The main risk also lies behind the amazing natural beauty. Due to its altitude and mountainous terrain, in summer, the weather may change drastically and quickly without any warning signs. The sunshine with breeze will switch to shower with thunderbolts and blowing wind with a big drop of temperature of more than 10 degrees. For reasons of safety, and also for offering a optimal experience of friendship and cooperation, the 50 runners were requested to race in pairs (2 persons in a team) and ready to help each other all the time according to the regulation.
On the other hand, Wutai Shan is well-known for its diversity in culture, especially the long history and wide distribution of Buddhism. There are many temples and pagodas in this area swarming with Buddhist monks and nuns. Every year, it attracted tens of thousands of tourist in the summer alone. Several elaborately decorated temples sits along the course and some runners stopped to pay their respects to the Buddha during the race in and out of the temples.
The race is well organized. The logistics are sufficiently supplied. The course is well marked and measured. The Supplying point offers a wide array of food and drink such as bread, banana, fruit sauce, nuts, plain water, flat coke and sports drinks (see photos below). Volunteers are patient and motivated, and were highly applauded by all runners. The organizer also appointed 2 experienced elites to work as “bodyguards” for the runners at the last checkpoint, until they finish the race or quit. Rescue teams was standing by during the race at designate checkpoints and supplying points. Meanwhile, there is a long list of compulsory gears to ensure the safety of the runners and volunteers, and the runners’ gears were checked before, during and after the race.
To protect the vulnerable ecology there the organizer do not offer any one-time used items such as paper or plastic cups, and did not allow runners to take bottles of drink or food with package away from supplying points, and any violation led to elimination of the whole team directly. Good news, is, all the runners abided by this “leaving no trace” rule. After the race, some volunteers were appointed to check nevertheless and collect the course signs and any garbage along the course.
14 teams finished the race in 15hrs and 38mins (the organizer postponed the cut-off time at the finish during the race), while 10 teams were eliminated because of failing to meet the cut-off time or volunteer dropping of at least one runner of the team.
The last 4 finished teams was stroke by the heavy rain and thunderbolt at the sunset after the whole sunny day with cozy breeze.
