With my recent bronchitis problem and comments from different sides that running a lot here really is bad for your health, we all ask ourselves what to do. Running in pollution – worse, running the full marathon – makes all the micro particles go down deep in your lungs where they stay and slowly affect the bronchial tubes, making them more prone to infection through a banal cold.
So, running in Beijing is probably the worst idea. But still we are thinking about the Beijing Marathon (mid October). Maybe the Beijing Rotarians can form a team…
Otherwise, not much to look forward to. The Xiamen Marathon just took place and totally attracted 24,500 participants. Other official marathons are organized in Dalian and Shanghai.
The Great Wall Marathon is another story.
Finally our circle of local runners decided to pull out as the fees are exorbitant for us Beijing residents. In my case, I calculated that it would cost me over 3000 RMB to organize a car, stay overnight in a local hotel with my family & driver, plus all the fees: runner 1264 RMB; spectator 395 RMB; 290 RMB for the chip (Beijing marathon: free use!). All this to run a 10K on the Wall (the half and full marathon are a bit too much for me…). It is quite far from Beijing (said to be 120 Km from Beijing’s center).
I complained to the organizers and at least they were nice enough to reply and explain – too much overhead costs, probably too much extortion from local Chinese authorities, etc.
Anyway, if anybody is interested, visit their website: www.great-wall-marathon.com
It says: “The organization behind The Great Wall Marathon is a joint event between a group on international athletic associations in alliance with the Chinese Comfort Fujian International Travel Service and the authorities of the Tianjin province northeast of Beijing.
Date of the race is May 19. Please note that entries can only be bought as part of a tour package, combining the marathon with a number of different tour options. Residents of Beijing should contact the Great Wall Marathon for special details on how to enter.”
Well, the conditions you already know…
Rotarian John found something new and exciting:
“The Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset” – The World’s Most Beautiful 100 Km Run”.
http://www.ultramongolia.com/
There is actually a choice: the full marathon or the 100K run. Follows some of the info from their website:
Schedule:
Saturday 30 June 2007 – Arrival in Ulaanbaatar (UB) of participants traveling from Beijing. Departure of chartered flight to Khatgal/Moron on the Southern tip of Lake Hovsgol. Transfer via passenger boat or jeep to Camp Toilogt.
Sunday 1 July 2007 – Acclimatization day for participants already in Camp Toilogt.
Monday 2 July 2007 – Acclimatization day.
Tuesday 3 July 2007 – Acclimatization day
Wednesday 4 July 2007: RACE DAY.
Thursday 5 July 2007 – Rest day. Award Ceremony and party in the evening.
Friday 6 July 2007 – Return to UB via boat/jeep and aircraft. Transfer to hotel.
Saturday 7 July 2007 – Departure of participants traveling from UB to Beijing.
The Course (marathon)
The event course follows a lakeside single track north of Camp Toilogt through woods and over windblown lowlands for the first 12km. In the next 5 km, the course departs the lake and heads up over 700 meters into the mountains to spectacular views and 2,300 meter Chichee Pass. From this first pass, the route heads south along a ridge, descends steeply into a river valley, follows along the river bed through sometimes marshy sections, returns up another river valley, and climbs steeply through a mossy forest to Khirvesteg Pass. From the second pass, runner’s descend steeply again to another valley and return to the lakeshore to make their way back to Camp Toilogt and the 42km mark – the finish of the marathon and Aid-station No. 4 for 100 km runners. Cutoff time for the marathon: 8 hours.
The Setting
The central feature of the course is Lake Hovsgol National Park and its pristine alpine lake. At an elevation of 1,645 meters (5,400 ft) and with average depth of 245 meters (800 ft), it is one of the largest single bodies of drinkable fresh water in the world. In late June, the surrounding area is at its peak for wildflowers and wildlife.
The staging area for the Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset is Camp Toilogt. This rustic and comfortable facility provides guests the novelty of Mongolian-style living, with environmentally-friendly ‘western’ comforts also available, such as hot showers, solar electricity and a satellite phone for emergency calls. Locally-grown organic produce is a staple of meals served to visitors and a minimum of food is imported.
Cost (indication), departure from Beijing: US$ 1,680 plus some extras.
Well, we should give it some thought…
Rotarian Carl is looking a bit further: the Phuket marathon (Thailand) on 17th June. In September: Singapore hosts the first half Ironman.
We will have to make a plan now… Maybe a team…
Sport
25 March 2007: 500 days to go for 2008 Olympics & running…
Well, nearly. The real 500 days were on Tuesday 27 March. But that Sunday we had the “Samsung Cup 2007 Beijing International Long-distance Running Festival” to celebrate the 500 days countdown. Start: at Tiananmen, about 10,000 participants for the 5K and 10K runs. Arrival at the Millennium Monument (West Beijing). Route: Chang’An Avenue.
Officially it was also “10 K”. But our own calculation gave 8.1 Km, I finished with a time of 45 min, not that bad keeping in mind I was trying to recover from a bad cold (OK, turned out to be a bad bronchitis…), that makes about 10.8 Km/h. Sun was not exactly happy I was running and tried to talk me out of it. Flemish people being rather stubborn, to no avail.
The weather was quite nice and pollution was below the usual horrible levels.
It’s all very much for the media, lots of shows that nobody can see, except on TV. Looks nice. All choreographed for the public image.
Even the dragon dancers were in the Olympic mood: they made the 5 Olympic Rings.
preparing, fully equipped with iPod, pedometer, heart rate monitor and optimism; damned drums made me jump up!; Olympic Dragon Rings
the drums are calling for the start; there we go on Chang’An Avenue
arrival at Millennium Monument, cheerleaders in full swing to welcome me
Beijing: VERY bad for your health
I surrendered. Last Friday, after battling a stubborn cold/cough/sore throat for over one month with tons of medicine, I went for a checkup. Nearby the Gongti Strip we have a small local Chinese hospital (no, the big dreadful, horrible Chaoyang Hospital), few people and quick service (if you speak Chinese). Blood & urine tests plus X-ray. Verdict, without waiting for all test results: not that great.
Dixit the Chinese doctor professor lung specialist:
“Well, we Chinese are born here and got used to the pollution. Those foreigners come from their countries where they are used to the good air. So, once here they get problems, not like us. Does he smoke? [oops – yes – some few cigars]. No good. Bronchitis, the airways are thickened and he gets bronchitis quickly with any cold. Probably pollution plus smoking. Antibiotics, no use. Give him Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM). Taste is bad but is good. He should not run outside. Inside in the gym is OK.”
OK, I know I smoke some few cigars but as the very own Chinese authorities once admitted:
– Zhu Rongji: “Beijing is so polluted, my life will be at least five years shorter”.
– Chinese environmental agency: “Living in Beijing does more damage than smoking two packs of cigarettes per day”.
So, yes, I’d better stop with my occasional cigar (sigh). Maybe even better, move away from this filthy city. What else can you call it? We are “happy” when the pollution index is “only” 100. Versus max. of 20 (WHO) or somewhere in the twenties in the “polluted cities of Paris and New York”. Even Shanghai is better – roughly 30% less.
Sucks. Running & jogging outside is pure madness. Yeah yeah, “Green Olympics”? Right, but only for those weeks. Otherwise, just drop dead.
Chinese “used” to pollution? Come on, half of Beijing must have lung cancer, they make those horrible noises and spit all day long (good luck to stop them). And when they spit, is a full load.
OK, there we go, enjoy your drink!
So, I am taking the TCM treatment. A long list of whatever, then boiled by the hospital and nicely packed – one bag each time, twice per day. Tastes awful but could be worse. They say it’s good.
As for me, I am dreaming of a blue sky and fresh air. Right now, all windows well closed and air purifiers humming. And no cigars. Maybe I should buy an oxygen tent.
Be warned, I am NOT in a good mood.
Beijing Rotary Club: running mad
[edited 8 March]
We have a new Ironman: Carl-Ludwig Dörwald (Past President). He just completed the grueling circuit in Langkawi (Malaysia):
– 3.8 Km swimming; time was 1h 41m
– 180 Km cycling in mostly mountainous area; time was 7h 30m
– the full marathon (42.195 Km) in hot and humid weather (30-35C in the non-existing shadow)
His total time: 15 hours and 30 minutes. Congratulations Carl! I thought I was mad doing the marathon at my age but it pales in comparison with your exploit.
I just can’t understand how one can do this. Carl’s own comments:
“In summary, this was a wonderful experience and I only can encourage others to do the same. It is a challenge according the slogan of this Ironman: Nothing is Impossible, even if this is one of the toughest Ironman Races on the Earth. I feel great, even much better than after the Beijing Marathon. I don’t have any muscle pains, my heart, my lounge everything is ok. However, I have quite a number of blisters. I found about a dozen or so, each of it quite big and I feel that there are some more to be discovered.”
Ironman Carl with medal – Rotary lunch of 27 February – with Plasticman Gilbert
For interested parties, we are looking at some serious running here in Beijing this year:
– the Beijing Ekiden race on 25 March – 10 Km (I will join)
– the Great Wall Marathon on 19 May. I am wondering – join or not, maybe the 10K? Just for the experience. It seems some Rotarians from the USA would like to join. More on that later
– The Beijing International Marathon on Sunday 21 October (to be confirmed) – probably I will join again. A Belgian team from Ernst & Young has expressed interest to participate…
The ANA Beijing International Marathon 2006
Finally the much feared day – 15 October – is history and I finished my 4th marathon in a row, all in Beijing. First one was in 2003, les than two years after starting to do some sports and … running. I remember one day in 2002 I came home and proudly announced I had managed to run 1 Km on the treadmill. That machine looked so menacing to me and I could not imagine I could actually RUN. Here we are now and also 6 to 7 Kg lighter:
Year Official Time
2003 4h 48m 21s
2004 4h 45m 40s
2005 4h 39m 40s
2006 4h 31m 24s – real time 4h 30m
This year the weather and organization were both OK. Not like that horrible 2004 one when it was unusually warm and water was not available after Km 30. And you could drop dead also after Km 35 without anybody in sight to help you. Unfortunately two runners did drop dead, not to speak the over 100 others who needed to go to the hospital (of course official figures were lower…).
still strong – still positive
We had a grey sky, around 18C, low wind and pollution level (API) between 105 and 125 (not that great but for Beijing already “good”).
The good point:
Lots of volunteers, water stands, pickup buses all the way till the finish. This time, little nuisance from passing traffic.
The weak points were at the start – too chaotic – and the finish: impossible to get the certificate (at least 200 runners waiting), so I left without. Nobody could come to watch the arrival nor pick up the runners so other confusion of lost runners and friends. Especially foreigners who came to cheer were very unhappy. Somehow my family managed to shout a cryptic message before I entered the Asian Games complex (National Olympic Sports Center) so I knew I had to look for them at the East Gate.
My new training program did help me and I gained again several minutes. My time was 4 Hours and 30 minutes for the 42.195 Km. And it took exactly 41,000 steps – the reason why my leg muscles were all banana for the rest of the day. But on Monday I was “running” around to the usual busy meetings. Staircases were a bit tough to handle tough.
second thoughts or just nervous? – Carl (waiving) all cheerful
That pales of course compared to my friend Carl-Ludwig Doerwald who was close to me at the starting point and finished in 3H 40M real time.
the huge crowd
The Marathon is getting a bit too crowded – about 25,000 runners packed on Tiananmen in the morning, for the 4K, 8K, half marathon and full marathon. As usual in China, messy, disorganized and easy to get hurt at the start as nobody really cares to follow orders.
But I am not going to miss the next chaos and I will again see how to improve my training schedule. As for now, salvation! Back to my cigar, a good wine, my whisky and all the stuff that I am not supposed to do. Santé!