CSD 70K

Starting from Zhaohua Ancient Town, steeped in a thousand years of history, runners set out into the cool morning mountain air, following the planned route through Niutou Village and into the endlessly unfolding mountains. Running along the line of the ancient Shu Road, their feet strike the flagstone post road polished smooth by a thousand years of travellers and horses — its mottled surface scored with traces of the ages, some deep, some shallow. On either side tower centuries-old cypresses, their massive trunks holding up dense crowns that cast broad patches of cool shade across the mountain trail. Following the winding paths beside the stream, runners make their way to Chaoyang Village, nestled among the ridges. Beyond the natural mountain landscapes, the course also passes relics that carry the memory of the past — among them the ancient Dachao Post Station and the Taoboyuan Peach Garden. With every stride, the weighty horse-caravan culture of the Three Kingdoms and the far-reaching civilization of the Shu Road merge and interweave beneath the runners' feet.