The endurance challenge with enduring appeal

"The weather in Zhangjiakou is a little bit cold, but here in Hainan it's very warm, so the challenge is different. Running in the grasslands of northern China and on the warm beaches in the south are two great but very different experiences."

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the relay in China. The series debuted in China at Zhangjiakou in 2017, while the race first visited Hainan in 2019.

The original Hood to Coast Relay, founded in 1982, takes place in the US state of Oregon every August. Now a firm favorite with the Chinese running community, each race easily attracts about 2,000 runners of different levels and backgrounds.

"Hood to Coast is more than just a relay. It's a gathering of interesting, like-minded people," said Li Lu, the general manager of event promoter Starz Sports Running Culture, in an earlier interview.

"The theme of our fifth anniversary is Hi FIVE, which stands for friends, inspiration, victory and embracing. We want to show gratitude and respect to all the runners. For the past five years, everyone who has participated in the relay has created the spirit of Hi FIVE."

Zhu Haoyu from the Yunnanbaiyao team has participated in all editions of the relay since 2019, and she says the "Hi FIVE" theme is true to the race's spirit.

"When I first ran the race in 2019, I just felt it was an interesting new race with a unique format. Chasing personal bests is not my purpose here. For me, it's about a group of good friends bonding together to complete something meaningful," Zhu told China Daily.

"The runners trust the course design. The supply stations, and start and finish areas are all carefully designed. With the relay beginning at midnight, some of the legs were really dark, with only our headlights and the starlight to guide us, which all made for a really memorable experience.

"Each time, there are surprises and new elements waiting for us. If you ask me what words I would associate with the relay, I would say health, passion, energy, persistence, hard work and realizing your dreams."