Annual endurance event transcends sports

True to the race's slogan this year, the BMW Hood to Coast Hainan China Relay is now "More Than Running".

The annual event is no longer simply an endurance test for hardcore long-distance running enthusiasts but rather a sporting feast with a festival atmosphere. An increasingly wide of range of runners enjoy the event's unique appeal thanks to its emphasis on team spirit and the natural beauty of the course.

This year's Hood to Coast Hainan China relay began at midnight on Dec 2 at picturesque Tonggu Mountain in Wenchang, Hainan province.

Teams of five runners and one car were challenged to complete the 138.6-kilometer course within 22 hours, with the finish line at Sheraton Shenzhou Peninsula Resort next to the coast in the city of Wanning.

The course was divided into 15 sections. One team member was required to complete each section while the others traveled by car and interchanged at the end of every leg.

The sights and scenery lifted the spirits of runners as they took on the grueling challenge — from a starry night on the mountain and refreshing breezes in the coconut forest, to a number of famous attractions along the course, including Wenchang Spaceflight Science Center.