This was an Epic experience. It is a race I have looked forward to for 2 years...I was prepared to sign up last year but then had the hip fracture/bike accident. This was the year for it, despite the fact that the last 6 months my training has been horrible and at this point I am far from prepared for a normal 1/2 marathon...much less for one that has 5,164 steps, and gains about 1,000 feet.
This was going to be difficult and a unforgettable experience. Taking place at the Huangyaguan Pass section of the Great Wall...a really picturesque section with a great big central courtyard. The weather was the first factor that was in question...How bad was the pollution going to be? As you know Beijing is know for its poor air quality, my hope was that this far (2 hours by bus) outside of the city, it would be better than a city proper race. As you can see from some of the photos...its not bad. Then it was if it was going to be Hot, although in China and in the higher elevation the humidity would be better. The race began in a light rain and the cloud cover and light rain really continued throughout the race, so that made for optimal weather conditions.
The second part...I was looking at the route and elevation maps before the race and I saw that gradual incline at the start, might be a good chance to get some pace going before the steps and incline really started...I was wrong.
The entire route was uphill for the first 4 miles...it was brutal.
I thought that the downhill steps would make up for whatever time I lost on the uphill steps, I again was wrong. The steps are all so uneven, that I often had to slow down to get down areas.
Eventually i just resigned myself to not being able to do very much running while on the wall, except for the flat spots between the steep steps. lucky for me that is where most of the cameramen were, so I always looked like I was running.
Truth be told, I was not, I walked most of that first 4 miles and prior to getting off the wall I had to stop in one of the towers as my legs actually felt like rubber. The next part of the journey was on the road for about 2 miles, and then we went off road to am un-even gravel roadway, then we were running in a small rural town.
It was such a great experience. there were a lot of local people on the street clapping and all the kids wanted a hi-five, some of the older ones would run with you for a while. Then we were back on the road for the last 3 miles. I found a group to pace with which kept me at an even pace. Crossing the finish line at under 3 hours was a great accomplishment for me, especially since I was under trained. I would post me Garmin data, but somehow i lost a mile and almost 20 min...My Garmin showed me at 2:35:21, 12.68 miles, a 12:15 pace...
Not a race I was going to PR, and turned out to be a great deal more technical than i thought...I had originally expected the wall to be the toughest part and then be able to make up time as the last bit would be on the road. The fact that it was gravel off road and uneven paved rural town streets, back ally ways and tough little uneven trail, made for a very tough but enjoyable race. I was glad that I chose to wear my Brooks, Pure Grit trail shoes...They really helped through the changing conditions. This is not a race I would do again unless I was in better shape, it is however in my top 5 for races I have done, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a very challenging but rewarding race experience.
