Hangzhou Mountain Marathon (HZMM)

Spring 2012

Results

Autumn 2011

Results

April 16 2011

November 2010

Results

March 27, 2010

This unique event consists of a beautiful and challenging 42KM course as well as a 25k +/- short course, starting and finishing at the Hangzhou Shangri La on scenic West Lake.  The course will take you through beautiful, off-the-map forest and mountain trails, through bamboo groves and tea plantations, along high ridges with breathtaking Chinese landscape-painting views, and to traditional villages and Buddhist temples.  The HZMM is excellent preparation for adventure races and ultra-marathons such as the Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset.

Walkers and runners are both welcome!

Results

Hangzhou is conveniently linked to Shanghai (80 min by train) with direct flights from Hong Kong and Beijing.   Race details and optional weekend travel package information follow below.  As this is the beginning of the popular season for local tourists, booking early is highly recommended!

A. Schedule, Package and Costs

1. Program
   
   Friday March 26th
   Early arrival for those who want to spend the night in Hangzhou (or an
   extended week-end…).
   
   Saturday March 27th
   08:30: Race Meeting & Equipment check in front of the Shangri-La West Wing entrance
   09:00: Race Starts!
   19:00: Last participant comes in.
   20:00: Meet at the West Wing. Walk to Lou wai lou (those who can’t will have to take a taxi!) for a beggar chicken dinner!
   
   Sunday March 28th
   
   Recovery hike (Optional!)
   R&R (Jacuzzi, swimming pool,…)
   14:00 late check-out
   
   Return home as preferred and under own organization.
   
   For support for train ticket information and/or purchase, kindly contact the organizer with details below. (2 way train ticket Shanghai to Hangzhou cost RMB 150.- incl. purchasing service.)

2. Costs
• HZMM has negotiated a special price of RMB 800.-/night + 15% service charge (no breakfast included) for single room and RMB 980.-/night + 15% service charge (no breakfast included) for twin room in the Shangri-la. Book through the race organization but pay by yourself.

• Race fee is RMB 200.-/pers. including T-shirt, excluding race food, race drinks and gardens entrances (pay as you go).
  
  Shangri-La Hotel address:
  78 Beishan Road
  Tel.: 0571-879 77 951
  Fax: 0571-879 61 584
  Email: slh@shangri-la.com

3. Registration & Room Reservations
   
   Please register by filling in the attached form or e-mail or phone Jeremie Trono with the corresponding information.
   j.trono@ch-ina.com ; +86-21-626 608 44 x 805  +86 152 1673 9554
   
   Registration will be valid only upon receipt of all information requested in the attached excel sheet.
   (This information allows us to book rooms and to speed up check-in at arrival.)
   
   Registration Deadline: Monday March 15th, 2010.

B. Race Information & Regulations

1. It is an informal, honor race, there will be no check points on the way, with a sign-in at the finish line. Everyone, the first as the last, will take home her or his achievement as prize!
   
   The course is not an easy one. It requires stamina and fitness, but also attention and an alert brain for those who want to run it competitively. It is however possible to walk it within the time limit for an experienced hiker. The main risks are twisting an ankle and getting lost.
   

2. The race begins and ends at the Hangzhou Shangri-La. The total distance is about 42 Km, with at least 1500 m elevation gain (and the same in loss).
   Runners can easily stop at Km 5.0, 17.0 or 26.0 and later on the way to take a taxi back.
   

3. The race mostly consists of trails (partially paved with stones) in the hills and tea fields of the famous Longjin area (about 70%). The rest is dirt roads partially paved with stones and causeway on the West Lake, plus about 4 Kms open to motorized traffic.
   Trails are at places very steep and slippery, particularly if in wet weather. Part of the steep parts of the trail can be as slippery during dry weather due to sand and small loose rocks.

4. The botanical garden (through which the course goes (about 1.5 Km from the Shangri-La) charges an entrance fee of Rmb 10.-.
   Just before reaching the South part of the causeway, at around Km 39.0, the course goes through another garden free of entrance fee.

5. Time limit
   The race is set at 10 hours.
   We estimate that a 4 hour-marathonian needs 7-8 hours to cover the whole course.
   

6. Markings
   The course is marked with fluorescent green paint dots. Marks have been painted as much as possible at eye level on trees or telephone/electric poles. On occasions marks are made on garbage bins, landmarks, rocks or on the pavement.
   • Before a turn or at a point where more attention is required marks are painted at more frequent interval. Three dots together mean “pay attention: a turn can be missed, look for the next marks”.
   • Usually more marks are also painted after turns for confirmation.
   • A cross means a false trail
   • The course is from time to time marked with an “A”. An earlier course was labeled with a “B” but is fading and not refreshed. Do not follow B course marks
   • Some other groups have painted green marks on parts of the course. They are of a darker color. It is also possible that new marks are painted by others before the race: in case of doubt do consult the map.
   • The course goes thru a cemetery in a tea field. To avoid defacing the tombs, less marks than necessary have been painted. Go thru the cemetery on the main track and stay on the right side of the cemetery at the end of the track.
   • On the ridge after the climb after the water stop of KM17.0, the course turns right up on a small trail into a hill. Marks are made on the paved trail: this turn need be watched
   • On the ridge after the climb after KM26.0, the course goes down left on a small steep trail into tea fields. This turn need be watched
   • After the temple on top of the hill at KM5.0 and the ridge that follows, the course meets a barbed wire fence that delimits a police shooting range and goes alongside it: by all means do not cross the fence into the shooting range area!
     
     Should you not see a mark over a distance of 200 to 300 m., most chances are you have missed a turn, unless it is a straightforward ridge trail. Do go back and recheck after 500 M, though.

7. No aid stations will be set-up. Instead water and snacks can be bought on the way from village shops.
   Water is available at
    
   • KM 5.0 at the temple on top of the Northern Peak (by the TV antenna),
   • around KM 16.5, when crossing a main road: instead of crossing the road, do walk down the road for about 300 m., buy water at a tea house and come back to take the trail.
     Should you not do so, you will have to go at least 22 Km without refilling water, and that is if you bought water at the first stop (Km 5.0)
   • around KM 26.5, getting near Lin Ying Temple
   • around KM 32.5, coming down through the tea field in Long Jin
   • Around  KM 35.0 at the pond on the 9 streams and 18 gullies road
   • and then at about every 2-4.0 Km till the Shangri-la

8. Safety
   Risks of injuries are limited but not nil. A runner may

1. Dehydrate or get exhausted, then get confused and loose his or her way
2. Twist an ankle
3. Or both of the above, for a worse case!
4. Step on a boar trap, do pay attention to stay on the well traveled trails since we have seen boar traps on occasions on the game trails

9. We recommend all participants to:
    
1. Drink and eat regularly while running. (To make sure you drink enough, make sure you pee from time to time!)
2. Run with someone of a similar strength for company and support in case of emergency.

10. We require all runners to carry with them:
1. Containers for 1.5 liter of drink, at least (there are two 10~11 Km stretch with no possibility to buy water).
2. One mobile phone with full battery, in case of emergency and to provide their number to the organizers
3. One rain jacket
4. The map and compass
5. RMB 100.- (10 Rmb notes recommended for faster handling)
6. The address of the Shangri-la
   
   No other security or medical system is organized! The Race Director will check that you have the required equipment!

Link to Bohdi Adventures

11.05.2012