File photo from the previous four editions of the BMW Hood to Coast Relay in Zhangjiakou illustrate the team spirit, determination and fun that the annual event has become renowned for. (Photo/China Daily)
"News about the BMW Hood to Coast Relay has been viewed over 600 million times on Weibo, and viewership of the live broadcast of each race can reach about 7 million people.
"From our research, we have a clearer picture what our runners are like. They value team success over individual performance. They firmly focus on each of their targets and can bravely embrace the challenges. They can accept both victories and defeats. And they're trying to use their own experience to positively influence more people."
To mark the event's fifth anniversary, the theme of this weekend's race is "Hi FIVE", an acronym for friends, inspiration, victory and embracing.
"Hood to Coast used to be a very obscure name to runners. Now the relay is not only a simple sports event, it's also a party and a community to connect people to others and to nature," said Li.
The arrival of the Hood to Coast Relay is also welcomed by the local government in Zhangjiakou, with the event boosting the development of local tourism and the sports economy over the years.
"The relay has been successfully staged for four years, which helped boost the growth of sports tourism, leveled up sports tourism consumption and accelerated the development of the sports industry in our city. The event helped to showcase the charm of our Winter Olympics host city," said Feng Xiangqian, the deputy director of Zhangjiakou Sports Bureau.
"We will guarantee the high quality of this year's event in terms of security, transportation, medical protection and pandemic prevention. We will make sure all the runners will experience a passionate, exciting and unforgettable running event."
As part of the relay's comprehensive anti-COVID-19 measures, all staff and volunteers must be vaccinated, the start and finishing areas will be thoroughly sanitized, and all participants are required to report their recent travel history and show green health codes. In addition, runners need to submit a negative COVID-19 test result at least 72 hours before their arrival. They will then have a second test, provided free by the organizers, just prior to setting off at the start line.
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