www.boxerhash.com/

Beijing Boxer Hash Running Club

There is also a triathlon club called Da BUTT (beijing united triathlon team)

http://tribeijing.org/

www.hash.cn

Less fun now.

Hi, I know it is virtually impossible to do distance running in Beijing; I briefly lived there over the summer once and remember some terrible upper respiratory infections.

However, does anyone here go out for long runs OUTSIDE the city on the weekends? Like take the train or bus and go run elsewhere for 1-3 hours? I would love to find some places or people to go with.... in the meantime I'll deal with the treadmill.

Sorry, but I have to respectively disagree with you AmandaUCSS about it being virtually impossible to do long distance running in Beijing. I have lived here for close to three years now, have trained for several marathons, run on average 5-6 days per week, and have had no respiratory problems at all. My secret? I go run at 4:00am when the air is settled, the streets are quiet, and the lights are still on. And I do this through the harsh Beijing winters as well. As a 30+ year competitive runner, where there's a will, there's a way.

I'm sorry, but I actually think your secret is that you've lived in Beijing so long that the air quality does not seem to bother you and you have a strong immune system. Most people cannot handle the air in Beijing (I'm one of them). I just moved back to Beijing and I run outside as much as possible - when the air quality index on twitter falls below 100 - depending on the month this might be once every 7-10 days. Don't get me wrong: I am religiously monitoring this and ready to grab my running clothes and head out whenever this might be. (The rest of my training is done indoors.) True, I ignored the air quality index my first few weeks after arrival, and came down with the worst sinus infection I've had since the last time I left Beijing. After three weeks of suffering I finally took 5-day antibiotics to cure it.

How do I know it's Beijing and not me? Well, I'm at home for the holidays (just two weeks). I normally live in a big city. Since returning I've run outside nearly every day (snow and arctic chill) because like you I'm a serious distance runner (almost 10 years now; 8 of triathlons and 7 of marathons). I feel a million times better than I did in Beijing, and I'm a bit depressed I need to return. On the bright side, I did find a group of people who run in Chaoyang park when the pollution count is low, and who occasionally head outside the city for 2+ hr runs. This will help alleviate the treadmill boredom. In the meantime, I'm varying my schedule with spin classes.

Chaoyang park is a good place to run because it's fairly large for being so close to the center of the city, but make sure you check the air quality index. Today is a blue sky day and the count is below 100, so it's a good day to run outside.

FYI for those interested, right now there's a running group meeting Saturday mornings at Chaoyang park west gate (#3?) around 8:30-ish. We run for at least 80 minutes, with some sprints and technique work for those who want it. Various paces and re-grouping, so you can do whatever you want and leave whenever you want.

Thanks for the tip re 08:30 on Saturdays. I missed this morning but will be sure to be there next week. just entered the TNF race to be held on May 7 at the Ming tombs so it's time to get serious. Here's the link to the online entries. http://www.thenorthface100.com.cn/en/

By the way I meet another runner at Chao Yang Park West at Solana once or twice a week at 6am if anyone is interested.

Hi everyone!

Good to know about TNF - planning to sign up for the 10k.

I'm also planning to run the Great Wall Marathon - is anyone else interested?

I'm an exchange student at Tsinghua which has a few running tracks. So I'm lucky to have that although can't wait for warmer weather.

Cheers
VS

VS, There is a group that meets at Chaoyang west gate 3 at 6:30am on Wednesdays for some intervals. And another group that meets at the same place on Saturday at 8:30am. There is also a Hash House Harrier group that meet in other places if you like running and a drink or three.

Anyone having time to join me for a run? We can discuss the time and distance but I prefer at least 5 kms. Better is 10-15 km but the distance can be adjusted. I would like to meet some new running friends.

Take care and see you running soon.

Lukas

PS: I usually run in Chaoyang park

i don't know whether anyone is still interested in a reply after 2.5 years ...

i am living in running in beijing since more than 10 years and my experience it is definitely to run than not to run
i am also running in winter (reduced speed, reduced distances), and while it seems that everyone on the public bus is coughing, i rarely get a cold and i am rarely coughing

to get information about air polution, the most comprehensive information is on http://zx.bjmemc.com.cn/ (in chinese), polutions values listed for each city district and also a prediction for the next day.

my favourite park is the honglingjin gongyuan south of chaoyang gongyuan, entry its free, a nice view (a lake in the middle), about 2.4km one round. the only disadvantage is that it becomes rather crowded on warm summer evenings.

near the eastern gate of chaoyang gongyuan there are tracks (one round 1.1 km), its inside a small forest, pleasant environment, and although it is rather near to the eastern fourth ring road, i thing/hope/fell that the small forest provides a good micro-climate and helps to filter the air.

I'm arriving in Beijing next Monday and I'd be interested in meeting others for runs in Chaoyang park/elsewhere.

will you f*ck me?