As a city for running, Shanghai doesn’t have a stellar reputation.

It seems like a nightmare: The sidewalks are crowded, greenery is limited, and there’s nothing like sweating profusely during a long run, then suddenly getting hit with a blast of car exhaust in the face.

Despite all this, every autumn the Toray Cup Shanghai International Marathon attracts thousands of runners. Last year alone, more than 21,000 people ran in the marathon (42km), half marathon (21km) and health race (4.5km). 

Now in its 14th year, the organisers of the Shanghai Marathon are expecting similar numbers – if not more – for this year’s event on 29 November. But if the city’s running scene is so dismal, how is this event continually attracting more and more participants?

“This is an event where some of the best runners in the world and ordinary runners can compete and enjoy this hobby together,” says Gong Xian, a leading organiser from the Shanghai International Marathon Office.

“We’ve also had more interest in the marathon as it’s become better known among the public. The organisation and quality of the event has improved with every passing year, as we gain more experience with the logistics of holding an international level marathon.”

For Taylor Price, the Shanghai Marathon’s high number of participants played a big role in his decision to register for the race. With his eyes set on the Boston Marathon next April, the American runner can only qualify by clocking an official full marathon time under three hours and 10 minutes in another race.

Price, a 25 year old from Salt Lake City who is now working in Shanghai, considered races in Hangzhou and Xiamen, but decided the Shanghai Marathon – with its flat and fast course – would likely help him achieve a faster finish time to qualify for Boston.

“This is an event where some of the best runners in the world and ordinary runners can compete and enjoy this hobby together.”

“I picked Shanghai because it’s close, but there’s also a lot more people running in it with times close to what I want to hit. I want to have more runners around to help me with the pacing, to push me to run faster,” Price says. “The Hangzhou Marathon has maybe 200 participants; in Shanghai, you’ll have more than 20,000.”

Shanghai Marathon runners will take their marks at Century Plaza on Nanjing Dong Lu, and then zoom eastward towards the finish line at Minhang Stadium. Last year’s full marathon champions – Ethiopia’s Gashaw Melese Asfaw and Russia’s Irina Timofeeva – finished at 2:09:28 and 2:26:19 in the men’s and women’s categories respectively.

While both runners are set to return this year to defend their titles, Gong is reluctant to give any concrete predictions regarding this year’s results.

“It’s very possible Irina and Gashaw will win again,” Gong says. “But every year things change, and in competition, you never know what can happen.”

Register for the 2009 Toray Cup Shanghai International Marathon by 8 November. Tel: 6629 8808 or 6439 7092. Web: www.shmarathon.com