World News for Students of English

19-05-2026 15:00

The Great Wall Marathon in Huangyaguan, China, is officially ranked as the world’s second toughest marathon, surpassed only by the Everest Marathon.

Originally started in 1999 by a Danish travel company as a one-time event to promote tourism, it has grown into a legendary annual race that attracts around 1,300 international runners from more than 50 countries.

The route includes a brutal section that features 5,164 ancient, uneven stone steps of varying heights that runners must climb under intense heat and high humidity. Unlike flat city marathons, where the average completion time is around 4 hours, this race takes runners an average of 7.5 hours to finish. The most critical point comes at the 34-kilometer mark; this is where runners traditionally hit the wall mentally and physically, just as they are directed back onto the steepest parts of the wall.

Due to these extreme conditions, medical and rescue teams are stationed along the route to treat common injuries like scrapes, falls, and severe dehydration. Despite the difficulties, very few participants quit, as most run sensibly to enjoy the unique cultural and historical experience.

Difficult words: legendary (very famous and talked about by many people for a long time), hit the wall (the moment during a long run when your body suddenly feels completely exhausted), stationed (placed in a specific position for a job or duty).

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