At an age when many people slow down, Danish runner Henrik Brandt keeps climbing the Great Wall of China.
The 67-year-old Dane will this Saturday take part in the Great Wall Marathon for the 23rd time, making him the only runner to have completed every edition of the race since it began in 1999, South China Morning Post reports.
Held on the Huangyaguan section of the Great Wall near Beijing, the marathon is known as one of the toughest in the world. Runners must battle more than 5,000 stone steps and steep climbs, with some sections so difficult participants have to use their hands to get up.
Brandt first joined the race more than two decades ago and has returned every year since.
“Because it was here that I finished my first marathon, I fell in love with it and decided to come back,” he said after last year’s race. He has also said that he hopes to continue returning well into his 70s.
More than 2,000 runners from 61 countries are expected to take part this year. The event includes a full marathon, a half marathon and a shorter fun run along parts of the wall.
The race has become famous not only for its dramatic setting but also for its high cost. Entry fees are far above most other marathons in China, leading some runners on Chinese social media to complain that the event is simply too expensive.
Still, the marathon continues to attract runners from around the world, many drawn by the chance to race on one of China’s most iconic landmarks.
