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…
2008 Olympics: can I buy tickets?
On 5 April the Amcham Olympic Forum organized one more interesting panel discussion in the American Club.
The panel was introduced by Adam Steinberg of ASC Wines, co-chair. Sen Yang (now with Adidas…), co-chair also joined. The panel:
– Curt Logan, general manager of ticketmaster
– Alan Dizdarevic, managing director of jet set sports
– Christopher Renner, president of Helios Partners China.
The Exclusive Supplier of Ticketing Services for the 2008 Olympics is Beijing Gehua Ticketmaster Ticketing Co., Ltd. (a JV with ticketmaster).
Curt, Alan, Christopher and Adam; Curt telling his story
The discussions are considered “off the record” and “not for external distribution”.
Problem was, the information provided was very vague, few of the real issues were addressed and I finally know more about the ticket issues – and certainly hotel planning – than what came out that day. Maybe I expected too much or I happen to know quite a bit (I have dozens of unanswered questions!). All that by carefully following the media. So, China Daily and others do bring you some real news.
For me it looks pretty obvious the whole story remains full of holes. How BOCOG will manage the seating arrangements, ticket distribution and other – nobody seems to have a clue or is pretty good of pretending they don’t know. (I am afraid its the first answer)
Anyway, the Amcham has taken some good initiatives around the Olympics. Makes me feel better – hey, I seem to know a lot. Even better, I have many questions nobody never asked and nobody has been able to answer.
And for your information, I am actually not interested to chase tickets. Maybe BOCOG will invite me. Or I will simply watch TV at the Gongti Strip. If any seats are still available, I might even go next door and watch boxing or football.
2008 Olympics: the dreaded clean-up of the city starts showing
As I say since over a year, the biggest risk Beijing faces for the Olympics is the impression it will leave on the media and on the visitors. In their typical zealous paranoia, the authorities will try to shuffle all the stuff they deem inappropriate under the carpet.
They will even provide Bibles in the hotel rooms during the 2008 Olympics. Of course, after the Games, they will be promptly removed. You see, all to clear up “foreigner’s misunderstandings about religion in China”.
Of course they officially and vehemently deny they will make Beijing a sterile and sanitized city (reminds me here of McCain in Baghdad – rings a bell?). Don’t say I didn’t tell you.
Already now migrants are being told that according to their jobs they will have to “take holiday” during the Olympics. No more massage in private rooms, etc. etc.( ED treatment will be suspended, I guess – so, hurry up guys!). Maybe massage will be allowed only by the same sex (I detect here opportunities for Destination?), easy, they can dust off the old regulations (that were never cancelled). So, many of the staff have been given instructions on the “evacuation plan” – who will stay and who will not. Expect many of the entertainment venues to be simply closed down. “Hair cuts” will be difficult. Interesting question: will Destination and Maggie’s still be open? I guess you can answer that question yourself. That will also be a change for the Gongti Strip.
The risk might be, they will chase away so many of the migrants there will be nobody left in the service sector. Beijing residents are not particularly known to be “good” in providing services.
It’s not going to be a “fun Olympics” as it looks like. Will be a bit like watching CCTV on the Eve of Chinese New Year. Yawn. Yawn. One more beer?
A Baghdad market is safe. I must be dreaming?!
I am still not sure if my level of English is OK or not. Reading the comments of the delegation led by US senator McCain recently visiting a Baghdad market. No, can’t be true. McCain is not that twisted, is he? We are used here to this kind of official denying that something is amiss, to official spokespersons informing us that H.R. are all fine, religion is free, etc. etc. We just roll our eyes, shrug our shoulders and move on.
But the total nonsense uttered by those congressmen that the Baghdad market is like “a normal outdoor market in Indiana in the summertime” just is hard to swallow from McCain. Of course Shorja was safe you morons, with 100 soldiers in humvees, helicopters in the air, restricted access for Americans only (guess they were all from Indiana?). I even don’t want to mention how many people get blown up in that city every day (it is getting very boring). Worse, some people over there in the US will actually believe the story.
I just hope I read all wrong, it was an April fool’s joke. Or we have now to be more nice to the people over here. Maybe they are not that twisted as we thought. China’s image is getting better every day. Just a matter of comparison.
New magazine! A must guide for successful men!
Just received an invitation to receive a new magazine, ‘GAFENCU” – the best of the best”. Is for discerning gentlemen, the description sounds like it is targeting spoiled rich playboys. It promotes also “the ultimate boy’s toys such luxury cards, yachts and planes”. Maybe the cards are to kill time on the plane or the yacht? Oh yes, it also sounds a bit weird when French people read the name: “Gaffe en Cul”. Or, blunder in the butt (polite translation). Blame Valerie, she came up with it. (or is it pain in the butt?).