The world’s highest vertical marathon with 3,398 steps attracts athletes from home and abroad to gather at the “Top of Shanghai” – Sports – China Engineering Network

Original title: The world’s highest vertical marathon with 3,398 steps attracts athletes from home and abroad to gather at the “Top of Shanghai”

China News Service, Shanghai, November 19 (Reporter Zheng Yingying) With a 632-meter-high skyscraper, a 552-meter-high vertical track, and 3,398 steps, on the 19th, the world’s highest vertical marathon event, the 2023 Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon, was held in Shanghai. The competition started in Lujiazui, Shanghai, attracting 2,000 domestic and overseas players from Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Malaysia, China, etc.

On November 19, the 2023 Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon kicked off. (Photo courtesy of Shanghai Tower)

——”Pain is temporary, growth is eternal.”

“A good friend of mine once said: ‘Pain is temporary, growth is eternal.’ I think this is also the mentality you should have when participating in a vertical marathon.” The son of Juan Antonio Samaranch, the honorary lifelong president of the International Olympic Committee, is currently the International Olympic Committee Committee Vice Chairman Juan Antonio Samaranch (referred to as: Samaranch Jr.) said when he was re-elected as the image ambassador of the Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon in September this year.

Samaranch Jr. once participated in the 2018 Shanghai Center International Vertical Marathon. In the congratulatory video for this year’s event, he mentioned his experience in participating in the competition, regretted that he could not come this time, and encouraged the contestants: “When you stand at the starting point , start trying (vertical marathon), and you are already a champion.”

On November 19, the 2023 Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon kicked off. (Photo courtesy of Shanghai Tower)

——Vertical marathon is a race against yourself

According to Su Weiqing, a Malaysian athlete who just finished the race in the morning, the vertical marathon is one of the most challenging sports. “If humans have the ability to build such a tall building, they must have the ability to run such a high building.”

He said that the challenge of the vertical marathon is that everyone starts separately and is racing against themselves. “When you are climbing a tall building, you don’t know how fast or slow other runners are running. You have to learn to control yourself. The pace taught me patience.”

Verity Rees from the UK is a lawyer on weekdays. She told a reporter from China News Service that this was her first time participating in the Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon. During the competition, everyone encouraged each other and was very friendly. She made some friends through the event. .

Pawel Ruszala from Poland climbed a 340-meter tall building in Moscow five years ago. This is another challenge for him. “You can’t start very fast, otherwise you will be exhausted before you finish, so it is very important.” The key is to slow down at the beginning and then try to do your best.”

Chinese contestant He Xudong said that he could imagine before the competition that it would be very tiring, but he was very happy to have accomplished the goal and challenged himself. “I work nearby, and this time I came with the goal of ‘up’.”

On November 19, the 2023 Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon kicked off. (Photo courtesy of Shanghai Tower)

——”Measure” the top of Shanghai with your steps

In recent years, vertical marathon events have been held in many places around the world, and the event has gradually developed into an international trendy fitness sport that is not restricted by venue, time, or weather.

Shanghai Tower is located in Lujiazui, Pudong New Area, Shanghai. It is currently the tallest building in China. Around it, skyscrapers such as the Oriental Pearl Tower (468 meters high), Jin Mao Tower (420.5 meters high), and the World Financial Center (492 meters high) stand. The super high-rise buildings in this area are also a microcosm of the urban construction and development of Shanghai and even China.

On November 19, the 2023 Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon kicked off. (Photo courtesy of Shanghai Tower)

The Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon was founded in 2017. This year’s Shanghai Center Vertical Marathon lasted for a whole day and had three categories: individual full race, team relay race, and individual fun run. During the individual full-course race in the morning, many overseas players interviewed said they flew in specially to compete.