Chengdu Marathon setting the pace

Boasting a carnival atmosphere and slick organization, annual race accelerates effort to join world's premier 'majors' series

As well as fueling demand for more races, China's ever-expanding throngs of marathon enthusiasts are precipitating a push for better quality, and more prestigious tests of their endurance.

The Dongfeng Nissan Chengdu Marathon, which attracted 30,000 runners for its third edition last Sunday, is at the vanguard of efforts to meet the demand, with the race bidding to earn long-distance running's premier seal of approval by becoming the seventh race on the Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) calendar.