The entrance to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall of China leads from a secondary road to a one kilometer climb between small steps, protected by vegetation, like in any European green area. The visual explosion reaches above, when the horizon reveals the row of watchtowers built to contain the Mongol invader. After the first, the descents begin along the sharp steps, due to their respectable height and small surface: not just any foot can fit. Like running through the tower of any cathedral. From there, to a smooth stone slide to wake up the quads that leads to a long climb between large blocks towards the next tower. A few seconds of darkness to find the exit among souvenirs and on to the next chapter. This is how the trail has endorsed this Sunday its commitment to turning into a monument, like the five great one-day races of cycling, a 24 kilometer route through one of the seven wonders of the modern world.
Jinshanling, in the heart of the Yan mountain range and just over two hours from Beijing, has one of the best preserved sections of the Great Wall. How can a race be so hard without any continuous climb of even two kilometers and that does not exceed 600 meters in altitude? The saw profile that prevents a stable rhythm, the long-distance runner's medicine. And the unevenness that the maps do not detect. What on paper does not reach 1,500 positive meters is in practice about 1,900. And there are stretches of wall – in total, about six kilometers – that are crossed by the ledges so as not to go down and up more steps. It is its hallmark, like the public of Zegama or the alpine views of Sierre-Zinal. Two consolidated monuments.
“We really believe in this race,” emphasizes Golden Trail World Series director Greg Vollet. “For you, it will be something normal, but for us it is something extraordinary,” he told the local athletes. For the potential to “inspire many runners around the world” after last year's preview, with memorable drone shots that could not be repeated this year due to recent restrictions by the Chinese government. Because it is far from the typical profile of trails with long climbs, descents and some transitions that do not exist here. “There really is nothing flat,” he reviews with the malicious smile of an architect who does not have to go through suffering that, in his opinion, compensates. “It's a lot of fun, you have to use your hands, jump down stairs… It's the perfect playground for a trailrunner.”
Hanna Gröber, winner a week earlier in Myoko (Japan), picked up the gauntlet. "It's super cool, like a video game. When I run along the wall I visualize it as if I were playing Ninja Warrior." He almost abandoned the game after breaking one of the bones in his left wrist in a fall outside the wall. She maintained the lead duel with the Kenyan Caroline Kimutai, who was defending the 2025 title, before her compatriot Ruth Gitonga completed a race from less to more to debut her record in the Golden with a time of 2h39m47s. Despite her fracture, Gröber was second at 1m26s and Kimutai, third at 3m45s. Estel Roig, sixth, was the best Spanish, with Naiara Irigoyen in eleventh position.
The event was held this time in September, in the middle of the Chinese autumn festival, centered on the brightest moon of the year, that of the eighth cycle. As happened on Friday the 24th, the runners played during the week by rolling dice, cooking their own moon-shaped cakes - the result clearly detracted from the originals - and walking the illuminated puppet-shaped rabbits with which the Chinese share a family night. The anniversary filled the monument with tourists, gathered to cheer on one of the most important ramps.
The jewel of that collection of images from 2025 was signed by Joey Hadorn, the fastest on the wall, exhibiting a prodigious technique to descend the most technical section in three-step strides. “I know it's my strength,” acknowledges the Swiss, unable again this year to transfer his advantage to the other two-thirds of the race due to ups and downs on sandy terrain, pure power for his Kenyan rivals. "I try to put my foot on the side because the surface in the most technical sections is very small. It is also important to always have a view of the steps because it is not always easy for the brain to process the information." And measure strength. “The wall motivates a lot, but the real race begins when you leave it.”
