FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to the questions most frequently asked about running the Jinshanling Great Wall Marathon.

WHAT IS THE RACE DATE?

The 2025 race takes place on May 10th.

Race Gear and Course informational meeting

I highly recommend attending and asking as many questions as you can. I will be there to go over all your course informations and answer any questions you might have. May 8th and 9th from 10am – 5pm at the Pan Pacific Hotel. (I will know which conference room as the event draws closer, but you can always ask at the front desk of the hotel) If you do not have your race gear picked up on either May 8th and 9th you can still take the buses you would get on the bus marked “NO BIB BUS” there is as 100RMB fee to pick your bib up on race morning either at the Pan Pacific or at the Great Wall. If not taking the buses one or both ways please let me know.

Changing your distance & Drop down/out

You can change your distance at anytime before May 9th 2025. After this, or on race day you can change your distance to a shorter distance. So if you are in the marathon but only finish 32K you can drop down to the 32K distance you will be listed as a Alternate Course Finisher meaning you get credit for the distance you have completed but will be listed as alternate course finisher so you do not change the standing of those who entered in the 32K before the race. You are still an actual finisher. That goes for any distance. You do need to tell us. You can also choose DNF.

Cut off Times:

For the full marathon there is a cut off time of 10 Hours with 5K left for a 12 hour finish. We do everything to make sure you reach the finish line but sometimes we do need to cut you off because it is getting dark. Which means it becomes dangerous for you and volunteers to be out on the Great Wall after dark. With 5K left in the race you should have enough time to get to the finish line, we have had runners finish after 12 hours, it will depend on how you are mentally, physically and if you can get to the finish. Arriving at Station 3 after 4pm puts you at risk, however we do let the majority of the people pass this, but if you are after 4:30 it makes it difficult because there is another cut off the GW can remove you from. Do not panic if you think you aren’t going to be able to finish, your mind will talk you out of finishing. Just keep going where ever you are on the course I will be at Station 3 waiting for you. My goal is to have you finish. There is a cut off time of 6 hours for the half marathon. You need to reach Station 6 within 6 hours. The half marathon is an out and back. This includes the full marathon and 32K you need to be checked into Station 6 within 6 hours. Because it will take you 6 hours to get back. Almost every single one of you will make it. We do have some that drop out at this point and they go into the 10K alternate course finisher group.

Race Day Buses:

All buses depart and return to the Pan Pacific Hotel. We depart on May 10th at 3:15-3:30 am. Buses return throughout the day as the buses fill up. There is only 20-25 seats in each bus. So the wait isn’t normally to long. There are waits in the morning because we only have so many people registered in shorter distances and there can be a wait if its towards the end of the race. I can not force or hurry people to get on the bus, I cannot send a half empty bus. Sorry! I can arrange transportation back to Beijing at your own cost.

Alternative Transportation:

If you wish to provide your own transportation to or from the Great Wall you are most welcome to. Just let me know, so I can get you a pass to enter the gate at the Great Wall to get dropped off. You may have to pay for parking, you may not. That isn’t up to us, that is up to the Great Wall. But your pass will get you in the gate to the starting line. We just need the license plate of your car.

Missed buses:

If you oversleep or cant make it to the buses in the morning, you will want to go to the Jinshanling Great Wall area that is where the starting line is. There is a train from the North Railway Station to GUBEIKOU that leaves at 7:30am and takes about 2 hours. Then take a taxi from there to Jinshanling. Fares vary, so haggle. But you can start the race late. You can hirer a car if you would rather. It will cost about 600-900rmb they will most likely have you pay the toll fees, and a return trip. So if you need a ride to the GW, call me in the morning and I can try to set something up for you.

Breakfast/lunch:

We have a runner breakfast in the lobby of the Pan Pacific you can eat there or take it with you on the bus. It consists possibly of a bagel or croissant, banana, juice and water. Possibly other things as well. Lunch after the race is Juice, water, Gatorade and 1 6” Subway Sandwich of either Ham, Turkey or Veggie. If you want a Veggie please let me know so I can have those ordered for you. If you are Gluten intolerant please let me know so I can arrange something for you. But remember this is a marathon, you need to be prepared like any other marathon for your nutrition needs, we just do this as a courtesy. If you are vegan, I really can only try my best, but you need to be prepared yourself.

Bag Storage:

You can store your bags at the Great Wall. We will have bag tags for you that you just write your name and number on, they are color coordinated. Currently the Marathon is RED, Half Marathon is BLUE, 32K is ORANGE, 10K YELLOW and 5k GREEN. As with everything in life, this is at your own risk. We are not responsible for any thefts, but we haven’t had any so far. If you need to bring your luggage you may bring it with you, to store up here but, don’t leave it on the bus because you may not be on the same bus going back to Beijing as you did to the Great Wall.

Bag Drop:

This is different than the Bag Storage. Bag Drop is for items you want out on the course. We will have bag drops for Station 3 which is for the 10K, 32K and full marathon. Station 6 which is for Half marathon, full marathon and 32K. Station 1 Full Marathon, if you want to leave something here in another distance you can. Please note Station 3 does not return to the start/finish line until the last runner leaves, so you may be finished with your race but your bag is not back, it will be return on the last bus with us at the start/finishline and then taken to the Pan Pacific where you can pick it up. We can not send a car to get your bag. So please nothing you need for after the race should be put in these bags. No room keys, car keys, money, medicines, etc. You would just have to wait for things from this aid station to be returned to the start/finish line.

Aid Stations:

Station 1,3,4, and 6 are full aid stations Each aid station will have basic first aid supplies, including bandages, wipes, vaseline, sun screen. They will also have fuel for you, runner supplements, including, Honey Stinger Waffles, Kind and Clif Bars, Runner Gels/GU, Gatorade, Water, Sweet and salty snacks, but we recommend you bring your own that you are use to as well. Supplies are limited to first come first serve, but there should be enough for everyone.

Station 2 and 5 are water stations only, there is no food or supplies at these stations. We recommend hydration packs as it can be super hot and climbing up and down will dehydrate you quickly. It can also be a cool over cast day with the same results, stay hydrated. We have more issues with runners with dehydration on cooler days than we do with hot days.

Medical:

We currently have 2 emergency nurses, from the US and one EMT. We also have the Blue Mountain Rescue team on the Great Wall. Two ambulances, one stationed out on Gubeikou and one at the start finish line. You are responsible for any medical bills, but I can tell you that it is not that expensive at the hospital near the Great Wall. We will have a translator there for you, if you need to go. Things in the past have been broken bones, cuts, dehydration, we have had one heart attack from dehydration following the race so it is imperative that you stay hydrated while not over hydrating at the same time. Small sips. This is at your own risk race, we will help you in an emergency but like any other marathon you need coverage. We recommend travel insurance, from either a private insurance or from coverage when you buy your flight tickets. You can find this on the internet by googling travel insurance.

Tours:

Tours are optional and like hotels not required to enter the race. We offer a 2 day tour in Beijing at 80$ per day or 160$ for 2 days. The tour dates are May 7th and 8th. If you want other days we can set you up with the agency we work with. Its The China Guide based here in Beijing.

Hotels:

The host hotel this year is the Pan Pacific. It is west of the Forbidden City. There are 2 ways to get there by subway and I will send that out to you in a different email. Again all buses depart from this hotel on race morning and return to this hotel after the race. So with that I recommend you stay there at least May 9th the night before the race and then May 10th the night after the race. It will give you an little bit extra sleep and for those doing the half and the full marathon it will be so nice after the 2 – 3, possibly 4 hour bus ride back from the Great Wall after sitting in traffic and possibly stopped at a police station check point. The 4 hours just depends on traffic and the police stop, which can seem to take forever. We don’t make commission on the hotel stays, because we are not a travel agency, but an actual marathon so you are welcome to book any hotel you would like. But I do recommend the Pan Pacific for the discounted runner rate of 150$ per night including taxes. It also comes with 2 buffet breakfasts, and you can have up to 4 people per room. You can purchase extra breakfasts from the hotel directly. The cost is about 10$.

Airport Transportation:

We no longer have insurance to cover runners from the airport to the hotels but we can set this up for you if needed with outside drivers. There is also the subway and airport train that are pretty easy to use and a lot cheaper. We are currently looking for volunteers that can meet you outside baggage claim and point you in the right directions on where you need to go. We will also have another PDF that walks you through the airport and the subway and what to do and where to go, what subway stops you need and directions after you get off the subway to the hotel and how to buy tickets because its a bit more tricky now that you can’t by a ticket from the machines without WeChat pay.

VPN:

I recommend a VPN, there are several, some are free. My phone carrier has a built in VPN, but I recommend getting an extra VPN. I cannot tell you which ones work and which ones don’t as its constantly changing in China. I could tell you get Express VPN and then you get it and get to China and they have blocked it. So its hit or miss at times.

WeChat:

I recommend this app, everyone uses this app in China. However, downloading this app gives China information you might not want them to have. I have no idea if this has spyware, but I’m 99.9% sure it does. I have it on my phone. Its an easy way to chat with people who do not speak your language. It will take your language and translate it into Chinese and Chinese back into your language. So if you are lost or need help its an easy way to communicate. Also you can reach me on WeChat my ID is: Cookie1932. You can download WeChat pay to your phone with your personal bank, I’ve never had a problem with WeChat pay, its a great way to pay for taxi’s and restaurants. You just hook up your bank account in your home country. But with that you are giving the Chinese Government your personal info. (If you have Tik Tok, the Chinese government already knows everything) so you might as well download it.

WhatsApp:

WhatsApp may or may not work in China depending on your Carrier. My ID is +1 602 882 8395, this is my apple phone so you could possibly send me a text message as well. When I have a Chinese phone number I will let you know.

(Heads up! I never answer a phone call on my American number)

ATMs and Money exchange:

I recommend exchanging money at the airport at the Currency Exchange. You can also use ATM’s but I would check with your bank about fees. All the fees will come from your bank. But we have used ATMs all the time when I lived in China with no issues. Its just if the bank will accept it. Keep ATM receipts because if you get a fake 100RMB bill you can take it back to the bank.

Taxi’s:

Taxis are pretty easy to use. You can pay by WeChat. Always ask for a receipt or a “FA PEE OH” that way if you leave anything behind you have a higher chance of getting it returned. (The driver will want a reward).

WHAT SHOULD I PREPARE FOR THE RACE?

The Jingshanling Great Wall Marathon is trying to be as green as possible have minimal environmental waste. Please help us by bringing your own water bottle or hydration pack for the race. You can refill water on the course stations. Below you will find a list of recommended items for running the race.

POST RACE ITEMS

Water
Recovery drink, we highly recommend coconut water!
Refuling food or snacks
Change of clothes
Cash

CAN I WEAR HEADPHONES?

For your safety and the safety of all participants, we do not recommend wearing headphones while running a race. However, if you do, we ask that you keep the volume down at a safe level so you can hear other runners and instructions from event personnel. It is important for you to be aware of other people coming up behind you. The important thing is paying attention to everyone’s safety and maintaining basic race etiquette with other runners.

IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER GREAT WALL RACES?

Yes, there are multiple Great Wall Marathon events that take place every year. Of the other races that take place on the Great Wall, this race is known to be the most challenging and rewarding for participants. Featuring the most varied terrain and course with sections of the wall in their original, crumbling condition which requires extra careful attention by participants as they traverse the ancient history of the Great Wall of China. Additional sections of the course take runners off the wall onto trails and pathways through the natural mountain and scenery surrounding the Great Wall. This gives runners new perspectives and a greater variety of scenery to enjoy!

DO I NEED A TRAVEL VISA?

Yes. A China travel visa is required for foreigners to enter the country. If you haven’t applied for your visa, we recommend that you do so right away. It is best to apply early rather than risk missing out.

When applying be sure to provide in advance your flight itinerary and hotel details.

Almost all non-Chinese nationals will need a visa to enter China. There are different visa categories and you will most likely need a tourist visa (L). Please contact your local Chinese embassy or consulate for more information. The procedure normally requires submitting a visa application form, paying a fee and providing the Chinese authorities with an authorized flight itinerary from your travel agent. This process takes about one to two weeks. Note that your passport must be valid for at least six months after entry. For more information please visit the Chinese Embassy website.

CAN I DRIVE TO THE RACE?

Yes. For those who are driving or arranging transportation on their own, take the Beijing-Chengde Expressway (G45 Daguang Expressway) and exit at the Jinshanling Great Wall Exit. Turn right and follow the signs on the front to reach the Jinshanling Great Wall Scenic Area entrance. Park at the scenic parking lot. 3.