In Beijing for the long run

In the video, she runs past an Hermes store in Beijing's CBD area, across a classical Chinese bridge and then down one of Beijing's traditional hutong alleys, as well as running with her colleagues.

The event, organized by the Information Office of Beijing Municipality and the Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, gathered around 900 videos and 400 articles created by over 1,000 foreigners from around 100 countries and regions.

"Running is not only a way of self-recognition but also teamwork. Competitive sport depends on teammates' support and encouragement, so does knowing about, and assimilating in, a new city," the 30-year-old said at the award ceremony, which took place at the Palace Museum on May 14. Kidron understands what it takes to succeed in sport, especially the discipline required and the narrow margin that separates glory from defeat. She was once an Olympic swimming trialist for the United States.

Another winner of the competition, Kelly Dawson, who's Kidron's colleague, likes to explore the alleyways, but on her scooter. Her video, Unexpected Beijing, is about her adventures in the hutong, her favorite aspect of Beijing, and it snagged her third prize in the competition.

Growing up in Hong Kong and studying and working in the US, Dawson moved to Beijing in 2014 and has witnessed the city's evolution.

Living in a hutong, Dawson feels at peace, protected from the hustle and bustle. She hears one neighbor practicing piano, or the baby of another. "There's definitely a feeling of being in a community that's quite charming," she says.

Dawson says she took the opportunity to make the video to express to people in her hometown what she enjoys about living in Beijing.

Their videos are filmed and edited by their Chinese colleagues. Kidron's video was taken in winter. She picked places she has been to that impressed her when running.

"Telling my story of Beijing is a way to express my gratitude to the city," she says, adding that, by making the video, she also wants to say thank you to her colleagues who have been so patient in helping her to learn more about the city.

She has colleagues from all over China who share with her tales about their hometowns, and she hopes that, in the future, she can visit them, as well.