China’s Marathon Boom Needs a Second Wind

China came late to the running craze. Its first international marathon was held in Beijing in 1981, with only professionals participating. It would take almost two decades for amateurs to be allowed to take part.

Now, just scoring a place to compete is usually the hardest part of the race. It’s easier to get into Harvard than to snag a half-marathon spot in Wuxi, an eastern industrial powerhouse that centers its runs around a beautiful lake.

Take the annual Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon last Sunday. Waves of runners swept past Victoria Harbour and other well-known landmarks under balmy skies in one of the largest sporting events in Asia. But for mainland Chinese competitors, the real joy was the chance of snagging a coveted spot.