Blog: How I Survived the Deadly Ultramarathon in Gansu

Editor’s note: This piece was written on May 23, the day after the disastrous ultramarathon in Northwest China that lead to the deaths of 21 runners. The author was participant in the race.

My name is Zhang Xiaotao, and I participated in the mountain marathon in Baiyin, Gansu province.

I and the other runners arrived at the site yesterday at 7:30 a.m. for some preparations. At that time, the wind was blowing and the temperature was quite low. Since the race was held in a scenic area, we were able to warm ourselves and take rest in a small shop beside the scenic area. We began the race at 9:00 a.m. The wind was still strong, and many runners lost their hats to its powerful gusts. But for the first 20 kilometers of the course, conditions were still normal.