xi ma becomes the code of xi ma
Wuxi, a modern city located in the Yangtze River Delta, is far from being the most dazzling star in the constellation of cities in the region, and it blends into the crowd among hundreds of cities nationwide. However, the Wuxi Marathon (hereinafter referred to as 'Xi Ma') is the most anticipated event for runners across the country in the first half of the year in East China.
Every year, the registration for Xi Ma is a grand event in the running community. Those who get a spot are overjoyed, while those who don't are left beating their chests in frustration. The start of Xi Ma each year is a big gathering for runners from all over the country, including famous figures in the running community, who come together in Wuxi to celebrate. After the event, runners' social media feeds are flooded with beautiful scenes of Wuxi and memorable moments from Xi Ma.
To be honest, Wuxi is not one of those must-visit cities in China. If you ask me about any must-see historical sites or must-eat delicacies in Wuxi, I can't think of any off the top of my head.
If you claim that Xi Ma has the most scenic route, marathons in Hangzhou and Nanjing would likely scoff. Hangzhou boasts West Lake, and Nanjing has the Presidential Palace. How many marathons nationwide can compete with that?
I don't know how the starting arch of Xi Ma looked in previous years, but this year's was indeed quite ordinary—not tall and imposing, nor unique and novel, which doesn't quite match the nationwide influence of Xi Ma.
So what exactly gives Xi Ma such charm and appeal across the country?
1. A Professional Marathon Event
A marathon is fundamentally a professional event. Conducting it with a professional attitude is essential. Other aspects like high-tech features, scenic routes, unique supplies, and medals are just the icing on the cake.
Xi Ma has always held itself to the standard of 'a marathon with a professional attitude,' and this year is no different. The process of collecting race materials before the event was smooth. Even on the last day, when 25,000 people flooded into the Wuxi Taihu International Expo Center, there were no long queues, and participants didn't have to wait long to get their race materials. It's worth noting that last year's Beijing Marathon and this year's Xiamen Marathon both experienced 'system crashes' due to the crowds on the final day.
Most marathons in China still divide the starting areas into full and half marathons, with half marathon runners starting after the full marathon runners have set off. However, Xi Ma mixes full and half marathon runners with the same pace, allowing them to start together. This ensures that every runner can run at their comfortable pace. Slower runners don't have to worry about being bumped by faster runners, and faster runners don't have to weave through slower ones.
Xi Ma was the first to introduce the 'blue line' (the shortest running distance line) used in major international marathons, helping elite runners cover a shorter distance and achieve better results. To my knowledge, only the Shanghai and Xiamen Marathons have introduced the 'blue line' in China, making Xi Ma the third and a leader in domestic marathons.
After Xi Ma, 740 full marathon runners finished under 3 hours, more than the Beijing and Shanghai Marathons. Over 3,600 full marathon runners finished under 3 hours and 30 minutes, proving that Xi Ma is 'a marathon with a professional attitude.'
2. High-End Design
We live in an era where appearance matters. Good-looking people like handsome Da Bing and Liang Xiaoqiao are loved by everyone, and well-designed products catch the eye. An excellent marathon also needs high-end, atmospheric, simple, and stylish visual design, and Xi Ma is considered an 'industry benchmark.'
Xi Ma uses pink as its main color, with pink everywhere—pink carpets, pink race shirts, pink gloves, pink frames... Even as a man, I couldn't help but feel a surge of girlish excitement and want to sing, 'Romantic spring and a romantic you, give me a pink memory...' When it comes to Xi Ma's color, I think you'll immediately think of 'pink,' the color of Wuxi's cherry blossoms in full bloom in spring.
Xi Ma's finisher medals are known for their unique design and high aesthetic value. Last year's medal was awarded the 'World's Best Medal Bronze Honor' by the International Association of Road Running, making it the third best-looking medal in the world. This year's medal is equally well-designed, made of zinc alloy with a ceramic running figure embedded in it, heavy and stern yet warm and jade-like.
Xi Ma's merchandise (I saw a few badges) is also beautiful, small, exquisite, and crystal clear. A friend who didn't come to run Xi Ma asked me to buy her a badge. Even at 39 yuan each, the enthusiasm and naked admiration of the runners couldn't be stopped. A university student wanted to buy one for his girlfriend but couldn't get one because he was late.
Xi Ma's material and product design have always been a breath of fresh air in domestic marathons, with clear main colors, simple and unique designs, providing all participants with a beautiful visual experience and an ultimate physical and mental experience.
3. Respect and Pampering for Every Runner
To make every runner feel respected and pampered, the Xi Ma organizing committee has put in a lot of effort.
Many runners are delighted when they find out their Xi Ma race number because they discover that their birthday is incorporated into the number. For example, my birthday is on the 15th day of the 9th lunar month, and my race number is [F54915]. This is a number just for me, full of surprise and emotion, even though the 'F' reveals that I'm in the slowest group.
When receiving race materials, each runner gets a badge with their name on it. My badge says 'Bin,' another personalized gift. Making a badge isn't difficult, but the organizing committee's thoughtfulness is commendable. The Xi Ma organizing committee treats every participant as an 'important person' and handles everything with care.
Before receiving their race shirts, runners can try them on, and there are large mirrors for them to check the fit. If the shirt doesn't fit, they can exchange it. Everything is done to ensure that every runner has the best experience. Many domestic marathons distribute race shirts based on the size runners filled in during registration, without allowing try-ons or exchanges if the size is wrong.
If you run fast enough, you can even get a hot egg tart provided by the organizing committee in collaboration with KFC. Although I didn't get one, I still felt the committee's pampering.
The most pampering aspect is the finisher's bag, which is packed with items like towels, gloves, water, drinks, bananas, various foods—bread, green dumplings, corn kernels, boiled peanuts, and braised pork bones. There's even a bag of cooked rice porridge and a bag of fresh milk, allowing runners to replenish carbohydrates and protein immediately after finishing. A metro card also quietly lies in the finisher's bag, more considerate than my mom.
With such respect and pampering, I'll definitely come back to Wuxi next year to run Xi Ma.
4. Full of Innovation and Entertainment Spirit
Xi Ma's influence in China is closely related to its spirit of innovation. Although Xi Ma is not the largest marathon in the country, it always leads the trend, prompting other major marathons to follow suit.
To prevent unauthorized and substitute runners, Xi Ma was the first in China to introduce 'anti-cheating wristbands.' Although they can't completely eliminate unauthorized and substitute runners, they significantly increase the difficulty of cheating and reduce cheating to some extent. Now, major marathons have started using 'anti-cheating wristbands,' which is a contribution of Xi Ma to the healthy development of China's marathon industry.
The mixed start for full and half marathon runners, which many runners applaud, is an innovation by Xi Ma, pioneering a practice not seen in marathons worldwide. Some domestic marathons, like the Guilin and Qingyuan Marathons, have started adopting this practice. Although marathons have only recently become popular in China, the practices of Huipao Sports in Xi Ma make it possible for Chinese marathons to reverse-export innovations to global marathons.
Xi Ma was the first in China to abandon the requirement for runners to provide paper registration confirmation letters, promoting electronic signatures. This not only made it more convenient for runners and greatly improved the efficiency of material collection but also saved a lot of paper, contributing to environmental protection. Bravo, Xi Ma.
This year, Xi Ma was the first in China to introduce 'artificial intelligence' black technology for distributing race shirts, causing quite a stir in the running community. Although the 'magic' of Xi Ma was 'exposed' within two days, we saw the organizing committee's full sense of humor and entertainment spirit, injecting some fun into the otherwise monotonous and boring sport of marathon running. Whether you laughed or not, I laughed heartily when I saw the reveal video. It was so amusing.
Running Xi Ma not only allows you to run a marathon in a picturesque setting but also witness Xi Ma leading the trend in marathons nationwide and even globally. Plus, you'll be entertained with a hearty laugh. What reason do you have not to meet in Wuxi in the warm, sunny, cherry blossom-filled spring?
5. Good Interaction with Domestic Self-Media
We live in an era of material abundance and information overload, long past the days when 'good wine needs no bush.' Now, not only do you need to brew good wine, but you also need to let more people smell its aroma and know that your wine is good. Xi Ma not only brews good wine but also lets runners nationwide smell its aroma. The reason lies in the benefits of the internet era and Xi Ma's good interaction with domestic running self-media.
Xi Ma is probably the organizing committee with the best relationship with running self-media. Many self-media in the running community are members of the 'Huipao Sports Self-Media Matrix.' Whenever Xi Ma has news, various running self-media follow up with reports and spread the word, quickly reaching runners nationwide.
The editors of running self-media are mostly runners themselves and are considered opinion leaders in the running community. Their evaluations of races are mostly based on their real experiences, making them more relatable, authentic, and, of course, more persuasive and influential. When your event is truly outstanding, and running self-media spread the word, it's hard not to become famous nationwide.
Huipao Sports has a staff member named Zhong Xiaonan who has been active in our 'Marathon Self-Media Group' for years, doing united front work and instilling the various advantages of Xi Ma in us. We've almost run out of criticisms for Xi Ma, and even if we find some, we're too embarrassed to mention them because Xiaonan is always our friend.
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This year's Xi Ma is, of course, not perfect. For example, there weren't enough spray stations, but these small flaws don't affect Xi Ma's overall quality. As the 2019 Xi Ma concludes, it remains the most well-received event of the year so far, and it will still be the most anticipated event in East China in the first half of next year.
Six years of Xi Ma have also given us some insights: First, doing things with dedication will eventually win the market and people's hearts. The first and second editions of Xi Ma were little known, but the organizing committee's consistent dedication and innovative spirit have won the recognition of runners nationwide and the support of major national and global brands. Runners vote with their feet, agreeing to run Xi Ma together every year. Brands invest heavily in Xi Ma, hoping to grow together with it.
Second, small and medium-sized cities also have the potential to host events with nationwide influence. Wuxi is not a city comparable to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen, but Xi Ma is an event that rivals the Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou Marathons. Xi Ma not only brings a city-wide celebration to Wuxi but also brings hope to countless small and medium-sized cities. As long as you do things with dedication, your event can also become 'Xi Ma.'
In life and work, we should all be like Xi Ma—persistent and dedicated. Don't be like me, 'persistent and shameless, persistently shameless.'