A Run for Love-The Beijing International Marathon

On October 20th 2013, a sunny day in Beijing, more than 30,000 people gathered for the annual Beijing International Marathon, one of China’s most famous international races.

Runners also had the option of a mini-marathon (5K) and a half-marathon.

Among the runners was a small group of passionate Half the Sky staffers in the Beijing office, who ran the mini-marathon to raise funds for the children. Sponsored by Adidas and clad in yellow T-shirts and bright pink or blue shoes, the HTS team included staff from Operations, Communications, Programs, Development and our sister foundation Chun Hui Bo’Ai Children’s Foundation. All were excited to start the much-anticipated event they had named the “Run for Love.” 

With a blast from the starter gun, they were off. Mini-marathon participants began in Tiananmen Square and ended in  Xidan, a commercial area in the heart of Beijing. All members of the HTS team completed their 5K run in 30 to 40 minutes, with the exception of Tony from Operations who went all the way to finish a half marathon!

Maria Tree, Associate Director of Development, China, summed up everyone’s feelings of pride and community when she said, “We are a family and we work for love.”