Map of the 2012 Vasque West Lake Trail Run.
The annual Vasque West Lake Trail Run in Hangzhou will officially begin on November 10.
As one of China’s earlier trail running events, the enthusiasm for the Vasque Run is evident from registration—spots filled up within just half a day. Despite space limitations, the organizers still increased the number of participants to 350, 50 more than last year.
In addition to growing interest, this year’s event has seen adjustments in philosophy and approach, emphasizing health and sharing over competition; there will be no aid stations along the course.
Based on experience from previous trail runs, faster runners typically complete the 28-kilometer course in just over two hours, requiring about 700 milliliters of hydration; most participants finish within 3–4 hours, consuming around 1–2 liters of water. Therefore, by removing aid stations, the organizers hope to promote the idea that trail running enthusiasts can run for 2–3 hours even without regular hydration stops.
“Additionally, every time we go running in the mountains, we find lots of food wrappers and plastic bottles, which cause significant harm to the natural environment. We also hope to encourage everyone to run in an eco-friendly way—athletes are advised to bring their own drinking water and carry empty bottles back to the city for proper disposal.” To ensure participants feel well taken care of, as in previous years, the start and finish areas will still offer a variety of food and drinks. “I believe providing hot corn porridge at the finish line is something many races don’t do,” said organizer Xiao Luo.
Focusing on “sharing” and “fun.” Before the race, the organizers held several unique sharing sessions for runners, inviting experienced athletes to discuss topics such as natural running, sports supplements, and trail running gear, allowing participants to interact and exchange ideas beyond the competition itself.
The Vasque West Lake Trail Run is one of the earlier trail running events in China. Thanks to its influence and promotion, more and more people are getting into trail running, sparking a trail running craze. This year’s subtle changes in cultural approach and game rules make the November event even more anticipated.
Distance and total elevation gain of the 2012 Vasque West Lake Trail Run.