China’s Great Wall Marathon is one of the world’s most breathtaking destination marathons. This year, the race returned for the first time since COVID-19 lockdowns. Let’s take a look at what happened at the Great Wall Marathon 2024.
Races began with over 800 runners on Saturday, May 18, in the Jizhou District of Tianjin, China. As you have probably guessed, the race course traverses the Great Wall of China. This unique location challenges runners to scale 5,164 steps during a marathon, half marathon, or fun run.
“It was awesome, such an amazing experience,” Brandon Posneer, a runner from the United States, said in a video from Reuters. “Definitely the hardest physical thing I have ever done. But going up to that Wall after 35 kilometers was brutal, but it was a blast. It was a lot of fun. Now it’s a lot of fun but looking back at it —” Posneer laughed.
The Great Wall Marathon 2019. / Photo courtesy of Albatros Adventure Marathons
Great Wall Marathon 2024 winners
Ready to meet the Great Wall Marathon 2024 winners? For the full marathon, French runner Nadege Person ranked first among the women with a time of 4:36:26. Among the men, British runner Mark Dickson won with a time of 3:43:32.
The women’s half-marathon winner was Guatemalan runner Ana Isabel Garcia Rodas with a time of 1:52:38. Spanish runner Roman Diez Gea won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:58:20.
According to Albatros Adventure Marathons, the organization that hosts the event, the race welcomed “838 runners and spectators from 59 countries, bringing their energy and excitement to tackle this incredibly demanding track.”
Want to join in on the 2025 Great Wall Marathon? Find more information here. Plus, see some incredible photos from the 2024 Great Wall Marathon in this highlights post from Albatros Adventure Marathons.
Route 66 is often called the Mother of All Roads, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, is its capital. This iconic road opened on November 11, 1926, stretching 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica. Twenty-eight of those miles are in Tulsa.
The road was one of the U.S. Numbered Highway System’s first highways. While motoring down Route 66 is the classic way to travel, Tulsa’s Route 66 Marathon traces a section of the route on foot. This year’s event takes place November 23-24. And 2026 will be really special as Tulsa will be buzzing with Route 66 centennial events.
See what this race has in store with our guide to the Route 66 Marathon.
Photo by Teresa Bergen
Route 66 Marathon map and courses
The Route 66 Marathon started in 2006. Executive director Destiny Green began working with the race the following year. I met with her at a café in the Tulsa Arts District, which she has also been very involved with developing. Green explained how the route follows the best parts of Route 66 while avoiding more industrial areas.
“Predominantly it’s a scenic tour of Tulsa with as much Route 66 as we can get,” Green said. Runners curious to tour the race course can find Route 66 Marathon maps here. There’s even a videotour showing off the 2022 marathon route.
The race offers the full marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, 5K, fun run, and a mascot dash. “On Saturday, that’s our 5K and fun run day,” Green said. “We try to get kids really engaged. So we ask a bunch of the local mascots to come out. They do basically a 30-yard dash in their costumes. It’s very fun. We have a big dance party afterwards and the kids love it.”
People can participate in both days’ events by doing a double. That’s running the 5K on Saturday and the marathon or half marathon on Sunday. Double finishers receive a special double challenge coin in addition to finishers’ medals and other swag.
Photo courtesy of Route 66 Marathon
The world’s shortest ultramarathon
The Route 66 Marathon also offers a chance for runners to complete the world’s shortest ultramarathon. “An ultra is anything bigger than a marathon,” Green explained. So 26.5 miles counts. At about mile 25, course signage indicates the optional detour. The ultra takes runners through the Center of the Universe, an acoustical anomaly involving an echo you only hear while straddling a crack in a bridge.
“You do three-tenths of a mile and you get a cool Center of the Universe detour coin,” Green said. “And a beer. You cross back over and you finish your race. If you’re going to PR or you’re really running for your time, you’re obviously not going to do it. But all the fun people do.”
Photo courtesy of Route 66 Marathon
A marathon that likes to party
The kitschy atmosphere of Route 66 draws many people who may be more excited about being there than about running. Green calls it a 26.2-mile block party.
“Runner’s World Magazine once was quoted saying we have more liquor on our course than any other race in North America,” she said. “Tulsa likes to party.” The course support is also phenomenal, as people who live along the route cheer on runners. “They’ll bring their couches out and their liquor. They make drinks for runners.”
The traditional drinks are mimosas, Fireball whiskey, and Jello shots. “We have approximately 8,000 Jello shots on the course,” Green said. People love the atmosphere and often return to run the marathon in subsequent years.
Photo courtesy of Route 66 Marathon
Route 66 Marathon swag
Green works hard to ensure the medal designs appeal to Route 66 aficionados. Recent years have featured some of Tulsa’s best buildings along the Mother Road. Finishers also get more than a T-shirt to wear. “Usually something like a full zip or quarter zip jacket,” Green said. “Our swag is legit.”
Photo courtesy of Route 66 Marathon
A welcoming race
The race welcomes locals as well as visitors. “People come from all 50 states and at least 10 countries every year,” Green said. Seven thousand people participated in last year’s Route 66 Marathon. The event is still building back to its pre-COVID peak of 13,000.
Visitors include Route 66 fans who aren’t necessarily runners. “The course is open for six and a half hours. So if you keep up a 16.5 minute per mile pace, you can finish,” Green said. “If you don’t stop and partake of the block party shenanigans.”
The marathon also encourages local kids to embrace the sport by setting up running clubs. Green loves running with these kids. “We go into local Title I schools,” she said. “We coach and mentor them. They run a free 5K that we pay for. We put them in a brand-new pair of shoes at the end. Which is the best part of my job.”
Many Barbados visitors like lounging on the beach with a rum punch. Beach chairs can be alluring, especially when looking out at the beautiful turquoise water on this eastern Caribbean island. Still, runners have to run. So, pack your running shoes and get ready to discover everything you need to know about Barbados as a running destination.
Whether you’re looking for a place to travel for your next marathon or simply want to stay active during your vacation, Barbados has some interesting opportunities for runners. This detailed guide will tell you all about the island’s top running locations, gear availability, running clubs, and races.
Photo by Teresa Bergen
Where to run in Barbados
The south and western parts of Barbados have gentler water for swimming and flatter terrain for running. Central and eastern Barbados are hillier regions. It’s important to note that there aren’t many places set aside for running. You’ll often be sharing narrow, shoulderless roads with cars. So wear bright colors and be vigilant — especially if you’re not used to cars driving on the left side of the road. On my recent trip, I crossed the street often, trying to stay on the outside of curves and looking for the occasional stretches of sidewalk. Also, for shade. Barbados is hot and humid. Early morning runs are most enjoyable.
There are a few different types of surfaces to run on in Barbados. Beach running is a good way to stay safe from traffic, though it takes more energy to run in Barbados’ fine sand. You could do laps up and down Rockley Beach, which runs for about a kilometer on the island’s southwest side. Nearby Worthing Beach is also fairly wide. On the east side, you can try your luck on the rugged beaches between Bathsheba and Cattlewash. But the availability of beaches here depends on the tides.
Photo by Teresa Bergen
My favorite Barbados running destination was on the Richard Haynes Boardwalk on the south coast, right across the street from where I stayed at South Beach Hotel. The boardwalk is about a kilometer long, so you might want to do a few laps. There’s also a West Coast Boardwalk, which alternates with sections of beach.
You could also take a self-guided 12-kilometer runseeing tour of Bridgetown, taking in sights like historic Garrison Savannah, now a horse race course, and Nidhe Israel Synagogue, one of the western hemisphere’s oldest synagogues.
The Bridgetown runseeing route takes you by historic buildings in the Garrison Savannah area. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Running gear
According to Run Barbados director Zary Evelyn, visiting runners should bring their own gear. Choices on the island are limited and more expensive. “I mean if you’re just someone having a little fun with it, you can certainly get the right pair of Adidas or Asics here,” he said. But if you require the latest high-tech socks, better bring them from home.
Photo by Teresa Bergen
Running clubs in Barbados
“There are a lot of informal run clubs that people can link up with,” Evelyn said. “They’re all very welcoming to people coming in.”
A good place to start is Hash House Harriers, probably Barbados’ most accessible running club since you just show up to participate. This internationally known club bills itself as “a drinking club with a running problem,” so don’t expect the environment to be too serious. On its FAQs page, one question is about inexperienced runners wondering if they’ll be left behind. The answer: “Heck no! There is often a shorter/easier/flatter walkers route available. If not, we have lots of regular hashers that walk the route so you’ll be in fine company!”
Check the website for their next run, and bring your sense of flexibility and adventure. The run will last anywhere from 45 to 120 minutes and happens rain or shine.
Run Barbados’ fun mile takes place in a historic part of Bridgetown. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Run Barbados and other running events
Run Barbados is the island’s biggest running event and the one that pulls in the most visitors. This year, the three-day event runs December 6-8. It kicks off with a nighttime one-mile fun run around the historic Garrison Savannah. Saturday and Sunday, runners move to the rugged and hilly east coast for longer races. They can choose between a 5K or 10K on Saturday and a half or full marathon on Sunday.
Trail runners can try the Hill Challenge, held annually in April or May. This year’s race will be on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Runners cover about 13 miles and a 3,500 feet elevation change. About 70% of the route is on trails ranging from easy to technical. The Mountain Goats are an informal group of recreational runners and some fast hikers who organize weekly training runs for the Hill Challenge starting in January.
Disclaimer: While this article was not sponsored, Outdoors Wire did visit Barbados during a press trip withVisit Barbados. As always, Outdoors Wire operates independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
