China's Endurance Athletes Gear Up for Mogan Shan

Climb a mountain. Abseil off a cliff. Bike 85 kilometers. Run 20 kilometers. Shimmy across a gorge on a rope. Negotiate river rapids on a bamboo raft. Navigate dense forests at night. Take a math test. Repeat. Mix for 24 hours or until thoroughly exhausted. For the average person, this would not be a recipe for a fun weekend. But average people aren't adventure racers. On May 13, the 24-hour North Face Mogan Shan Exploration race will kick off near Hangzhou. Teams of two will be required to run, climb, paddle, peddle, swim, and think their way through a difficult course in the mountains north of the city. Since the late 90s, China's adventure race scene has been growing steadily, as larger numbers of able-bodied tourists have decided to take to the outdoors. "Our races are for athletes ranging from outdoor enthusiasts and weekend warriors to top amateur athletes," explains Keith Noyes, head of organizing company, Seyon Asia, and one of China's adventure racing stalwarts. While Noyes says that the Chinese adventure race circuit is growing, it hasn't reached the point where it can attract top athletes. "That takes big prize money." The novice-level racing in China appeals to many aspiring racers who would otherwise be outmatched in other parts of the world. "Racing in Asia is fun," says Claire Nelson of Beijing, who will be competing in Mogan Shan. "For an amateur woman, it's possible to go out and win races that just wouldn't be winnable against the type of pro-level athletes you'd find in the U.S. This is a great chance to start competing and winning." Spanning 24 hours and traversing 150 km of territory, the Mogan Shan will without a doubt prove a very challenging race. "The idea of going non-stop for that long... I can do all the stuff, but the length of time is intimidating," says Nelson. For adventure racers, however, this is the sort of test they crave. "It's a spiritual challenge," says Noyes.Regardless of its appeal, adventure racing is certainly not your average weekend trip. In the words of Piers Touzel, a racer from Shanghai, "Yeah, you have to be a little bit mad, don't you?"