Wuxi Marathon

The Wuxi Marathon is a World Athletics Gold Label road race held each spring in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, timed to coincide with the city's cherry blossom season. First held in 2014, it has grown into one of China's most sought-after marathons, with one of the country's lowest entry-acceptance rates due to overwhelming demand. The 2026 edition — held under the title sponsorship of Chinese menswear retailer HLA (Heilan Home, 海澜之家) — ran on March 22, 2026 from the intersection of Taihu Avenue and Yinxiu Road, with a field of 35,000 runners across the marathon (27,000 entries) and half marathon (8,000 entries). The course is fast and largely flat, tracing the shoreline of Taihu Lake and passing scenic city landmarks including views toward the Lingshan Grand Buddha, making it a favorite for personal bests as well as elite competition. The race carries World Athletics Gold Label and Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) A1 certification, and Wuxi's organizer, Huipao Events, is a full member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS). The organizer has not yet published an official date for the next edition; the race has run on the fourth Sunday of March every year from 2023 through 2026 (March 26, 24, 23, and 22 respectively), which projects to March 28, 2027. Registration for the 2027 edition has not yet opened as of August 2026 — in the 2026 cycle, entry opened in mid-December (about 3 months before race day) via an oversubscribed lottery draw, with selected runners paying a 200 CNY entry fee. Half marathon entrants must be at least 18 years old on race day; full marathon entrants face a slightly higher minimum age requirement.