’t finish the whole route, but my feet didn’t get blistered and I could still attend PE class the next day—that’s our little secret.”