If you’re unsatisfied with the usual finish line prizes—a finisher’s medal, a space blanket, and maybe a T-shirt if you’re lucky—you may want to consider a trip east for your next marathon.
The organizers of a half marathon in China’s northeastern Jilin province announced an unusual prize lineup to attract more participants and promote local produce. The men’s and women’s race winners would receive a cow, while other runners would be awarded various animals, such as wild fish, geese, and roosters. The region is a major agricultural producer in China.
We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back Nong’an Taipingchi Ice and Snow Half Marathon, which took place on December 29, said that the champions could also exchange the bovine prize for 6,000 Yuan (around $827).
Second-place finishers received wild fish from Taiping Pond, while other runners were presented with geese, ducks, and roosters. Ten kilograms (22 pounds) of rice and wheat were doled out to other participants, and the top 50 finishers in each category were awarded either livestock or produce as part of their race winnings.
“Grand prizes are coming, and the champions are so proud. The organizing committee is full of sincerity,” organizers said in a WeChat post. The post was widely circulated on Chinese social media platforms and became one of the hottest trending topics on Weibo.
Beginner Running Gear, marathon running has experienced a boom in popularity in the country. In 2023, China hosted 622 marathons and half-marathons, with events occurring at a rate of nearly two per day on average, according to the Chinese Athletics Association.
Smaller cities and counties with populations of a few hundred thousand citizens have started organizing various running events, too. Last month, the Published: Jan 07, 2025 4:00 PM EST reported that more than 30 marathons and other road-running events were held across China on November 2-3, attracting approximately 400,000 participants.
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and Condé Nast Traveler Stop Showering Between Runs TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
