Feature: Jilin's winter playground becomes summer stage for trail runners

CHANGCHUN, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- "I've never been here in winter, but now I'm really interested because I see ski slopes on the hillside! I want to come here to ski when the snow is covered," said Liu Sinong, a visitor from Liaoning Province, at the Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City.

Jilin Province, with its high latitude and low temperatures, is one of China's best regions for summer retreats in terms of resources and conditions. From August 22 to 24, the 2025 Northeast 100 Lake Songhua Mountain Running Race was held at the Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City.

As the largest professional mountain running race in northeast China, this year's race attracted over 5,000 participants from cities across China, including Beijing and Shanghai, as well as from over 10 countries and regions, including the U.S., Canada, Singapore and Malaysia.

"The Lake Songhua region is located in foothills of Changbai Mountain. The black soil conditions and vast forest resources in Northeast China are major draws for tourists," said Yang Long, vice president of industrial development at KAILAS Outdoor Group. "Our course perfectly showcases these pristine forests, and as it circles Songhua Lake, runners will be able to experience a unique aspect of the race," he added.

In the past, Lake Songhua Resort was primarily a winter ski resort, and was largely unused during the summer. However, with the introduction of events like mountain running, cultural activities and tourism initiatives, the region has been revitalized, attracting more summer visitors.

Standing at the foot of the mountain are lush green hills, with the former winter running track now covered with small yellow flowers.

Many tourists take photos by the iconic "I Love Lake Songhua" sign. Visitors often take the cable car to the top of Qing Mountain, where they can view the emerald-green Lake Songhua in the distance. The scenic areas have also become popular spots for wedding photos.

As the race enters its third year, the 2025 edition has seen significant improvements in terms of event scale, category setup, course design, and route planning, providing runners with more challenging and engaging running experience.

He Zheng, a competitor who signed up for the 100km race, said: "Marathon racecourses are often fixed, and the scenery is similar to what you see during regular road running training, there is little variation."

"However, mountain running races gives the chance to see different landscapes across the country and around the world, and to experience different customs and cultures," he added. "It's like seeing the known versus the unknown. This sense of the unknown may have significant benefits for our daily lives, including mental adjustment."

To meet the diverse needs of participants, the race featured multiple categories, from 100km, 55km, 30km, 20km, 10km to 5km, using the ski resort's slopes to create challenging racing terrain.

The race also connects local cultural landmarks such as the Lake Songhua National Scenic Area and the Zhuque Mountain National Forest Park.

Meteorological data shows that average temperature in Jilin Province during summer is around 22 degrees Celsius, making it suitable for outdoor mountain sports.

"Summers in northeast China are quite cool, and more people have the opportunity to participate in outdoor sports during the off-season," Yang said, calling on more people to come to Jilin City in summer.

In recent years, Lake Songhua Resort has made efforts to integrate culture, tourism and sports. Making full use of its mountainous resources and supporting facilities, it has renovated its snow and ice venues and hosted activities such as mountain sports, camping, educational tours and outdoor weddings.

"I think when visiting a city, experiencing culture and scenery is just as important as the race," said Liu Sinong, adding that this mountain race will allow more people to understand Jilin City and understand its history and customs.

"Before the end of October, the Lake Songhua Resort will host more than 10 summer events, including the DS Exploration Race, Motorcycle Camping Festival, and the 10th Green Mountain & Red Leaf Festival," said Zhao Lanju, general manager of the Lake Songhua Resort. ■