Tianhe celebrates National Fitness Day with vertical marathon

To mark the 10th National Fitness Day, Tianhe district of Guangzhou held a vertical marathon at Teem Tower on Aug 5.

Over 500 runners gathered together to challenge their physical limits at the 45-storey building, which is 195 meters tall with a total of 1,170 stairs.

A runner begins his run at the starting line of the vertical marathon at Teem Tower on Aug 5. [Photo/tyj.gd.gov.cn]

The event is a part of the International Vertical Marathon Series and participants will be granted with certain points according to their performance; the top 50 runners in accumulative points will become eligible to compete in the finals of the 2018 International Vertical Marathon.

With a series of national fitness activities in a variety of forms, the event vigorously promoted grassroots sports among the public. Interactive activities such as the VR boating and VR running were the highlights, luring many people to participate and experience the pleasure of sports through high technologies. Other well-acclaimed events include traditional Chinese exercise qigong show, special rope skipping performance and kickboxing aerobics.

A participant sprints towards the finish line at the vertical marathon held at Teem Tower in Tianhe district on Aug 5. [Photo/tyj.gd.gov.cn]

The promotion company for the vertical marathon, Ticker Sport, offered considerate services for the participants, allowing the runners to compete to their full potential.

As the fifth year of the vertical marathon sport, we continue to improve the standards of the competition and the quality of our services, and pay great attention to the runners' experience so that the national fitness program can be well implemented, said Tao Yunfeng, president of the organizing committee of International Vertical Marathon Series.

Champions of the men's and women's events pose for a photo. [Photo/tyj.gd.gov.cn]