The Redrun Marathon Celebrates 70 Years

On the 70th anniversary of the founding of P.R.China, Guang’an Redrun International Marathon, a marathon featuring “red culture” was held in Guang’an, Sichuan Province, the hometown of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. 15,000 runners from across the world interpreted their understanding of “red culture” in the form of running.

This is the fourth year for Guang’an to hold an international marathon. In the past three years, Guang’an Redrun International Marathon has grown into one of the “Gold Medal” events certified by China Athletics Association, which meets highest standards for China’s marathon. The “Gold Medal” is not only an honor for the organizers, but a recognition of the comprehensive management ability of a city.

“Red”, which stands for revolution and sacrifice in China, lies in the cultural background of Guang’an. The most well-known name of Guang’an is the hometown of Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China’s reform and opening up policy and modernization drive. Another well-known red tourist destination is Huaying Mountain, which is the hometown of a female Zorro, who was later passed on as “Double-Gun Woman”, because of her series of stories of wisdom and courage during the wartime. For many runners of Guang’an Redrun Marathon, it is their long-established itinerary to go to the Former Residence of Deng Xiaoping or Huaying Mountain before or after the race.

Some runners will arrange their trips to the industrial park of Guang’an to investigate the investment projects. Sports is the world’s universal language, and the Redrun Marathon has also become a bridge for Guang’an to communicate with the outside world. Among the members of the Peking University running group that came to Guang’an, many came from eastern coastal cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen. According to them, the western region of China including Guang’an means lower labor costs, broader market and stronger willingness to develop. Pursuing high-quality development is one of the interpretations of “red culture” in contemporary China. At present, Guang’an has established sister-city relations with China’s first batch of special economic zones such as Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Shantou and Xiamen so as to build a more open situation, which means more development opportunities.

As P.R.China celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding, “red” is a symbol of celebration and blessing. Many people choose to run a marathon to express their blessings for the prosperity and development of the country. In China, “Jianguo (building the country)” was a popular name for a generation. It represented people’s earnest expectation of building a good country. Li Jianguo, a runner from Shenzhen, was one of them. He found it very meaningful to participate in a “red” sports event in the hometown of Deng Xiaoping marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China. Zeng Jidi from Beijing turns 70 this year, the same age as New China. She arranged the first half marathon of her life in Guang’an to express her blessing to the country.

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