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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONCN / RACE GUIDE

Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Dongying
CN

rheins · CC BY 3.0Wikimedia Commons · rheins, CC BY 3.0

Race date in 3 days: Oct 18, 2026 Sun
City · Distance: Dongying · 42.195km
Entry fee: CN¥180Varies by event and entry period
Status: ClosedFri, June 26, 2026 ~ Mon, July 6, 2026See how to enter ↗

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 15, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

First held in 2008 and has been held 13 times since.

It is a World Athletics Gold Label race and also holds Gold Grade certification from the Chinese Athletic Association.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 1

fanzhhRan in 2015 · Finish time 5小时15分钟

“When I looked back at my watch, it read 5 hours 15 minutes. It took 30 minutes longer than the Taishan Marathon, but I was very satisfied to finish in such heat and with so little preparation.”

The writer ran the 2015 Dongying Marathon full marathon with limited training in temperatures reaching 32°C. After 30 km, they alternated running and walking, and recorded being satisfied with finishing in 5 hours 15 minutes.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

回头看看计时器：5小时15分钟，比泰马还多了半小时，可是在天气如此炎热、准备如此不充分的情况下能够完赛，我已经很知足了。

Read the original on Fanzhh's Blog

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Marathon Held at the Yellow River Estuary, the Youngest Wetland Ecosystem in China

Yellow River Estuary Scenery

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

Lottery · Marathon entry has closed

It ran Jun 26, 2026–Jul 6, 2026.
Check separately whether other entry routes are open and spots remain.

Registration history · The 2026 race opened entry on Fri, June 26, 2026

Lottery · Marathon

Entry cost CN¥180

Entry eligibility is determined by lottery after online preregistration.

Only selected runners proceed to payment

Must be 20 years old or older (as of January 1, 2026), proof of finishing a race of the same distance within the past 24 months required,

and a health checkup from a Grade 2A hospital or higher within the past 12 months required.

Pre-registration 6/26~7/6, 1st lottery results 7/12, payment 7/12~16, 2nd lottery results 7/25

Organizer's page

Lottery · Half

Entry cost CN¥150

Entry eligibility is determined by lottery after online preregistration.

Only selected runners proceed to payment

Must be 18 years of age or older (as of 2026-01-01), with proof of having completed a race of the same distance within the past 24 months;

a health checkup from a Class II Grade A or higher hospital within the past 12 months is required.

Pre-registration 6/26~7/6, first lottery results 7/12, payment 7/12~16, second lottery results 7/25

Organizer's page

Qualifying time

Entry cost TBD

Holders of a finish record from a China Athletics Association Grade A event between January 2024 and June 2026 will be granted direct entry without a lottery

A finish from an A-level marathon held between 2024.1 and 2026.6 is required.

See the attached entry guidelines (报名须知) for the detailed time standards

Organizer's page

Elite invitations

Entry cost TBD

Elite athletes invited to compete through the Chinese Athletics Association and World Athletics

For invited participants only;

applications must be submitted by email by September 14

Organizer's page

About Designated invitees · Invited runners

Designated invitees

Entry cost TBD

Pacer—race-designated entries, including sponsor invitations

Limited to no more than 10% of the total field

Organizer's page

Invited runners

Entry cost TBD

Domestic and international elite runners invited directly by the organizing committee,

along with special invitees such as pacer, sponsors and media representatives (limited to no more than 10% of the field)

Not open to public entry;

invitations issued directly by the organizing committee

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 42.195km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:30

Half marathon 180 minutes · Full 360 minutes

Event	Gather	Start	Time limit	Entry fee	Field size
全程马拉松42.195km	06:00	07:30	6h	CN¥180	13,000
半程马拉松21.0975km	06:20	07:30	3h	CN¥150	17,000

START

New Century Plaza

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

New Century Plaza, Dongying

Finish · Google Maps

Cutoff
5km 08:25 · 10km 09:00 · 15km 09:40 · 20km 10:20 · 25km 11:05 · 30km 11:45 · 35km 12:30 · 40km 13:20

Original course map · upcert.gusto.cn

Start line is marked out in Dongying’s Xinshiji Square.

Course passes through the wetland ecological zone of the Yellow River Delta, running past reed marshes and habitats for migratory birds.

The delta was formed by sediment carried by the Yellow River as it meets the Bohai Sea, and is regarded as China’s newest wetland ecosystem.

Course runs across flat terrain at an elevation close to sea level, with few sharp turns and long stretches of wide, straight roads.

Held annually since 2008, the race is organized by the Shandong Provincial Sports Bureau and the Dongying Municipal Government, with Wanda as a sponsor.

The 2026 event will have a total field of 30,000 runners, including 13,000 marathon runners and 17,000 half marathon runners.

Applications are handled by lottery, with a second draw held after the first.

Field size: 30,000 people (full 13,000·half marathon 17,000)
Grade: CAA Grade A
World Athletics Label: Gold Label
Typical race-season temperature: around 15°C (59°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Half · Marathon

Medical support

Half · Marathon

Restrooms

Half · Marathon

Water stations

Half · Marathon

Aid stations

Half · Marathon

Event T-shirt

Half · Marathon

Finisher certificate

Bag drop

Half · Marathon

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Bring your original valid ID used at registration.
Proxy pickup not allowed; no mailing service for race packs.
The collection deadline is 10 PM the day before the race, so no race-day pickup.
As of 2025 edition — 10/16 (Thu) 14:30 ~ 10/18 (Sat) 22:00 (registration and collection available throughout the period)

As of 2025 edition

Dongying Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium — 2026 packet pickup venue not yet announced

Google Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startno metro system in Dongying — New Century Square (新世纪广场/东城新世纪门)
Transit cardDongying is a small city with limited English-language transit info online — plan to pay cash on buses (there's no metro), or buy a local IC card if staying a while. Don't assume Alipay/WeChat transit QR or foreign contactless card tap will work; verify locally. Where to buy
Getting to the finishno metro; finish back at · near New Century Square, close to the municipal government building on Fuqian Street

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026 · Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

no metro system in Dongying — New Century Square (新世纪广场/东城新世纪门)

Free official shuttle buses run from multiple designated transfer points across Dongying District and Kenli District directly to the start — board with race bib or registration SMS. Cross-city shuttles also run from nearby cities (e.g.

Qingzhou) on reservation.

Map

Getting to the finish

no metro; finish back at/near New Century Square, close to the municipal government building on Fuqian Street

Finisher-pack pickup and gear check on the east side of Shengli Street, south of the square. Same free shuttle network runs runners back to hotels/transfer points after the race.

Map

Start shuttle

Extensive free shuttle-bus network (100+ vehicles) is the primary way to reach start/return from finish, since there's no metro. Nearest airport Dongying Shengli Airport (DYQ), ~25 min from city center; organizing committee runs an airport shuttle to the expo/packet-pickup venue.

Transit card

东营市公交IC卡 (Dongying Bus IC Card)

Dongying Bus Group's card office ('公交卡办理处'), Jiaozhou Road 448, Dongying District Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

Dongying has no metro system, only buses. The IC card requires a ¥10 deposit, with a ¥0.5/month depreciation fee deducted on refund; balance and deposit are refundable at the same office.

Dongying is listed as part of the national T-Union interoperable card network, but no evidence was found confirming Alipay/WeChat transit QR support for foreigners or foreign contactless bank-card tap-to-ride specifically for Dongying's buses.

Where to buy

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Dongying's average temperature in mid-October is around 15°C, relatively mild for late autumn.

The area has a warm, semi-humid monsoon climate, with spring and autumn acting as transition seasons between summer and winter.

Most of the course is flat, with almost no elevation change and many straight sections.

These conditions make it easier to hold a steady pace.

Reed-filled wetlands and migratory-bird habitats extend along both sides of the course.

This delta landscape is one of the features rarely seen on other marathon course.

Entries are allocated by lottery, followed by a second draw after the first round.

Check announcements on the official website so you do not miss the date for viewing your result.

Times are local to Dongying. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

Distances are straight-line from the start/finish area.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

7 Days Premium

Accommodation · 2.2km

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Closest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on map Seeing Dongying with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

Checklist Local eSIM · Trip.com Flight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelp Pace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Dongying runners' room

FAQ

When does Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 take place?

It takes place on Sun, October 18, 2026 in Dongying, China.

How do I register for Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026?

Entry routes: Lottery · Qualifying time.

Registration is handled on the official website.

How much is the Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 entry fee?

The main event costs CN¥180.

What is the time limit for Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026?

Half marathon 180 minutes · Full 360 minutes.

What distances does Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 offer?

Marathon · Half.

What time does Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 start?

The race starts at 07:30.

Where does Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 start?

New Century Plaza.

What is the Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 course like?

Start line is marked out in Dongying’s Xinshiji Square.

Course passes through the wetland ecological zone of the Yellow River Delta, running past reed marshes and habitats for migratory birds.

Where does Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 finish?

New Century Plaza, Dongying.

When does registration for Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 open?

Registration runs from Fri, June 26, 2026 to Mon, July 6, 2026.

Where can I book a hotel near the Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon 2026 start?

You can compare live prices for hotels around the start in Dongying in the STAY section of this page.

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Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon

About Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Marathon — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run