At eight o’clock am on Nov 24th, the 2019 Xianning International Hot Spring Marathon kicked off in Xianning People's Square. 16,600 Chinese and foreign runners started from here to experience the unlimited splendidness of the marathon by their running and measure the endless charm of Xianning by their foot.

Party Secretary Ding Xiaoqiang, the Vice Secretary and Mayor Wang Yuanhe, the Vice Director of Hubei Provincial Sports Bureau Zhou Yong, the Chairman of CPPCC Xianning Municipal Committee Zeng Guoping, the Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Xianning Municipal People's Congress Zhen Fangsong, and the Vice Mayor Liu Fuxing fired the starting gun together.

At the sound of the starting pistol, the athletes ran towards the finish line in a delightful pace. The marathon route started from Xianning People's Square, via the east section of Xianning Avenue, the Fire Detachment on Xianning Avenue (turning back), the west section of Xianning Avenue, Yinquan Avenue, Shiliutan Road, Qigu Avenue, Jingui Road, the east section of Jingui Road, the Yellow Crane Tower Wine Industry on Jingui Road (turning back), the west section of Jingui Road, Qigu Avenue, Yongan Avenue, Yinquan Avenue, Jingui Road, the south section of Chang’an Avenue, the Local Tax Community on Chang’an Avenue (turning back), the north section of Chang’an Avenue, Jingui Road, Chang'e Avenue, Taiyi Avenue, the East Meng Yanghao Road, Mailishan Road, Xianning Avenue, and finally back to Xianning People's Square on Xianning Avenue. The full marathon, the half marathon and the micro marathon are 42.195 kilometers long, 21.0975 kilometers long and 8 kilometers long respectively.

This marathon continued the theme of “running towards love”, with the slogan of “dating with hot spring and resting your heart in Xianning” and “Xianning, I am coming!” The total number of runners was 16,600, including 2000 full marathon runners, 4000 half marathon runners and 10,600 micro marathon runners. Among the applicants, the oldest was 73 years old and the youngest was only 3 years old.

On the track, 16,600 runners broke through their limits and achieved their dreams with sweat streaming down their back; beside the track, volunteers, public security policemen, medical teams and cheerleaders devoted themselves with selfless dedication to ensure the smooth process of the race; and outside the track, the spectators along the way enthusiastically participated in it, turning the 2019 Xianning International Hot Spring Marathon into a sports feast for all.

The "Xianning Marathon" track was praised by the runners as a safe, comfortable and beautiful boutique highway culture line and a boutique tourist line. The beautiful scenery and the careful planning of the track also showed the runners the beautiful scenery with "Xianning flavor" which integrates the mountains, rivers and wetlands. 

Xianning has fully upgraded the track, the service, the visual image and so on in this marathon. On the basis of being awarded the title of "Chinese marathon silver medal competition” by Chinese Athletic Association in 2018, it will strive for a title of "gold medal competition" this year. The event continued to provide special food supply after the competition, such as drinking chicken soup, eating fish cake, and the services like ice compress and foot bath, as well as experiencing hot spring bath. 

After the fierce competition, African runners swept the top three of the men's full marathon. The champion was from Kenya, with a score of 2 hours, 17 minutes and 53 seconds. The first place of the women's full marathon was also from Kenya, with a score of 2 hours, 49 minutes and 23 seconds, and two Chinese women runners ranked second and third. (By Zhu Zhe/Xianning Daily)