Chongqing - The international gold standard 2024 Chang'an Automobile Chongqing Marathon is set to take place this coming weekend and will feature 30,000 runners divided equally between the full and mini-marathon events. Participants from 426 cities and 26 nations will descend on the beautiful Yangtze riverside strip Nanbin Road, where they will enjoy the competition and savor the unique charm of Chongqing. Two days in advance, organizers held a press conference to introduce the main highlights the public can anticipate this year.

Runners lucky enough to register for this over-subscribed yearly fixture will gather at the starting line beside Yanyu Park in Nan'an District at 7:00 am on March 24, including senior participants as high as 79 years old and the youngest a mere seven months. Additionally, there will be 3038 athletes with personal best time records of three hours or less.

Furthermore, the elite international marathon runners Kimutai Kiplimo and Josphat Kiptanui from Kenya and Aberu Ayana from Ethiopia have accepted the competition's invitation. At the same time, top Chinese athletes will also gather in Mountain City this coming Sunday.

The race will adopt a traditional pacemaker system with 'rabbits' aiming to finish the course in 2 hours 48 minutes and 4 hours 13 minutes. There will also be a ‘520 Love Rabbit' who will complete the run in 5 hours and take its name after the three numbers that sound like 'I love you' in Chinese. It is worth mentioning that the well-known marathon runner from Chongqing Jia Yaya will be the 300 pacemaker, setting the benchmark for one kilometer every three minutes.

Volunteers and technology make for an optimized experience

Comprehensive support for the Chongqing Marathon has been further optimized for health and safety this year, with medical teams comprised of hospital doctors and professional and volunteer first aid providers stationed at intervals, positioned as observers, or running alongside the competitors.

Nearly 5000 volunteers have also been recruited from ten prestigious universities in the city, including Southwest University of Political Science and Law, who have undergone rigorous training to provide a standardized, high-quality service to ensure the event proceeds smoothly. 

Meanwhile, partner brands, colleges, and running groups have worked together to set up 50 motivational stations, where they will cheer on participants with music, drums, and exercise routines as they display the warm passion of Chongqing people to the world.

This year, digital technology powered by the Chinese road navigational platform Gaode will enhance the sense of participation among both competitors and netizens. The smart application will provide convenient services with information on collecting items, assembly and evacuation points, tourist sites, catering, and accommodation. At the same time, Gaode will hold a cloud-based Chongqing Marathon with souvenir medals up for grabs.

Chongqing Marathon doubles as consumption festival

Nan'an took full advantage of the Chongqing Marathon in 2023 to vigorously integrate commerce, tourism, culture, and sports resources within the host district to hold the International Consumption Festival. High standards and whole industry linkage combined to great success.

In this second installment, planned for 2024 from March 22 to April 22, Nan'an has seized the opportunities presented by Chongqing's status as an International Consumption Centre City and scouted the highest-quality venues for catering, accommodation, tourism, shopping, sports, and other activities for the benefit of citizens under the banner 'See Chongqing and Come to Nan'an.'

Famous district landmarks such as Longmenhao Old Street, the Opening Port Heritage Museum, Changjiahui Shopping Centre, and Starlight Times Square will offer exclusive discounts. The mobile application Alipay is set to offer 10,000 meals priced at 0.1 yuan, and Meituan will provide a variety of top deals through the in-app 2024 Chongqing Marathon International Consumption Festival window.

Lastly, Nan'an District has designed a spring-themed 2-day tour route for local visitors to discover the charm of Mountain City. The official WeChat account of Nan'an Culture and Tourism provides the latest information on fine delicacies, travel tips, preferential shopping, and popular sights.