I have been training since September for the Shanghai Half Marathon with my friend and neighbor Jerry. We were joined by two other friends, Scott and Leslie, who also live in our neighborhood. Scott and Leslie ran together and finished the race in under two hours while Jerry and I ran a more modest pace finishing in 2:15. I was content with that time. The weather was glorious with blue skies and a comfortable 65 degrees.
There were three concurrent races - a full marathon, a half, and a 5K - with over 20,000 runners from 20 different countries participating. The vast majority of the runners, of course, were Chinese. There was a running group from Holland that brought 70 runners for the full marathon.
We saw many interesting things during our 13 miles. Many of the Chinese runners had very odd gaits and running styles. There were several men who wore tight, shorty shorts in purple and pink. There were also more than a few runners wearing tube socks up to their knees. We saw two runners doing the marathon in bare feet and there was one American running with a clown wig and red nose.
My best decision of the day was to carry my camera during the race. Jerry and I took a few dozen pictures out on the course and started getting silly during the last few miles. If you wish, you can view the full collection of photos HERE.
There were three concurrent races - a full marathon, a half, and a 5K - with over 20,000 runners from 20 different countries participating. The vast majority of the runners, of course, were Chinese. There was a running group from Holland that brought 70 runners for the full marathon.
We saw many interesting things during our 13 miles. Many of the Chinese runners had very odd gaits and running styles. There were several men who wore tight, shorty shorts in purple and pink. There were also more than a few runners wearing tube socks up to their knees. We saw two runners doing the marathon in bare feet and there was one American running with a clown wig and red nose.
My best decision of the day was to carry my camera during the race. Jerry and I took a few dozen pictures out on the course and started getting silly during the last few miles. If you wish, you can view the full collection of photos HERE.
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