Ask Yourself Why … by NORRIE WILLIAMSON
ASK YOURSELF WHY …
Ask Yourself Why … by NORRIE WILLIAMSON
Lessons From China
I have been privileged to work at and experience a number of Chinese marathons , and I feel that the South African running industry can learn a lot from these events , which will greatly benefit South African runners .
For centuries , the Emperors of China and household lived in the Forbidden City in Beijing ( then Peking ), while the larger population were forbidden to enter . Only members of the ruling party , the elites , could transit the walls . Today , for many , China remains a hidden treasure , especially in the world of road running , with only a small number of elite athletes receiving invites to the over 1800 races that take place annually across China . ( That number of 1800 races virtually doubled from 2016 to 2019 , indicating the massive growth of the sport in China in only three years .)
Serious strides are , however , underway to welcome more international participants , and it ’ s an experience that will open eyes . With a population of over 1.4 billion , it ’ s little surprise that in 2023 , China has a massive 64 World Athletics Label Events , including the Chengdu Marathon , which is also an Abbott Marathon Majors candidate ( like the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in SA ). Many of these events attract over 20,000 runners , and their presentation would leave many around the world gobsmacked .
Chinese races are an entire performance and cultural experience , with logistics , medical , security and many other aspects of first-class standard . Not surprisingly , the security provision offers a vast range of plans from A to B to … well , to at least plan S ( for secret ), that considers every possible eventuality with an appropriate level of response . Of course , every race varies , but the common thread includes a command centre that has medical , security , fire , traffic and race logistic ‘ eyes ’ monitoring every metre of the route . However , the inherent culture and compliance of Chinese citizens means the focus can be on the race provision .
One of the most valued resources to the eventing industry is volunteers , which are in abundance in China . The true definition of volunteering is honoured , with no reward sought and none given , save the event T-shirt , jacket or other colour-coded protection , and accreditation which identifies the role to be played by the volunteer . Despite this , there appears no lack of community members keen to be involved , particularly students , who may gain extra course points .
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