On August 18th, I participated in the first Baotou Marathon, and it was quite an experience. I initially thought that the first marathon might have various issues, but the entire process turned out to be very pleasant, with many commendable details. Over the past few years, I've participated in some of the most highly-rated and influential marathons, but except for a few that I found to be the best experiences, I didn't feel like participating in the others again. Therefore, this year, apart from missing one event due to personal reasons, I haven't signed up for any other races.

I signed up for the Baotou Marathon mainly because it was a hometown event, and I wanted to participate regardless of how it was organized. Additionally, August 18th is considered a lucky date. Within three days of registration opening, a classmate called to inform me that the full and half marathon slots were already filled, which surprised me. I asked him twice to confirm, and indeed, the slots were full. After that, it was just a matter of waiting for the race day, and there was little news about the Baotou Marathon during that period. At one point, I even doubted whether the race would go on as planned. "Don't have too high expectations; just treat it as a trip home to escape the heat and run a long distance," my classmate said.

A few days before the race, I returned to Baotou, and the city didn't seem to have much of a marathon atmosphere. I only met up with classmates for morning runs, and the elderly people exercising in the botanical garden would greet us, saying, "Good luck with your marathon this weekend!" Listening to local runners talk about their bad experiences in other city marathons—like the lack of sports drinks, insufficient supplies, and long turnaround routes—I prayed that these issues wouldn't appear in the Baotou Marathon. As the race day approached, even my family hadn't heard of any local organizations or streets planning to watch the race. I thought, "Could this really be a marathon just for the runners' amusement?" However, for me, the pre-race atmosphere was just an excuse for a few drinking sessions with friends.

However, all my previous concerns were completely dispelled on race day. Early in the morning, around 5 AM, we headed to the starting point, and along the route, police officers, public security, and volunteers were already in position. Baotou has significant temperature differences between morning and evening, so we wore long sleeves and pants, but all the police officers were in short-sleeve uniforms, personally setting up the race barriers. At the starting point, the most satisfying aspect for participants was that there were no lines for the toilets, which is quite a luxury for most marathon runners. The Baotou Marathon started on time, and all my previous concerns turned into the best experience.

Course:

The Baotou Marathon course can be described as wide and shaded. The race route passes through very wide streets, including Steel Street, a landmark street in Baotou known as the "First Street of Western China." It was once the widest street in the country (1954-1987) and the widest street in Inner Mongolia (1954-2000). In many places, marathons only close half of the road, so you can clearly smell car exhaust and feel the heat from car air conditioners as vehicles pass or wait. However, the Baotou Marathon route is completely closed in both directions, so you can run right on the center yellow line if you want, which feels fantastic.

The Baotou Marathon course is also well-designed, with over 60% of the route shaded by trees, protecting runners from the sun. Additionally, there are only a few hundred meters of turnaround sections, and no repeated routes. This non-repetitive, non-turnaround course design prevents psychological pressure for slower runners.

Audience Atmosphere:

Most of the Baotou Marathon spectators were spontaneous. Initially, I didn't expect many spectators, but from the starting point, there were spectators along the entire route. Although the course was wide and runners stayed on one side, the spectators on the other side were still enthusiastic, cheering loudly. I couldn't help but give them thumbs up and high-fives with the kids. My classmate was so excited, saying that the people of Baotou were really giving us face. After the halfway point, I began to understand what a home-field marathon felt like, with family, relatives, classmates, and friends cheering for me at different spots. This was a feeling I hadn't experienced in other city marathons. It seemed that through this marathon, my neighbors got to know me better, and they praised me when they saw me after the race.

In the latter half of the race, the distance between runners increased, and the spectators' cheers became more personalized. Some would call out your bib number, some would call you handsome, and some would cheer for you based on the color of your clothes. The most exaggerated was someone who kept track of the rankings of all female runners and informed each one of their current position. In everyone's mind, female runners who completed the full marathon were the most impressive. This was the first time I had seen or heard such a scene.

Supplies:

Supplies are a crucial part of any marathon and often the most criticized aspect. The Baotou Marathon's supplies were well-prepared. Starting from the first supply station at 5 kilometers, there were sports drinks available. From the 12.5-kilometer mark, there were bananas (cherry tomatoes, watermelon) and other supplies. Each water station had bottles of mineral water with the caps already opened, readily available for runners who needed to drink a lot.

The post-race supplies at the finish line were also unique: bread, beer, mineral water, drinks, pickled vegetables, and sausages. It felt like being on a green train. After stretching, I passed by a section of the course again, cheering for the remaining runners and joking, "Hurry up, you're almost at the finish line, and there's plenty of beer, pickled vegetables, and sausages waiting for you!"

Volunteers:

The staff on the Baotou Marathon course were all volunteers, enthusiastically serving the participants. At the medical stations along the route, if a runner needed Yunnan Baiyao spray, there were always two medical staff members available to spray and check the runner's health, ensuring they could return to the race as quickly as possible. Some temporary restrooms were outside the course, and there were designated staff to guide runners to the restrooms, open the doors for them, and safely escort them back to the course, making them feel like VIPs.

At each supply station on the course, several volunteers were always cleaning up the trash, keeping the course clean and tidy. This effort is in line with Baotou's title as a "National Sanitary City." The volunteers' service at the Baotou Marathon was truly heartfelt.

The Baotou Marathon concluded successfully, leaving a good impression on many local and non-local friends, both of the marathon and the city.

Although the Baotou Marathon was the first of its kind and not very large in scale, it was daring enough to be held during the hot August period, yet the weather was cool and pleasant.

The Baotou Marathon did not rely on flashy promotions but showed genuine hospitality to the participants, with over ten tourist attractions in the area offering free admission to the runners.

The Baotou Marathon did not follow formalities or go through the motions but was filled with the heartfelt enthusiasm of the people of Baotou, cheering and encouraging the participants.

Although it was the first time the Baotou Marathon was held, the people of Baotou have achieved remarkable results in the sport of marathon, producing well-known marathon champions like Hu Gangjun, He Yinli, and Li Zhixuan.

Kudos to the first Baotou Marathon, and I look forward to an even more exciting Baotou Marathon next year!