Runners brave 90km 'Guiyouchi' race in Inner Mongolia

While many people can run the 42.195 kilometers of a standard official marathon, few could probably manage the Guiyouchi –– a race that requires competitors to run for an incredible 90 km.

But 500 runners did just that on Sept 8, taking part in the Inner Mongolia Xanadu Guiyouchi International Running Race 2018 which began at Kublai Khan Plaza in Zhenglan Banner, Xiliin (Xilin) Gol League on Sept 8.

Competitors came from far and wide to take part, including Mongolia, Ukraine and Portugal, as well as 22 Chinese provinces and regions. More than 1,500 people took part in a smaller 4km race.

The men’s 90km contest was won by Han Qi from Qinghai province, who finished with a time of 7 hr 19 min 19 sec. Liang Jing from Anhui province won second place with a time of 7:19:36, and Wang Guanghui from Tianjin came third with a time of 7:29:50.

Zhang Lihong from Hebei was crowned the champion of the women’s group with a time of 9:34:42. Shan Ying from Beijing came second with a time of 10:03:01 and Cui Ying from Inner Mongolia won third place in 10:15:22.

The competition was organized by Inner Mongolia Sports Bureau, Inner Mongolia Athletics Management Center, the culture, sports, press, publication, radio and television department of Xiliin Gol League, and the people’s government of Zhenglan Banner.

The finishing line was situated inside the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Xanadu, one of the two major capitals during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368).

Guiyouchi is a Chinese transliteration of a Mongolian word referring to a long-distance race organized during the Yuan dynasty, as Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, placed great importance on the physical fitness of his troops, and in 1287 began arranging daily endurance runs for them.

According to tradition, the winner of the Guiyouchi race would receive a silver bar, while all other participants would receive a gift of cloth. But nowadays the first eight contestants to finish the race simply win a cash prize, and all competitors receive a commemoratory medal as a souvenir.