Beijing Spring Long-distance Running, being held for 42 times already, is a traditional sports activity with great popularity.

Started in 1956, the activity, initiated by All-China Physical Culture and Sports Committee, funded by Beijing’s big newspaper agencies and sponsored by Beijing Physical Culture and Sports Committee encourages the participation of each individual. It was held for the first time on January the 3rd in lunar calendar before the Tian An’men Square. The running starts from Tian An’men Square and ends at Tian An’men Square, passing Xi Dan, Xi Si, Dong Si, Dong Dan.

Over years of development, the activity is held annually on the last Sunday of March, sponsored by Beijing Sports Bureau and Beijing Sports Contest Management Center. It is made up of two events: 10-mile running race and 5-mile running race. Participants, according to sex, are divided into female group and male group, and according to age, are divided to teenage group, adult group and elders’ group. Participants in 5-mile race starts from Worker Stadium, run eastward along the vehicle pathway out of the North Gate, run southward along East Gongti Road at the crossroad of Sanlitun, run westward at the crossroad of Dong Daqiao Rd, run northward to Er’huan road and Dong Cepu Road after arriving at Caoyang Flyover, turn east after arriving the flyover at Dong Sishi Tiao, and run along non-vehicle pathway to the worker Stadium by way of Xinzhong Street.

Participants in 10-mile race starts from Worker Stadium, run eastward along the vehicle pathway out of the North Gate, run southward along East Gongti Road at the crossroad of Sanlitun, run westward at the crossroad of Dong Daqiao Rd, run northward to Er’huan road and Dong Cepu Road after arriving at Caoyang Flyover, turn east after arriving the flyover at Dong Sishi Tiao, run eastward at Dongzhimeng Flyover, run along vehicle pathway to Xindong Rd and run southward, run westward at the corner of Southeast Gongti Rd by way of South Gongtird, West Rd, and finally to the Worker Stadium.

Since 1995 when foreign participants were involved, the race was promoted to an international level with the full name as Beijing International Long-distance Running Festival (originally named as Beijing Spring Long-distance Running). It has attracted participation from the U.S, Australian, Belgium, the U.K, Poland, Denmark,Canada and so on, serving as a platform of international exchange.