By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
The most anticipated road run — the Qishan Marathon Banana Road Run — started on January 8, 2017. Incorporating the local specialty “banana,” and with Japan’s Mr. Banana, BANAO, as the spokesperson, the run took participants deep into every beautiful corner of Qishan. It also launched the first-ever running route audio guide app, allowing runners to enjoy introductions to local attractions as they jogged along. The official aid stations offered a variety of banana-themed treats, letting everyone run through banana plantations and savor banana flavors, all while happily “banana-traveling.”
The Banana Road Run of the Qishan Marathon offers runners a feast of the town’s scenic beauty and culture (Photo provided by Qishan Marathon)
The Banana Road Run will take runners through Qishan’s famous attractions. (Photo provided by Qishan Marathon)
To promote tourism in Qishan, the organizers hosted Taiwan’s first Banana Road Run, featuring race distances ranging from a 3K parent-child walk to a 21K run. The event pioneered a running route audio guide app that lets participants listen to introductions about local sights as they run, quickly getting to know Qishan’s culture, and reminding them of aid station locations and the distance to the finish line.
The first-ever running route audio guide app that lets you listen as you run. (Photo provided by Qishan Marathon)
The Banana Road Run starts from downtown Qishan, passing by Qishan Railway Station and Qishan Old Street, as well as historical landmarks such as Shuanglong Temple, Kunzhou Palace, and St. Joseph’s Church. Runners can also jog through fields, following paths flanked by banana plantations on both sides, strolling along tree-lined boulevards, crossing the Xizhou Bridge and Dijing Bridge — two of Qishan’s renowned sights — all while exploring every beautiful nook of Qishan. This run doubles as a tour, offering a comprehensive view of Qishan’s attractions.
A historic building constructed in 1911 — Qishan Railway Station. (Photo provided by Qishan Marathon)
A 200-year-old historic landmark — Kunzhou Palace. (Photo provided by Qishan Marathon)
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