Below is information about the Hangzhou Mountain Marathon. Part of
the trail is the same as we used for a Taiping run last year.

If you need more information and/or want an entry form, please
contact Janine:

j.jiang@... ; +86-21-626 608 44

________________

Hangzhou Mountain Marathon (HZMM)

April 8, 2006

This unique event consists of a beautiful and challenging 38 – 40KM
course as well as a 25k +/- short course, starting and finishing at
the Hangzhou Shangri La on scenic West Lake. The course will take
you through beautiful, off-the-map forest and mountain trails,
through bamboo groves and tea plantations, along high ridges with
breathtaking Chinese landscape-painting views, and to traditional
villages and Buddhist temples. The HZMM is excellent preparation for
adventure races and ultra-marathons such as the Mongolia Sunrise to
Sunset 100K. Walkers and runners are both welcome.

As April brings the best weather of the year to East China, this is
also highly recommended as a family weekend. A good time is always
had by all, whether racing or resting. Hangzhou is convenient to
Shanghai (2+ hours by train or car) with direct flights from Hong
Kong and Beijing. Race details and optional weekend travel package
information follow below. As this is a popular time for local
tourists, booking early is highly recommended!

A. Schedule, Package and Costs
Program
Friday April 7
Early arrival for those who want to spend the night in Hangzhou (or
an

extended week-end…).

Saturday April 8
08:30: Race Meeting & Equipment check in front of the Shangri-La
West Wing entrance

09:00: Race Starts!

19:00: Last participant comes in.

20:00: Walk to Lou wai lou (those who can't will have to take a
taxi!) for a beggar chicken dinner!

22:00: Party!

Sunday April 9
Recovery hike (Optional!)

R&R (Jacuzzi, swimming pool,…)

14:00 late check-out

Return home as preferred and under own organization.


For support for train ticket information and/or purchase, kindly
contact the organizer with details below. (2 way train ticket
Shanghai to Hangzhou cost RMB 150.- incl. purchasing service.)

Costs
Excluding transportation from and to Shanghai, 2 night included in
double room accommodation (2 persons share one room) in the quiet
Shangri-La villas, excluding breakfast (Western buffet is additional
RMB 126.-/pers/day) including dinner included on the schedule, RMB
800.-/pers.
Race fee is RMB 200.-/pers. including T-shirt,map,compass, excluding
race food, race drinks and gardens entrances (pay as you go).
(2 nights Shangri-la accommodation in shared double room, dinner and
race come to RMB 1'000.- per person)

Shangri-La Hotel address:

78 Beishan Road

Tel.: 0571-879 77 951

Fax: 0571-879 61 584

Email: slh@...

Registration & Room Reservations
Please register by filling in the attached form or e-mail or phone
Janine with the corresponding information.

j.jiang@... ; +86-21-626 608 44

Registration will be valid only upon receipt of all information
requested in the attached excel sheet.
(This information allows us to book rooms and to speed up check-in
at arrival.)

The last minute registration: Wednesday March 28, 2006.

A preparation run for the Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset: www.ms2s.org !




B. Race Information & Regulations
It is an informal, honor race, there will be no check points on the
way, with a sign-in at the finish line. Everyone, the first as the
last, will take home her or his achievement as prize!

The course is not an easy one. It requires stamina and fitness, but
also attention and an alert brain (so as not to get lost or twist an
ankle) for those who want to run it competitively. It is however
possible to walk it within the time limit for an experienced hiker.


The race begins and ends at the Hangzhou Shangri-La. The total
distance is about 42 Km, with about 1500 m, elevation gain (and the
same in loss) for both courses.
On both courses, runners can stop at Km 5.0, 15-16.5 or 23-26.0 and
later on the way to take a taxi back.

The race mostly consists of trails (partially paved with stones) in
the hills and tea fields of the famous Longjin area (about 70%). The
rest is dirt roads partially paved with stones and causeway on the
West Lake, plus about 4 Kms open to motorized traffic.
Trails are at places very steep and slippery, particularly if it is
wet. Part of the steep parts of the trail can be as slippery during
dry weather due to sand and small loose rocks.

The botanical garden (through which the course goes, about 1.5 Km
from the Shangri-La) charges an entrance fee of Rmb 10.-.
Just before reaching the South part of the causeway, at around Km
39.0, the course goes through another garden free of entrance fee.

Time limit
The race is set at 8 hours.
We estimate that a 4 hour-marathonian will need 6 to 7 hours to
cover the whole course.


Markings
The course is marked with fluorescent green paint dots. Marks have
been painted as much as possible at eye level on trees or
telephone/electric poles. On occasions marks are made on landmarks,
rocks or on the pavement.

Before a turn or at a point where more attention is required marks
are painted at more frequent interval. Three dots together mean "pay
attention: a turn can be missed, look for the next marks".
Usually marks are also painted after turns for confirmation.
A cross means a false trail
On course A, when reaching the dragons monument, look for marks
across grass, near the bridge across grass again and then on the
dirt road: to avoid defacing the monument, less marks than necessary
have been painted.


Should you not see a mark over a distance of 200 to 300 m., most
chances are you have missed a turn, unless it is a straightforward
ridge trail. Do go back and recheck after 500 M, though.

2 courses are marked, the 2001 & 2002 course, which veers to the
left (South) after the first hills is marked with a "B"
The new (2003 & 2004) course goes further to the West and is marked
with an "A". It is much less paved, but also offers fewer
opportunities to buy drinks. (11 Km dry stretch.)
It goes alongside a barbed wire fence that delimits a police
shooting ground: by all means do not cross the fence; stay out of
the territory on the other side of the fence.
The A (2003&4) course goes out of the available maps so it is not
recorded on the map. It is freshly marked. The new 2003&4 course
goes reverse on part of the B (2001&2) course. The end (from about
KM 39) is the same: once you get into the garden before the
causeway, go through it and turn left onto the causeway and all the
way to the Shangri-La.
For those who would want to do the 2001&2 course, it overlaps over
itself on 2 occasions. (At about Km 10.0 and 33.5 and at about Km
24.8 and Km 38.8.) Arrows (instead of dots) have been painted in
these 2 places.
To clearly indicate which arrow to follow, a number 1 is painted
next to the arrow that needs to be followed the first time this part
of the course is traveled and a number 2 is painted on the arrow
that should be followed on the second passage.

The 2001&2 course is marked up to the entrance to the garden that
connects to the causeway, at around Km 39.0. From then on just go
through the garden and turn LEFT when you arrive on the causeway, at
the East exit of the garden.

For the 2001&2 course a map is provided (attached). The course
marking is not refreshed, except when the new course is on the same
track. As a result those who want to follow the old course may need
to follow the map as well.
Some of the 2001&2 course may actually not be easy to follow due to
new constructions and destruction of the trail.


No aid stations will be set-up. Instead water and snacks can be
bought on the way from village shops.
On the 2003&4 course, water is available at
KM 5.0 at the temple on top of the Northern Peak (by the TV
antenna),
around KM 16.5, when crossing a main road: instead of crossing the
road, do walk down the road for about 300 m., buy water at a tea
house and come back to take the trail.
Should you not do so, you will have to go at least 22 Km without
refilling water, and that is if you bought water at the first stop
(Km 5.0)
around KM 26.5, getting in Lin Ying Temple
around KM 32.5, coming down through the tea field in Long Jin
Around KM 35.0 at the pond on the 9 streams and 18 gullies road
and then at about every 2-3.0 Km till the Shangri-la
(On the 2001 & 2 course There is water at:
KM 5.0
Km 9.0
Km 16.5
Km 23.7
Km 30.5
Km 32.0
after Km 38.0, passed the Zhejiang Hotel)





Safety
Risks of injuries are limited but not nil. A runner may

Dehydrate or get exhausted, then get confused and loose his or her
way
Twist an ankle
Or both of the above, for a worse case!
Step on a boar trap, do pay attention to stay on the well traveled
trails since we have seen boar traps on occasions on the game trails
We recommend all participants to:
Drink and eat regularly while running. (The weather can be quite
moderate in Hangzhou. To make sure you drink enough, make sure you
pee from time to time!)
Run with someone of a similar strength for company and support in
case of emergency.
.

We require all runners to carry with them:
Containers for 1.5 liter of drink, at least (there are two 10~11 Km
stretch with no possibility to buy water).
One mobile phone with full battery, in case of emergency and to
provide their number to the organizers
One rain jacket
The map and compass provided
RMB 100.- (10 Rmb notes recommended for faster handling)
The address of the Shangri-la
No other security or medical system is organized! The Race Director
will check that you have the required equipment!