Standardization needed amid running craze

A forum gathering running mass groups, brands, sponsors and event organizers called for standardized and professional training and competition amid the national campaign of mass fitness and marathon running in Beijing on Friday.

The Sina 2017 running award, Sina Sports' annual event to award the nation’s best running groups and brands promoting running as a lifestyle, gave awards to 10 running mass groups from across the nation, and named the Beijing Marathon and Shanghai Half-Marathon the nation's most popular marathon and half marathon.

The winners were decided by online votes from more than 10 million Internet users. Two million voters participated in the best running groups voting, choosing from 2,500 candidates.

The voting was supervised by the China Athletics Association, with major criteria including standardization , professionalization and inclusiveness.

Shui Tao, vice secretary of the association, said the national marathon craze is a win-win opportunity for city promotion, commercial brands and mass fitness. On the running award, Shui said it helps to build healthy lifestyles. Now public figures like actors, TV moderators and news reporters are joining the mass running population.

Shui said the country's administrative organs are working on regulations to standardize marathon competition and industry development.

For mass runners, proper training, running form and mentality need to be improved. Running events at different tiers vary considerably in terms of organizing work.

At the 2017 National Games in Tianjin, no runners reported emergencies despite the 34 C weather, while some lower-tier events have resulted in deaths.

There were 1,102 marathon events in 2017 nationwide, and more than 40 on April 15 this year.

Wei Jianglei, senior vice-president of Sina Group, said running groups play an important part in promoting fitness, as one's first three- or five-kilometer run might be finished with a running group. On the other hand, these groups need guidelines and standardization from the sport administration.

Wei said runners could trust in China-made sneakers, and national-level events like the Beijing and Shanghai marathons could further raise thresholds to apply, like entry fees and qualification, to become world-class events.