In the wave of globalization, marathons have become more than just a sport, they are becoming the new calling card of urban culture. From Boston and New York to Beijing and Shanghai, to Nairobi in Africa and Rio de Janeiro in South America, marathons are booming in cities around the world. So, what exactly makes this event so popular?
1.Rise in health awareness
With the rise of health awareness, running has become a global health sport. According to the "2023 Road Running Work Report of the Chinese Athletics Association", the number of new regular runners in China has reached 90% in the past five years, especially female and young runners with the fastest growth rate. This not only shows people's pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, but also reflects the importance that society attaches to health values. 2.Diversified event development
Taking China as an example, in the first half of 2023, there will be 133 registered marathons nationwide, showing explosive growth. Not only first-tier cities, but also third- and fourth-tier cities have begun to compete to hold various marathon events to avoid homogeneous competition and create unique event brands. This diversified development of the event meets the needs of runners from different regions, and also injects new vitality into the city's culture and economy.
3.A booster of economic growth
The marathon can attract a large number of participants and spectators, which will lead to the development of many industries such as tourism, hospitality, and catering. According to statistics, a large-scale event such as the New York City Marathon can bring millions of dollars in economic benefits to the local area every year; For example, the Wuxi Marathon attracted 1150,000 players, the event drove the surrounding industry benefits of 19.5 billion yuan. At the same time, it creates jobs and diversifies the local economy. This huge economic benefit makes the city marathon a booster for urban economic growth.
4.A new tool for city marketing
The marathon has become an important platform for international exchanges and enhanced the city's international influence. Through televised and social media, the marathon showcases the city's history, modern cityscape and unique local culture to the world. The Berlin Marathon, for example, is famous for its track that runs through historic buildings; The New York City Marathon showcased the multicultural charm of the Big Apple; The Xi'an Marathon track passes through a number of 5A-level scenic spots, showing the historical and cultural charm of Xi'an. This cultural exchange event makes the City Marathon an excellent opportunity to showcase the city's image and attract international attention.
5.Elevate your marathon runners
Globally, countries** and organizations have taken a number of measures to improve the level of marathon runners. Chinese"The "Chinese Race" program aims to comprehensively help improve the competitive level of Chinese marathon runners, including athlete incentive plans, event incentive plans, youth incentive plans, etc., to inspire Chinese runners to achieve better results; The United States also has a complete athlete training mechanism, including scholarships, sponsorships, endorsements and other ways to motivate athletes to achieve better results; Kenya, Ethiopia and other countries have invested a lot of resources in scientific research on marathon sports and explored effective methods and means to improve athletes' performance.
6.Conclusion
The reason why marathons have become the new favorites of cities around the world is that they have played a positive role in raising health awareness, promoting urban economic development, enhancing the international influence of cities, and improving the level of marathon runners. As the global marathon craze continues to heat up, there is reason to believe that this ancient sport will continue to bring more energy and excitement to cities around the world in the future.