On Jul.6, the press conference of the 2018 Yichang International Marathon and National Marathon Championships (Yichang Station) was held in the urban area.The registration system was officially opened at 10:00 am on Jul.7,indicating the comprehensive implementation of the preparations for the third Yichang International Marathon.The new highlights of this Yichang International Marathon will be introduced in the following paragraphs .

　　Upgraded Event,Compete for Gold Medals

　　2018 Yichang International Marathon will launch on Nov.4. As one of the “I want to participate the Olympics”designated trials and the National Marathon Championships, the event will be further upgraded to attract more domestic and foreign elite players to participate in an“ecological marathon”along the Yangtze Riverin Yichang.

　　This year,the organizing committee will continue to invite Czechoslovakian runners, as well as runners from China’s Taiwan, come to the Yichang to compete and share friendships with runners from mainland China.

　　The design of awards is also richer in the Yichang Marathon,including the winning award, special award for the Chinese athlete,award for the Yichang Citizen, team award for the hundred completions and so on,which aims to encourage more citizens to start healthy and scientific running campaign,so as promote the rapid development of the national fitness industry.

　　On the basis of winning the honors of the silver medal of Chinese Athletics Association,special events of natural ecology, and Hubei Golden Race, the Yichang Marathon will start a new journey in the new era,which will carry out are fined operation based on the standards of the gold medal race and present a different marathon for the runners and citizens.

　　Optimally Designed Track to Experience the Beautiful Yangtze River

　　The 2018 Yichang International Marathon routes has been optimized and adjusted on the basis of the previous two sessions, which aims to create a “Running along the Yangtze River” special cultural event,so as to make the participants fully experience the ecological scenery of the beautiful Yangtze River and“falling in love with Yichang and running together”.

　　The full marathon route in this marathon is scheduled to start from the Peace Park at the Yanjiang Avenue, passing Wujiagang District, Xiling District and Dianjun District, and newly increased to elevated-road of the extension section at the Yangtze River Bridge toward the stadium. There is a shuttle run design for the full marathon player on Jiangnan Avenue, so that the participants can have more interaction with the citizens in the city center.

　　The design of the track organically combines the human landscape and natural lands cape of the city. It is a track with culture, stories, scenery and expectation.

　　Diversified Activities to Highlight the Characteristics of Yichang

　　The marathon event is a diversified one, which will further highlight the Yichang element. Besides, runners can experience the fun of the marathon carnival. Focusing on the Yichang Marathon, the organizing committee will fully integrate the characteristics of Yichang in the design of medals, music stations along the way, and food supply stations. By this way, runners can get familiar with Yichang by a event, remember Yichang by a medal, and fall in love with Yichang through the pleasant music and delicious local food in Yichang.

　　During the preparations,a campaign named“ pass the flag”will be carried out by which the Yichang Marathon spirit themed“Fighting for the dreamed champion,Appreciating beautiful Three Gorges”will be passedto nine counties or cities in Yichang through the runners. Besides,a series of lectures with topics of marathon training will be held in nine counties or cities, so as to popularize healthy and scientific running knowledge, and work together to cheer up the happy life.

　　The identity of runners will be more distinctive. On the track of the Yichang Marathon, there will be special running groups such as environmental protection pioneers, backbone volunteers, public service running groups and physician runners. They will pass on environmental protection ideas and public service spirit in their respective ways.

　　2018 Yichang International Marathon is on the way.Let’s measure Yichang with our steps and enjoy the city from the marathon. (Journalist Zhao Jingyi, Correspondent Song Xiusheng)