Shanghai Marathon

The course

Start on the Bund, at the bronze bull, with the Huangpu on one side and the old banking houses on the other. The course turns inland almost immediately and runs west along Nanjing Road, the pedestrian street, then past Jing'an Temple. South next, onto Huaihai Road, into the plane-tree shade of the former French Concession and past Xintiandi. It is the most sheltered stretch of the race and the one people tend to describe afterwards. The middle is less photogenic. East through the old city towards Nanpu Bridge, then south to the water again, where Longteng Avenue runs down the Xuhui riverside past converted wharves and shipyards. The crowds thin here. The last section turns inland along Longhua Road and tilts almost imperceptibly upward over the final kilometres before finishing at Xujiahui Sports Park, on the site of the old Shanghai Stadium. Flat throughout. There is no climb of consequence anywhere on the course.

Start

The Bund Bull plaza (外滩金牛广场), Huangpu waterfront, Huangpu district

Finish

Xujiahui Sports Park (徐家汇体育公园, the redeveloped Shanghai Stadium site), Xuhui district

Shape

point-to-point

Terrain

Flat throughout, with no climb of consequence. The only gradient runners tend to mention is a slight sustained rise over the final kilometres into Xujiahui. The middle of the race, east through the old city towards Nanpu Bridge, is longer and less scenic than the riverside sections at either end.