WUHAN — With over 20 marathon events taking place across the country, March 23 was dubbed "Super Marathon Day" in China.

Leading the pack was Wuhan Marathon in Hubei province, which expanded its participant limit to 40,000 this year. Demand was high, with over 450,000 people applying for a spot in the race.

For seasoned runner Yang Jun, from Beijing, a spot in the Wuhan Marathon was a long-awaited opportunity. "I had applied five times before and finally got in through the supplementary draw this year," he said.

"It's not only a fitness journey, but also a way to explore new cities," said Yang, who has run tens of marathons in the past decade.

His enthusiasm is part of a broader trend. According to the Chinese Athletics Association, the number of road races nationwide grew to 749 last year, up from 699 in 2023, attracting more than 7 million runners, an increase of 1 million compared to last year.

The growing fever for road running has also reshaped many aspects of broader society.