Monday Motivation: 26.2 Miles On The Great Wall of China

Not every marathon has an ancient monument and World Heritage site on its route. 

A part of the Adventure Marathon series organized by Albatros Travel, the Great Wall Marathon is exactly what it sounds like—runners have the opportunity to experience a 26.2-mile journey on a portion of the Great Wall of China. Talk about a bucket-list race! The route includes a section of the wall located in the Tianjin Province (just a few hours from Beijing) and runs through the surrounding villages.

Since its inaugural race in 1999, the The Great Wall Marathon has become immensely popular, selling out 2,500 spots in this year’s race. It also includes a half marathon and 8.5K fun run for those who are less inclined to run/walk up and down all those steps (5,164 to be exact). The next race will be held May 16, 2015. In the meantime, be inspired by this video of past participants recapping their marathon experience, and start planning your next vacation to China!