This year's half marathon to be cooler than ever
The 2019 Shanghai International Half Marathon will be held on April 21 with 15,000 runners competing in the 21-kilometer race.
Now its fifth year, the event promises improved runner experience with more refueling stations and large awnings to help runners beat the heat.
Prospective runners can register at www.shang-ma.com until 5pm on Sunday. Entrants will be chosen by lottery with the results released on March 18.
For the unlucky ones who applied for four successive years but failed to be selected, organizers will arrange a special draw to raise their success rate.
“Our database showed that there are about 300 runners who have registered for the event for four straight years but failed to get in the actual race,” said Zhou Jin, general manager of Shanghai Donghao Lansheng Event Management Company. “We will set aside 100 places for them and hold a special draw. If the 300 apply this year, they will have a one-in-three chance of being selected.”
About 1,000 runners have taken part in all of the previous races.
The race will start from Pudong’s Oriental Pearl TV Tower at 7am on April 21.
The route is the same as last year – runners will start from Pudong’s Oriental Pearl TV Tower at 7am and pass through Nanpu Bridge, Shibo Avenue, Qiantan Park before finishing at the Oriental Sports Center.
The number of feed stations along the route has been increased to four with cakes, tomatoes, sandwiches and bananas on offer. Four water spray points and five ice stations will cool things down.
With not much tree shade in Qiantan Park, organizers will set up large awnings in the area.
The registration is 160 yuan (US$24) per person. Apart from a US$10,000 prize for the winners, the top Chinese male and female finishers will receive 10,000 yuan each.
The top 600 male and 300 female runners win direct entry into the 2019 Shanghai International Marathon.
The organizers will continue to set aside 200 “charity” berths for runners willing to pay a 1,500 yuan entry fee, with the money deposited with the Shangma Charity Fund to promote running in poverty-stricken areas.
Medals for finishers of the 2019 Shanghai International Half Marathon
