Traveling to, and competing in events in foreign countries can be very stressful. There are so much research and planning required to organize a trip like this, that it might feel too daunting to even consider it. Writing about my experiences is my way of helping you plan your trips and making the whole experience a lot easier and more enjoyable for you. In this blog, I will help you plan for The Great Wall of China Marathon.
Step 1: Start training
I will cover this extensively in my next blog, but if you are a novice runner or doing your first marathon, start your training 6 months before the event. If you are an experienced and fit runner, start your training 4-5 months before the event.
The Great Wall of China Marathon website is a very basic website that provides links to all the information about the event. Fortunately, from these links, you can get all the information you require to enter and plan your trip. Luckily, the company that’s in charge of race registration is an English company called Active . The entry fee for the 2020 event is CNY 1285. Included in this fee is transportation from the official hotel to the event, a very nice goody bag, a sandwich and water on race day, and a truly beautiful medal. The entry fee for this event is seriously affordable and you will receive good value for your money, just don’t expect world-class race organization and facilities. As an add-on to your registration, the organizing company provides airport pick-up and bookings at their official hotel.
Step 3: Book your travel tickets and get your visa
If you are traveling from another country you will need a tourist visa. Requirements for your visa application for China differ for each country, but generally, you will need a plane ticket, proof of accommodation, the itinerary for the duration of your stay and an invitation from someone staying in China, in this case, your event entry will suffice.
Step 4: Book your accommodation
I like to stay in hostels when I travel. I love the casual, laid back atmosphere that most hostels offer. Most of the people that opt to stay in hostels are backpackers or people traveling on a budget. Hostels offer a different experience while traveling and I have met the most interesting people while staying in hostels. It is comforting to speak to people, like myself, who are perfectly fine traveling the world, learning about other cultures and making lifelong memories with perfect strangers.
I stayed in a hostel called 365 INN and it is perfectly located on West Street, one of the most famous streets in Beijing. It is such a beautiful hostel, housed in a 150-year-old building and provides the perfect blend of old Chinese architecture, memorabilia left behind from thousands of backpackers and quirky graffiti. 365 INN hostel is famous for its parties, its in-house bar and if you are someone who likes to drink, listen to music and party a lot, this hostel is for you.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of searching for a hotel or hostel, you can book a room at the organizing company’s official hotel, the Beijing Friendship Hotel. Unfortunately, I do not have any comments about this hotel but it is worth noting that it is a 5-star hotel and should be very comfortable to stay in.
Step 5: Find transportation to your hotel/hostel
Once you arrive in China there are many ways to get to your hotel/hostel. Taxis are the least stressful but there is a chance that they will overcharge you as foreigners often are. A taxi ride from Beijing Capital International Airport to the city center should cost between CNY 100 – 120, but taxi drivers have been known to charge foreigners up to CNY 600. I opt to take the subway instead. This is super easy to navigate if you are familiar with the Chinese subway systems but can be stressful if it is your first time. So here are some tips when deciding to use the subway as a means of transportation:
Tips for buying a ticket and riding the Beijing subway:
- Make sure you know which line to take and at which stop to get off.
- Use Google maps or Maps.me to choose the line you need to take and the station you need to get off or transfer at. Unfortunately, you do need a VPN to operate Google maps in China.
- Make sure you have Chinese coins.
- Get in line to buy your ticket from the electronic ticket machines.
- Ignore the Chinese people that do not know the concept of personal space.
- Once you get to the machines, look for the English button. All the ticket machines in China have an English function.
- Very important. You only need to select your end destination. The ticketing machine will automatically factor in all transfers needed to get you there and will price your trip accordingly.
- Pay your fee. This is very cheap and is normally lower than CNY 7.
- Follow the signs and get on the train.
- There will always be a map printed on the inside of the train. This map shows the line you are on and the stations on that line.
Once you arrive and exit the station, you can use a taxi or bus to get to your hotel/hostel. Most taxi drivers can’t speak English, so make sure you have the name and address of your hotel/hostel written down in Chinese (This can most likely be sourced from the hotel/hostel website). Taxi fares in Beijing start at CNY13 for the first 3km, after that the rate should be calculated at CNY2.3/km. Always ensure that the taxi driver has started the meter to avoid any miscommunication about the price. You will find that taxis in China operate slightly differently from what you are used to. If the light on the roof is green, it means they are occupied, and a red light means they are unoccupied. This is something that frustrated me with the taxis until I realised how it works. If you travel on a budget you can take a bus which will cost you anywhere from CNY 2 – 3 per trip. Once again Google Maps or Maps.me can help you get on the correctly numbered bus to ensure you reach the correct destination.
If you already live in China then booking a train or airplane ticket is super easy. Visit your Ctrip or Trip Advisor app and follow the easy steps on the app to book your train or domestic flight tickets. I also liked to search on Expedia.com to compare fares. Sometimes you can find great discounts on Expedia.com’s site. I also found a great website that gives you a comprehensive schedule of all the train routes in China. The website is called Travel China Guide and you can book your tickets on the site as well.
Step 6: Go to the athletes briefing
The athlete’s briefing is at the official hotel. At the briefing, all the organisational matters regarding the race and the next day will be communicated to you. Use this trip to the hotel to determine if you have any fellow race runners staying at your hotel/hostel, who you could arrange travel with. This trip to the race briefing will also allow you to estimate what time you need to leave your hotel/hostel the next morning. It is advisable to book a taxi right away to ensure that you won’t be stressed or late on race day.
Step 7: Arrive on time
Make sure you wake up early to give yourself enough time to get to the hotel. Consider adding 30 minutes to the time you think you should wake up. Waking up earlier won’t affect your performance on race day but will allow you to calmly deal with any unforeseen circumstances that may arise.
When you arrive at the hotel, try to keep your mind off the race by talking to people and getting to know your fellow runners. This will help reduce the stress and pre-race nerves you may be feeling. Later, when you see them on the race trail, you can stop and talk to them and it will help reduce the mental fatigue you are feeling.
Step 8: Warm-up and enjoy the race
Make sure you have gone through a proper warm-up routine. It is an early start to the race and your body will be cold. The last thing you want to do is strain or pull a muscle within the first few minutes of the race. If you are a solo runner try to find a warm-up buddy, for the same reason I mentioned earlier, race comradery. Remember that this race is probably a once in a lifetime experience and you need to make as many memories as possible. Meeting new people and listening to their reasons for running the race will make your memories a whole lot better.
Whether you are a competitive runner or social runner, stop and look around. When we run marathons and we start feeling fatigued, we tend to develop a tunnel vision mindset. All we focus on is the road right in front of us and our surroundings disappear. When you run on the Great Wall of China, this is the biggest mistake you can make. It is such a beautiful place that you cannot miss out on the the moment of realising where you are. The race is long and stopping every few kilometers will not negatively affect your time or position, in actual fact, it might just give you the needed recovery time to run a faster race.
In conclusion, remember, your mind is a wonderful and powerful thing. No matter how much pain you experience and how much you hate yourself during the race, 20 minutes after the race those feelings will start to disappear and you will only remember the good and wonderful things you experienced. Make sure you enjoy every moment of the trip and the race, the memories will last you a lifetime.
The Extreme Sports Traveller 