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Some Basic
Info for Preparing and Running the Great Wall of China Marathon
2026-Autumn(September
6,2026)
1.
Event Schedule:
Registered participants can collect their race packets from 9AM to
6PM on Saturday October 24,2026, at the 4-star Mercure Hotel Beijing Zhongguancun.
Limousine buses will depart from the official hotel at 5:30AM on
Sunday October 25, 2026, transporting all registered runners and
spectators to the Great Wall. The buses are expected to arrive at
the Great Wall around 7AM, where participants can store their
belongings, change clothes, warm up, and prepare for the Great Wall of China
Marathon 2026-Autumn, which will commence at 8AM on October 25,
2025. After the race, the buses will transport all runners and
spectators back to the official hotel.
Mercure Hotel Beijing Zhongguancun(北京美居酒店中关村店)
Address: No.31 Zhongguancunnandajie,Haidian District,Beijing,China
100081(北京海淀区中关村南大街31号）
From September 4,2026,we start to offer the free
accommodation at a 5-star hotel in downtown Beijing for the
runners of the Great Wall of China Marathon 2026-Autumn and the 26th
Great Wall of China Marathon to be held on May 1st,2027.
Good News:
Free Accommodation for the Runners of the Great Wall of China Marathon
2026-Autumn and the 26th Great Wall of China Marathon on May
1st,2027(Sept.4,2026)New!
We are pushing forward to bring much more convenience
as well to every new runners who stay at the 5-star New Century
Hotel! The runners who stay at this 5-star hotel in downtown Beijing
can best use your time to enjoy and explore more of Beijing most
conveniently! For the new runners,never never miss this golden
chance!
2.
Exciting One Night Hotel near the Start Line:
The Great Wall of China Marathon introduces the Premium Mini Package
for its 2026-Autumn (October 24, 2026) ,offering international
runners and their companions a convenient and luxurious experience.
Priced at 350 CNY (approximately 48.8 USD) for a shared twin room or
700 CNY (97.6 USD) for a single room.Complimentary taxi services are
provided from the official Mercure Hotel in downtown Beijing to the 5-star
hotel during10 AM–6 PM on October 24,2026. It would take 2
hour and 5 minutes from the Mercure Hotel to the 5-star.On race day, taxis transport participants from
the hotel at 7AM to the start line. Bookings
are available through ACTIVE.COM or directly via the official
marathon website, with the Premium Mini Package enhancing the
marathon experience with exceptional accommodations and seamless
logistics.
For the runners who registered the Premium Mini
Package before August, if you would like to switch your hotel to the
new 5-star New Century Hotel,we would do this for you very
nicely!Please write email to let us know.
run@greatwallmarathon.com.cn
3.How
to choose your distance to run?
When deciding on the distance to run, it is important to consider
your normal marathon time.
1)Marathon:
For instance, if you typically finish a marathon in 4 hours, it may
take you 7 hours or more to complete. The fastest runners usually
finish the marathon in over 5 hours, with an estimated normal
marathon time of around 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours. The
average finishing time for a marathon is 7 hours and 30 minutes.
2)Half marathon:
If your normal marathon time exceeds 6 hours, it is recommended to
opt for a half marathon instead, where the average finishing time is
around 4 hours.
3)10K and 5K:
For 10K races, the average time is 2 hours and 30 minutes, while 5K
races have an average finishing time of 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Regardless of the distance chosen, there is a 10-hour time limit for
all runners. Some participants may not be concerned with their
finishing time and prefer to run at their own pace, and taking
beautiful photos along the way.
If any runner would like to chance your
distance,please write email to let us know no later than October
10,2026.
4.Most
Beautiful Season in Beijing
Autumn is the most beautiful season of a year in Beijing,and at the
end of October,the average daytime temperature is 16°C,and the
average night time temperature is 5°C. It is very necessary to bring
your warm clothes with you before and after the race
5.Camelbaks
When For the best enjoyment of the Great Wall and for the best
feelings on the Great Wall,we strongly suggest every runners to
bring your camelbaks for the race,even the 5KM and 10KM runners.
6.No
Shorts
We have tested and experienced that your legs might be lightly
scratched while running up to the Great Wall on the small
path,please see the bushes in the picture below along the Great
Wall,this suggestion is especially for the lady runners who care
much about your skin.This is no problem for your hands and faces.
7.
5KM Runners
Only the 5KM runners start from F point and end at F point.We have
our van to send you to F and take you back to A,the FINISH of the
other marathon runners.
8.Trail
Running Shoes:
It would be very good if our runners wear the trail running shoes.
9. 42KM Runners
In the past 25 years,we have used the 6 different sections of the
Great Wall for the Great Wall of China Marathon(GWCM),and from
autumn 2025 we newly added one more kilometer of the primitive Great Wall only for the
full marathon runners.It will take average runners about 30 minutes
to finish this new 1K.That is from G to H.You will run into the
ancient history of China! The course is a little bit brutal,get
this in your mind in advance! But you would enjoy the double
happiness! See the picture we first took on August 2025 by mobile
phone,and you can click this picture and see its large size.
10.Course Map
and Elevation Map:
We would use the course of the Great Wall of China
Marathon 2025-Autumn,please check the data in the link,and there
might be a little bit modification for the course map for the Great
Wall of China Marathon 2026-Autumn.
 The
Course Map and Elevation Maps of the Great Wall of China Marathon 2025-Autumn(September 9,2025)
11.Special
Transportation Notice:
A most important government conference would be held
in Beijing in October 2026,therefore,this year,the self-driving by
some runners and your hired taxi to the start line is forbidden. All
the registered runners and all the registered spectators would use
our buses to the start line from the 4-star Mercure Hotel and from
the 5-star New Century Hotel in downtown Beijing. And your passports
are required to be with you.Check might take place when you
get on the buses before 5:30AM on October 25.Our buses are free for
all the registered runners and all the registered spectators.Also as
usual,we would send out the group email to every runners some time
during October 12-15,2026 with the most latest info,such as
food,more new convenient service on the race day etc.
1) Registration links with the
free accommodation at the 5-star hotel via ACTIVE.COM:
https://www.active.com/beijing-beijing/running/distance-running-races/great-wall-of-china-marathon-autumn-2026
Express Registration
https://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=95885211
If you are the ones who cannot use ACTIVE.COM
for the free accommodation,please let us know by email or by WeChat,we
have the new PDF registration form for you!
2) Other Registration Links:
https://worldsmarathons.com/zh/marathon/the-great-wall-of-china-marathon-autumn
http://greatwallmarathon.com.cn/online_application_for_great_wall_marathon_2026_autumn.htm
Golden Autumn Adventures: Exclusive Optional Tour
for the Great Wall of China Marathon 2026(July 30,2026)
Thank you all very much,the world runners,for your
warm support every day!
---The
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Official Wechat: greatwallmarathon
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