On November 12 at 8:30 am, 3,049 people ran a half-marathon in Guangchen Township, the first agricultural economic development zone in Zhejiang Province. Participants from 69 cities in 4 countries gathered for the event and set off with energy and passion at the sound of the starting gun.

The 2023 Zhejiang-Shanghai Country Half Marathon is a top-rated event certified by the Chinese Athletics Association. Pinghu Municipal People's Government of Zhejiang Province and Jinshan District People's Government of Shanghai Municipality jointly organize this race, which is also co-hosted by the People's Government of Guangcheng Township in Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province, and the People's Government of Langxia Township in Jinshan District of Shanghai Municipality. This is the third time Guangchen and Langxia have joined forces to host an inter-provincial marathon event.

In recent years, Zhejiang and Shanghai have united to construct a scenic spot, "Mingyue Shantang," at their junction. The project aimed for "cooperative planning, interactive development, and mutual benefit." The scenic spot, marathon trail, and agricultural industry will deepen regional cooperation between Zhejiang and Shanghai, promote humanistic communication, and foster synergistic development of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. This initiative will integrate with the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Delta, creating a brand for revitalizing the Zhejiang-Shanghai rural region.

With the theme of "Tianmei Nongkai, Tianyuan Langxia", the event consists of two parts: a 21.0975km half marathon and a 7km fun run. After a long time of preparation, the Zhejiang -Shanghai half-marathon finally launched. This event not only upgrades the standard, track construction and overall influence, but also integrates folk performances such as band playing, Bozishu, Dalianxiang, etc. There are also special ambience settings for the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the " Double-Eight Strategy", " Zhejiang's Green Rural Revival Program ", and the integration of culture and tourism in Zhejiang and Shanghai, allowing participants to experience the achievement of the Yangtze River Delta Integration at close range.

Running together for love, today the agricultural economic development zone is active for running. Under the feet, it is a flat, broad, beautiful scenery of the idyllic track; before the eyes, it is the precipitation of a thousand years of boundless autumn colors; by the ear, it is the enthusiastic cheering and applauding... With rhythmic footsteps, participants measure the "texture" of the development of the Zhejiang-Shanghai regional connection, and render the border of Zhejiang-Shanghai into an ocean of vitality.

Kong Jie, who was married to a family in Guangcheng, won the half-marathon women's championship. As a national marathon athlete and the spokesperson for the event, winning the medal on her home turf exhilarates her. "The track is still so beautiful. Running through it, the rural scenery of Zhejiang and Shanghai unfolds before your eyes, making the pace feel light and swift. The event this year maintains a high standard and high profile. It is clear that the level of participants is exceptional. I hope that next year's Zhejiang-Shanghai Marathon will continue to meet this standard," she remarked. "I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere of today's race, and my experience was excellent. A marathon promotes regional connectivity and rural revitalization for synergistic development. The Zhejiang-Shanghai Country Half Marathon is a large-scale national outdoor sporting event that not only takes place in Guangcheng Township but also witnesses Pinghu Agricultural Development leveraging its proximity to Shanghai, taking on the role of a pioneer in opening new paths. In the process of higher-quality integration, it demonstrates the commitment and practical role of 'Agricultural Development action'."

Jin Daxiong, a resident of Nanshantang Village, planned secret travel routes a few days before the marathon. He is proud to witness the collaboration between the Nanshantang in Zhejiang and Beishantang in Shanghai. "Running across the bridge from our Shantang is a rare cross-provincial experience!" he exclaimed, eager to personally cheer on the runners and show them the enthusiasm of the local community. As stated by Jin Jiandong, the party secretary of Shantang village in Guangchen Township, the marathon has strengthened the relationship between Zhejiang and Shanghai. The event has also reinforced the "a bridge two Shantang, party building a family" brand, making it more prominent.

The 2023 Zhejiang and Shanghai Country Half Marathon in Guangchen Township serves as more than just a one-day sports event. It offers a "city card" to attract people to travel, live, study, and work in the area for an extended period of time, benefiting the agricultural development zone. The province's first agricultural economic development zone, established six years prior, has garnered 44 exceptional new agricultural projects, with a total investment of almost 5 billion yuan. With innovative technology and information, the development zone constantly improves traditional agriculture by integrating science and technology, demonstration, intensification, efficiency, and ecology. This leads to a transformation to an "ecological garden town" and a "new Silicon Valley of agriculture". The road to high-quality development is flourishing with new advancements.

To ensure quality event services, the organizing committee recruited a total of 254 volunteers to provide professional services for participating athletes. Along the track, nine stations were set up, including beverage, drinking water, and food supply stations. Furthermore, 20 premium medical stations were established. Additionally, there were 20 top-quality medical stations positioned along the route, staffed by 187 professional medical personnel, and equipped with nine ambulances, ensuring comprehensive assistance and absolute safety for all the runners.

Although the 2023 Zhejiang-Shanghai Country Half Marathon has finished successfully, Pinghu Agricultural Development Zone (Guangchen Township) keeps going.

Editor:  Bian Bingying, Xu Yuying, Zhou Muhan