By Xu Kuang, Ma Chao Translation： Li Li

China’s First Highland Wetland International Marathon Kicks off in Shennongjia

By Xu Kuang, Ma Chao Translation： Li Li

Dajiuhu Lake, known as the most beautiful wetland in China, embraces the most stunning season in the golden October. The mountain covered by colorful trees and surrounded by the sparkling lakes form a landscape painting for the highland wetland.

2017 Shennongjia International Marathon(referred to as “ Shennongjia Marathon”) was held here on October 15, 2017, which attracted over 2000 runners from more than 10 countries,such as China, France, Italy, Norway, Russia, and Australia. The eldest runner was 71 years old and the youngest was 16 years old.

The event featured a male/female full marathon(42km) and a male/female half marathon (21km).Chinese runners swept up the top spot three in the four races after fierce competition.

The rain, which lasted for more than ten days,suddenly stopped before the event. A thin layer of mist floated above the Dajiuhu Lake after the rain.The shadow of the clouds reflected in the water,closely followed the movement of waves.

Dajiuhu Lake, a world-renown wetland park, is located in the southwestern part of Shennongjia Forestry District and at the junction of Hubei Province and Chongqing. It covers an area of 5,083 hectares and the average altitude is 1,700 m. The course of the Full/Half Marathon and the Health Run stretch along the lake where runners enjoy the beautiful mountain views while running.

金秋十月，“中國最美濕地”大九湖，迎來一年中最美的季節(jié)。層林盡染的山色，波光粼粼的湖景，交相輝映成一幅高山濕地風光畫。

10月15日，2017神農架國際馬拉松（簡稱“神馬”）在此舉行，來自中國、法國、意大利、挪威、俄羅斯、澳大利亞等10余個國家的2000多名選手參賽，年齡最大的71歲，最小的16歲。

大賽設男、女全程馬拉松（42公里），男、女半程馬拉松（21公里）四個項目。經過激烈角逐，中國選手包攬四個項目的前三名。

下了十幾天的雨，開賽之前，突然停了。驟雨初歇的大九湖，縈繞著薄薄的霧氣，云影逐波，濃淡相宜。

大九湖是國際著名濕地公園，總面積5083公頃，位于神農架林區(qū)西南部，介于鄂、渝交匯處，平均海拔1700米。本次比賽，不管是全馬、半馬還是健康跑，繞湖進行，湖光山色盡收眼底。

“‘神馬’賽道天藍氣清，這里負氧離子含量很高，跑起來感覺人都融進大自然，更有利于運動員發(fā)揮，這絕對是中國馬拉松最美的賽道。”裁判張軼說，這是他第五次來神農架，但每一次來都會收獲別樣驚喜。

“神農架山水好，空氣好，很美，一進大九湖，四面環(huán)山中的小鎮(zhèn)，給人一種愜意的感覺，很美好?！眮碜苑▏腏eremy、意大利Nicola Ballerini、挪威Roar Galaaen、俄羅斯Maria、澳大利亞Thi Nguyen一行19人都是第一次來神農架。Thi Nguyen說：“這是我第二次參加馬拉松，高山賽道還是第一次見到，來神農架給我太多驚喜，我已經愛上神農架?！?/p>

“Shennong Marathon track is featured with blue sky and fresh air. The high concentration of negative ions refreshes the runner’s mind and integrates the sport with the nature. It is absolutely the most awesome marathon track in China,” said judge Zhang Yi. He had been to Shennongjia five times, but he is still amazed every time he visits here.

“There are beautiful mountains, clean rivers, and fresh air here in Shenongjia. It’s so beautiful. The towns surrounded by mountains give us a pleasant feeling when we arrive at Dajiuhu Lake.” It’s the first time for Jeremy from France, Nicola Ballerini from Italy, Roar Galaaen from Norway, Maria from Russia, Thi Nguyen from Australia, and the other 14 athletes to come to Shennongjia. Thi Nguyen said, “It’s my second time running a marathon, but it’s my first time running a highland track. There are so many surprises here—I’m already in love with Shennongjia.”

The Health Run ends at the No.4 lake Money Tree where runners were attracted by the information displayed on a screen “733,000 ions per cubic centimeter.” “It’s really amazing. The air I breathed was so fresh that I didn’t feel tired at all.”

“If we compare the human’s vital capacity to that of a car engine. The higher the concentration of oxygen in the blood, the larger the engine displacement and the stronger the power will be. So running in an environment with high negative ions will boost runners’ explosive strength and stamina.” Hu Bin, Deputy Director of Marathon Commission, Athletic Association of Hubei Province, illustrated the relation between negative ion and running by using the metaphor of car.

The runners were still indulgent in the beautiful view after the race. Comments such as “the most beautiful marathon I’ve ever run” were often heard among them. Actually, it’s also a test for the eco-marathon in Shennongjia, but there is no finishing line in the marathon of green development.

Green is the base color of Shennongjia, and ecology is its lifeblood. Since Shennongjia Forestry District was formed in 1970, it has experienced four stages of development from extensive development to limited protection, exploration of transition,and green development. It has transformed from woodcutters to foresters, from a lumber economy to an ecological economy, from poverty-stricken areas to an ecotourism destination.

Shennongjia is now branded as a World Geo Park, with World Famous Mountain, the Most Beautiful Geo Park in China, the Most Beautiful Forest in China, and other titles. It’s the one and only place in China that wins the “triple crown”of registry in UNESECO’s Man and the Biosphere Program, and the honorary titles of World Geo Park and World Heritage.

The eco-marathon of Shennongjia will be promoted systematically under the scientific guidance by adhering to the principle of“Protection for development, conserving the environment for wealth, and leverage on the advantage of sound ecology” and following the rules of ecological conservation.

“The ecology conservation of Shennongjia is a marathon without finishing line. Being incorporated into the pilot program of ten national park systems, Shennongjia has a long way to go on environmental protection.” said Liu Shengce,Director of Administration of Culture, Sports,Press, Radio, Film, and Television of Shennongjia Forestry District. ◆(Photos by Party Propaganda Department of Shennongjia District)

張景霞 全馬女子第一名Zhang JingxiaFemale Winner in Full Marathon

任文勝 全馬男子第一名Ren WenshengMale Winner in Full Marathon

外國選手，哥倆好Two Foreign runners

伍玲 半馬女子第一名Wu LingFemale Winner in Half Marathon

喻桐 半馬男子第一名Yu TongMale Winner in Half Marathon

神馬開跑The Shennongjia Marathon is Kicking off

4號湖搖錢樹是健康跑的終點，很多選手被那里的一塊“含負氧離子73.3萬/立方厘米”的顯示牌吸引，“真的不一樣，我一路跑下來呼吸格外清新，一點都不累?！?/p>

“如果把人體肺活量比喻為汽車的發(fā)動機，運動時，血液中氧氣含量越高，排量就越高，動力就越大，因此在負氧離子高的地方跑步，選手的爆發(fā)力、耐力會更強?！焙笔√飶絽f(xié)會馬拉松委員會副主任胡斌以汽車舉例，解釋負氧離子與跑步的關系。

當天比賽結束，選手們意猶未盡?！斑@是我跑過的最漂亮的馬拉松?！边@樣的贊嘆不絕于耳。其實，這也是神農架“生態(tài)馬拉松”的一場檢驗，而且這場綠色發(fā)展的馬拉松，永遠沒有終點。

綠色是神農架的底色，生態(tài)是神農架的生命線。1970年建區(qū)以來，經歷粗放開發(fā)、有限保護、探索轉型、綠色發(fā)展四個階段的神農架，實現由伐木人向護林人、木頭經濟向生態(tài)經濟、深山窮區(qū)向生態(tài)旅游名區(qū)的轉變。

如今的神農架，擁有世界地質公園、世界名山、中國最美地質公園、中國最美森林等10多塊金字招牌，并成為中國唯一一個同時擁有聯合國教科文組織人和生物圈保護區(qū)、世界地質公園、世界遺產稱號的“三冠王”。

神農架的“生態(tài)馬拉松”，將繼續(xù)秉承“保護就是發(fā)展、綠色就是財富、文明就是優(yōu)勢”的理念，遵循生態(tài)保護規(guī)律，推進系統(tǒng)保護、科學保護、主動保護。

“神農架生態(tài)保護是場沒有終點的馬拉松。納入首批十大國家公園體制試點的神農架，在環(huán)保方面，還有更長的路要走?！鄙褶r架林區(qū)文體新廣局局長劉生策說?！?/p>

（本文圖片由林區(qū)黨委宣傳部提供）

中國首個高山濕地國際馬拉松神農架開跑

文/許曠 馬超譯/李莉

林區(qū)黨委副書記、政府區(qū)長李發(fā)平致辭Mr. Li Faping, mayor of Shenlongjia District, vice-secretary of CPC, is making a speech