New Southbound Policy Portal

In mid-December every year, runners take to the streets of Taiwan’s capital for the Taipei Marathon. The race was launched more than 30 years ago as the first event of its kind in the country. Previously supported by ING Life Taiwan and now sponsored by Fubon Life, it has proven a great success, attracting a record high of about 100,000 participants in 2014.
 
Since 2016, the annual event has been remodeled. It is currently organized by Taipei City Government, which opted to reduce the number of participants and alter the race route to spotlight historic sites such as the North Gate.
 
These moves aim to attract more professional runners and connect the race with major international marathons, according to Luo Guo-wei, head of the Community Fitness Division under the city government’s Department of Sports.
 
In recent years, municipal authorities have launched a program to renovate older areas in the west of the city, including around Taipei Main Station. As part of these efforts, a concrete overpass was demolished to highlight the North Gate. This long-hidden cultural asset is the sole surviving structure of its kind from the period of Qing court rule (1684-1895).
 
During Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945), the area around Taipei Main Station was sometimes referred to as the Paris of the East, with the North Gate likened to the Arc de Triomphe in the French capital. For Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, the recently renovated North Gate plaza is a worthy counterpart to the renowned French landmark. “Adding this unique historic site to the marathon route will enhance the international image of our beautiful city,” the mayor said.
 
Luo said that last year a six-kilometer section of the marathon was amended to take runners past this and other historic gates. In addition to these sites, the 2017 route is lined by such prominent attractions as the Grand Hotel, Ferris wheel at Miramar Entertainment Park and Taipei Fine Arts Museum.
 
What remains unchanged for the Taipei Marathon is that despite the reduced number of participants, it continues to be the largest domestic event of its kind. It also attracts more runners from abroad than any other race in Taiwan.
 
Around 27,000 individuals have registered for this year’s edition. In past years, roughly 2,400 runners on average were from overseas, with the marathon regularly drawing participants from about 40 countries and territories.
 
Most of the overseas athletes participating in the marathon come from Japan, Hong Kong and mainland China. The scenic portion of the route through Riverside Park along the Keelung River is said to be a particular favorite among Japanese runners. The organizers of Japan’s Shizuoka Marathon, which signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Taipei event in 2014, are working to encourage more competitors to attend the year-end race in Taiwan.
 
The world’s six leading city marathons are in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York and Tokyo, attracting large numbers of foreign runners each year. Some participants and organizers of the Taipei race believe that with the right promotional efforts, the event could reach the level of those prestigious marathons.
 
Hsieh Tsang-tang, vice director of Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, has been running marathons for 15 years and has completed the world’s six leading city events. He said Taipei is the equal of those races in many areas including culture and scenery. “Taipei, with its beautiful attractions and pluralistic values, has the attributes to compete with any of those metropolises.”
 
The 65-year-old is serving as the spokesperson for the 2017 Taipei Marathon. He started running 50 years ago as part of rehabilitation for tearing his Achilles tendon. On Dec. 17, Hsieh will once again take on the Taipei Marathon as he seeks to foster international awareness of Taiwan’s premier running race. (E)