Taiwan’s only banana-themed road run — admire Meinong’s scenery and savor eight major local delicacies

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family / Compiled and reported
 
Taiwan’s only banana-themed road run — The inaugural Meinong Marathon received widespread acclaim, attracting nearly 7,000 runners to Meinong for the event. The second edition of the Banana Run — Meinong Marathon kicked off on January 7, 2018, organized by Kaohsiung City’s Sports Bureau, Meinong District Office, and United Digital Culture. The race includes a full marathon (42K), half marathon (22K), fun run (11K), and family run (3K). Following the success of the first edition’s course design, the second edition added an extended 42K full marathon route that reaches into the Meinong area, offering even more stunning views across Meinong.

One of the most praised aspects by runners was the along-the-route refreshments. In addition to locally selected northern bananas, various banana-themed foods specially developed for this event by Meinong shops and community development associations were also offered: banana steamed buns, banana vermicelli pudding, banana soup, banana cake, banana egg rolls, as well as banana popsicles (with roselle flavor) and extra-rich soy milk made from locally grown edamame... Moreover, this edition promoted sports tourism, introducing activities such as in-depth Meinong tours, fruit tree adoption, and camping at the Meinong Sugar Factory. We sincerely invite runners from all over Taiwan to gather in Meinong. Registration is open now until October 31.

The 2018 Meinong Marathon, in addition to the original half marathon (22K), fun run (11K), and family run (3K), has added a full marathon (42K) this time, further satisfying runners’ desire to challenge themselves.

 
Starting from downtown Meinong, runners embark on a countryside-style jogging journey. The most unique feature is Taiwan’s only banana-themed running course, where you run through banana plantations and get up close to the bananas. Additionally, you’ll run across Xizhou Bridge, taking in the vast mountain and water scenery, stroll along the Meilong Riverbank to admire endless fields of edamame, explore the cool-shaded forest trails of Qimei Forest, and finally pass through Meinong’s famous attraction — the Landform Bridge — back to the finish line.

The full marathon route passes by seven temples in total: Kunzhou Temple, Shuanglong Temple, Fude Temple, Qimei Mountain Chaotian Temple, Yuanshuai Altar, Difu Temple, and Miaolian Temple. The temple representatives all joined in the celebration, not only providing refreshments but also offering blessings for the runners.

Local specialties and banana-themed foods received an overwhelming response during the first edition. For the 2018 Meinong Marathon, local businesses, temples, and communities collaborated to develop a series of banana-themed refreshments. Meinong’s 91-year-old Zhizai Ice City created a limited-edition treat for the event: ‘Banana Qing Ice Pops — Roselle Flavor.’ These banana-flavored ice pops with a tangy roselle twist offer a refreshing chill with every bite and are available only on the event day — don’t miss out once it’s gone.

The banana soup made jointly by Xizhou Kunzhou Temple and Dashan Community is a traditional local dish and a must-try refreshment. In addition, there are also banana steamed buns from Nanxin Community, banana vermicelli pudding from Wuling Temple Lingyuan General Shrine, rich Taiwanese No. 9 soy milk, Jimi banana cake, Hongyun Jishi banana chips, Shuanglong Temple’s chewy banana cake, Xianti banana egg rolls, and plenty of fresh Meinong northern bananas along the way, allowing runners to eat while they run and replenish their potassium levels.