The first Yixing International Marathon kicked off along the Dongjiu Lake in Yixing of Jiangsu province, on the morning of April 15. As the starting gun went off, 10,000 participants across the world, 3,000 for full marathon, another 3,000 for half marathon, and the rest 4,000 for the mini, started their happy journey in this beautiful spring.
The beaming faces of the runners were even brighter than the breathtaking spring scenery along the journey. Among them, an eighty-year-old grandpa, who finished half marathon, caught a lot of attention. There were also some foreign faces standing out. Gabriele Barbati from Italy especially came to Yixing for this event. “I love any kind of sports, running, cycling and swimming. In China there are many trail and running events. I never get bored when I'm here. I like this country and I think the trail running will increase a lot in the next years,” said the 33-year-old man, who works in Shanghai.
The event, co-sponsored by Chinese Athletics Association and the Municipal People’s Government of Yixing, was organized by the Sports Bureau of Yixing and Ihuipao.com.
With a pottery history of over 7,000 years, Yixing boasts as a unique city of natural resource, including a charming shoreline of 40km along the Taihu Lake, a bamboo forest of 200,000 mu (about 13,300hectare), a tea land of 75,000 mu (about 5,000 hectare), as well as more than plus amazing limestone caves.