Dongcheng Yayuan Hezhou Half Marathon 2026

The Dongcheng Yayuan Hezhou Half Marathon 2026 takes place on Sunday 1 November 2026, with a 7:00 am start at Hezhou Cultural Square in Babu District, Guangxi, southern China. This is a Chinese Athletics Association A-class certified road race with a planned field of 10,000 runners. The single competitive distance is 21.0975 km; the organiser has not advertised a separate marathon, 10K or fun run for this edition.

Course and atmosphere

The proposed half-marathon route connects some of Hezhou's best-known urban scenery: stretches along the He River, the Garden Expo Park precinct and Ailian Lake Park. The start is listed as Hezhou Cultural Square, approximately 90 metres south-west of Ailian Lake Park, near Taibai West Road. The organisers say the final measured course will be published closer to race day, so provisional descriptions must not be treated as a final turn-by-turn route. Hezhou sits in north-eastern Guangxi near the Guangdong and Hunan provincial boundaries, and can be reached by high-speed rail. Allow time to travel from Hezhou railway station to Babu District and to reach the assembly area well before dawn.

Start procedures and course support

Runners must report for verification and assembly at least one hour before the gun. Chip timing starts when runners cross the starting mat. The event has a three-hour course time limit, with intermediate closing times of 55 minutes at 5 km, 1 hour 30 minutes at 10 km, 2 hours 10 minutes at 15 km and 2 hours 50 minutes at 20 km. The organiser specifies drink stations at 5, 10, 15 and 20 km, water points at the intervening 7.5, 12.5 and 17.5 km marks, and energy supplies at 10, 15 and 20 km. Medical personnel, AED support and baggage storage are planned. Bag drop closes ten minutes before the gun and retrieval is required by 10:30 am.

Registration, collection and awards

The official registration window runs until 15 October 2026 at 11:59 pm local time, unless the field fills earlier. There is no ballot; places are allocated by successful payment. The listed CNY 120 entry is specifically for the domestic-nationality registration channel, including eligible Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan entrants; overseas athletes should check separate eligibility and payment arrangements rather than assume that option is available. Entry requirements include being at least 18 and under 65 on race day, and documented completion of a half marathon or two 10 km-or-longer races within the preceding 24 months. Relevant health-document requirements also apply.

Entrants must personally collect their bib and race materials with their original identity document at the announced collection site during the two days before the race; there will be no race-morning pack collection. The organiser will announce specific collection hours and location through its official Aoying Sports (奥盈体育) WeChat channel. Finishers within the time limit can claim a medal; men's and women's top-ten prizes are listed, with CNY 5,000 to each winner. Always recheck the final organiser handbook for any changes.