Under a dark sky on a weekend, runners wearing headlamps moved through forests and over rocky trails near Songhua Lake in Jilin province. Their lights formed a moving line across the mountains.
About 9,000 runners from 21 countries and regions signed up. Distances ranged from 10 to 100 kilometers, for elite athletes, experienced trail runners and people running for fun. It was the largest trail-running event in Northeast China.
The crowd is part of a wider shift. After years of growth in road races and city marathons, more runners are heading into the mountains. China held 258 trail races of 25 kilometers or longer in 2025, and shorter training and community events pushed the yearly total above 800. Races are now appearing in mountain towns far from major cities.
Unlike a road race on pavement, trail running means steep climbs, rocks, forests and changing weather. The appeal, runners say, is both the challenge and the time outdoors.
Liang Song, 29, had already trained, run marathons and entered races before he tried the trails. After hearing about the sport from other runners, he quickly fell in love with it. The changing ground, he says, is harder work and brings him closer to nature. He has finished more than 10 trail races since May 2025.
For Xu Yanyan, 31, the trails are a break from city routines. She had long used exercise to ease stress from work. Instead of repeating a familiar urban road, she now spends hours among forests and mountains, where managing energy can matter more than the clock. She joined an online trail-running group that sets times and meeting places, and she has made many new friends there. Some members are experienced; others are complete beginners. Many of them, she says, are not chasing a time. They run to enjoy nature, relax, stay active and meet people.
That is also how the culture differs from a city marathon. A road race is often judged by finishing time or a personal best. Trail runners may pay as much attention to the route, the climbing, the scenery and the whole day. For those not chasing a podium, a race can be part sport, part outdoor trip and part weekend away. Some even combine a race with travel.
The bar for amateurs is relatively low. Recreational runners can often enter the same events as elite athletes. People with little trail experience look online for advice on training, gear and race week.
Wang Changyou, a deputy director in the sports department at Capital University of Economics and Business, says trail running is not new, but it has drawn more attention during the nationwide fitness boom and the marathon wave. Running on trails, he says, is exercise, time in nature and a way to socialize.
He also warns beginners to take safety seriously. New runners should start on easier routes, keep a pace they can hold on rough ground, and avoid going deep into remote mountains alone. At higher elevations they should watch for altitude sickness. Running with others, and knowing a few basic emergency steps, adds a layer of protection.