codoon god of wealth 2019 wutaishan trail run

After joining the Codoon Trail Running Club, I learned about the HuiPao Da Wu Chao Tai event, which is known for its slogan 'One Day, Four Seasons.' The race starts at sunrise and ends at sunset. I've always wanted to participate in this pilgrimage. I knew the entry requirements were very high; a capable friend of mine attempted it twice but couldn't finish. Honestly, even though I had the chance to go, I was quite apprehensive. This was the most stressful event for me in the first half of the year.

This year, the Da Wu Chao Tai event shifted its focus to being an elite race, retaining only the 70km category, with individual and team competitions. The entry requirements were modified to be based on ITRA performance points. With my five trail running performances last year, I met the entry criteria. Out of nearly 800 eligible participants, only 200 could compete. My points ranked 54th among all entrants, and I finally had the opportunity to participate.

Last year's Da Wu Chao Tai race faced harsh weather conditions with strong winds, heavy fog, rain, and snow. This year, the requirements for mandatory gear were stricter. Although the weather forecast predicted sunny skies and mild temperatures on race day, volunteers rigorously checked mandatory gear like jackets and rain pants during registration and emphasized that participants must carry them throughout the race, with checkpoints for re-inspection.

I woke up at 3 AM and headed to Jindu Mountain Resort, where I took a shuttle bus to the starting point at Ximen Archway. It took only twenty minutes to get there, and it was still dark. Although the forecast showed 18 degrees Celsius, it was quite cold on the mountain. Many participants were waiting in the large tent for bag storage. After packing, checking in, and warming up, I put my jacket in my backpack before the start. At 5:02 AM, the race began. Since I was running the individual race, I didn't rush forward but followed the group at a steady pace. As the temperature rose, I started sweating, and the altitude of over 2000 meters made breathing harder and running more strenuous.

The first few kilometers were particularly tough due to the high altitude. By the time I reached 12-13 kilometers, the temperature had dropped too low, and I was freezing. I pushed through to the checkpoint, where I had a piece of bread, a banana, and some instant noodles soaked in warm water, which tasted awful. I put on my jacket from my trail running pack, and my condition improved. Between Xitai and Beitai, roughly 15 to 25 kilometers, the altitude rose from 2500 meters to the highest point of 3058 meters, where the wind was extremely strong, reaching levels of eight or nine on the Beaufort scale. The wind was so fierce that I could barely stand, and the sand and stones blown by the wind stung my face. I finally understood the true meaning of the Da Wu Chao Tai slogan, 'One Day, Four Seasons,' and why the organizers required so much mandatory gear (jackets, waterproof pants, fleece, energy gels). I even brought winter gloves and a disposable raincoat just in case, as such extreme conditions could easily pose life-threatening risks.

I soon reached the Lion's Den checkpoint.

After crossing a mountain ridge on a wild trail and descending to a tractor road, it was time to climb Xitai. Before reaching the Xitai Merit Archway, the wind was very strong. Although the sun was out by then, the wind made it very cold.

Climbing Xitai: The wind was even stronger and colder at the top. I was almost frozen when I reached the aid station and quickly checked in and refueled. The aid tent was crowded, and after hurriedly eating something, I was still cold, so I quickly descended.

While descending Xitai, I encountered a participant who looked in bad shape and said she was experiencing oxygen deprivation. After encouraging her, I continued on. The wind grew stronger, but as I ran, my body finally warmed up. Just as I started to find my rhythm, I reached the Zhongtai checkpoint. I took some photos at the viewing platform, where I could see alpine meadows, Taihuai Town below, and wind turbines in the distance.

After descending from Zhongtai, the wind intensified along the ridge leading to Beitai, making the power lines hum. The wind blew from the right, causing my body to drift to the right while running, and I had to adjust my stride to the left to stay on the path. Occasionally, my left leg would collide with my right leg. I adjusted my running to the left to counteract the wind and stay on course.

Climbing Beitai, the strong wind made it bone-chillingly cold, and my hands were numb. I felt that if this continued, I might suffer from hypothermia. I took out my jacket from my waist and put it on, and my body gradually warmed up.

The first 500-meter ascent involved climbing Fomu Cave, starting with a scenic road, followed by many steps, and finally a forest trail. My stamina was clearly lagging, and I slowed down significantly. The second 500-meter ascent was to Nantai, which was quite steep and crowded with many hikers. I climbed slowly, enjoying the scenery as the temperature began to drop, and the wind made it feel even colder.

After checking in at Nantai, I descended a five to six-kilometer firebreak. Several people I was with started running, but I was too exhausted. I met a fellow runner who was walking, so I walked with him for two kilometers. Then someone ran past us and said, 'Hurry up, we can still get the tin medal.' (Note: A gold medal is awarded for finishing within 11 hours; a tin medal within 12.5 hours; and a silver medal within 12.5 to 14 hours.) My companion said it was only possible within 12 hours, so I believed him. We reached the finish line in 12 hours and 32 minutes, missing the tin medal by two minutes. In hindsight, I should have pushed harder to make up the time. This left a small regret.

Throughout the race, I kept putting on my jacket at the mountain tops and taking it off when the wind stopped, tying it around my waist. I lost count of how many times I repeated this.

This year, we had good weather, making the race less challenging, so the overall completion rate was high. Despite the average altitude of 2500 meters, which isn't considered high altitude, most participants from the plains found it hard to adapt. Although there wasn't severe altitude sickness, the pace slowed significantly. Therefore, the checkpoint times at the first two CPs were tight for slower runners. The first two CPs were at Xitai and Beitai, where harsh weather conditions were more likely. Last year, it rained and snowed; this year, it was windy. As long as participants weren't cut off at these two CPs, they could generally finish the race without issues.

Although Da Wu Chao Tai is a self-navigation race with no route markers, it's hard to get lost before CP4. You just need to follow the path, and there are volunteers at key intersections or follow the runners ahead. Since it's on the mountain, the views are open, and you can see far if the weather is good. After CP4, the route goes downhill, and the views aren't as open. The runners are more spread out, and there are a few places where it's easy to go off course, so self-navigation is needed at some forks to avoid getting lost.

Due to the high altitude, the temperature wasn't high, but the UV rays were strong. On sunny days, sun protection is crucial. I didn't take sun protection measures this time, and after a day in the sun, I got sunburned. The next day, my skin started peeling, first on my neck, then my arms and legs.

The front of the Da Wu Chao Tai race medal highlights the 'One Day, Four Seasons' theme, with the Buddhist sacred mountain as the background. Both sides of the medal feature the Buddha of Wutai Mountain as the main motif.

The finisher's shirt for Da Wu Chao Tai.

[Trivia] Wutai Mountain is named after its five flat-topped peaks. Due to its cold climate, it is also known as Qingliang Mountain, where even in midsummer, it remains cool. The five peaks are East Peak (Wanghai Peak), West Peak (Guayue Peak), South Peak (Jinxiu Peak), North Peak (Yedou Peak), and Central Peak (Cuiyan Peak). The area within the five peaks is called 'Tai Nei,' with Taihuai Town at its center. The lowest point of Wutai Mountain is 624 meters above sea level, and the highest point is the North Peak at 3061.1 meters, known as the 'Roof of North China.'

Wutai Mountain is the foremost of China's four sacred Buddhist mountains, known as 'Golden Wutai,' and is the bodhimanda of Manjushri. During the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Wen decreed the construction of a temple on each of the five peaks: Wanghai Temple on East Peak, Pujie Temple on South Peak, Falai Temple on West Peak, Lingying Temple on North Peak, and Yanjiu Temple on Central Peak. Each temple enshrines a different form of Manjushri: Clever Manjushri at Wanghai Temple, Wise Manjushri at Pujie Temple, Lion's Roar Manjushri at Falai Temple, Stainless Manjushri at Lingying Temple, and Child Manjushri at Yanjiu Temple. Since then, pilgrims visiting Wutai Mountain have worshipped at all five peak temples, a practice known as 'Chao Tai.'