Ancient Shu roads draw international runners to southwest China

An ancient cypress beside the trail caught Adrien Thevenet's eye as the French runner made his way along the historic Shu Roads in southwest China.

Thevenet hails from Chamonix, the French Alpine town that hosts the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), one of the world's most prestigious trail-running events. Competing in Guangyuan, Sichuan Province, he found himself in a very different mountain landscape, where stone-paved paths, ancient trading routes and cypress-lined roads formed part of the course.

"I love to go to UTMB races. It kind of reminds me of home," he said.

Held from November 6 to 8, the 2026 Ultra-Trail Shudao by UTMB attracted more than 8,000 registrations from 34 countries and regions, according to organizers. Part of the UTMB World Series, an international circuit of trail-running events, the race featured four distances that took runners through China's ancient mountain road network.

Known collectively as Shudao, or the Shu Roads, these historic routes connected the Guanzhong Plain in northwestern China with the Sichuan Basin. Dating back more than 3,000 years, they once carried merchants, officials and travelers through mountain passes and between post stations, serving as vital channels for the movement of goods and ideas across challenging terrain.

One of the main routes, the Jinniu Road, passes through Zhaohua ancient town in Guangyuan, whose history dates back to 316 BC. Ancient bridges, mountain passes and post stations still bear witness to journeys made along these roads centuries ago. For today's runners, these landmarks offer glimpses into the past amid the physical demands of the course.

This year's routes took in some of the region's best-known landmarks, including Jianmen Pass, the cypress-lined Cuiyun Corridor and Zhaohua ancient town. Runners tackled a mix of historic roads, mountain trails and farm tracks, a setting quite different from the Alpine terrain more commonly associated with UTMB.

The longest event, the DSD 100K, covered 92km with 3,500 meters of elevation gain, according to official course information. The program also included the CSD 70K, MSD 50K and ESD 20K, catering to runners with different levels of experience and endurance.

Women accounted for 38.9 percent of all registrations, while the MSD 50K attracted the largest field, with 3,663 entries. Runners from Sichuan made up 34.9 percent of the total, with participants from elsewhere in China and overseas making up the rest.

For some, the race was about more than distance and elevation. Britain's Hannah Wilson was making her first competitive appearance since an injury last year left her unable to walk or run. She only returned to running in April.

"I want to get back into trail running," Wilson said.

She discovered the event online, was drawn by its scenery and decided to sign up. Making the trip to Guangyuan marked another step in her return to a sport she had been forced to put aside.

The event also offered a pathway to the international trail-running circuit. According to organizers, the top three male and female finishers in the DSD 100K and MSD 50K earned direct qualification for the CCC and OCC races, respectively, at the UTMB World Series Finals in the Mont Blanc region.

For Britain's Thomas Wright, however, simply reaching the finish line was an achievement in itself. He described the 12km stretch leading to the final checkpoint as particularly demanding, while praising the clear course markings and ribbons that guided runners along the way.

"People were really friendly at the CPs," he said, using the abbreviation for checkpoints. The food and scenery also left a strong impression.

"Tired, exhausted but happy," he said after finishing. "Happy I finished, happy I crossed the line."

Beyond the sporting challenge, the ancient cypresses lining the route are among the event's defining features.

Jiange County, part of Guangyuan, is home to 7,778 ancient cypresses, the oldest of which is estimated to be around 2,300 years old. Generations of planting and conservation have helped preserve the tree-lined roads of the Cuiyun Corridor, where towering cypresses still stand alongside sections of the original stone pathways.

Their protection increasingly relies on modern technology. Each ancient cypress has an identification number and an electronic record. Visitors can scan QR codes on plaques to learn about a tree's height, girth, species and location. Digital monitoring supports day-to-day conservation, while restoration efforts also cover surviving stone roads, inscriptions and former post stations.

Environmental protection was also a consideration in the race's design. Organizers promoted a "leave no trace" approach and emphasized the need to protect the ancient trees. They also adjusted the routes to increase the proportion of off-road running. According to preparation materials from Jiange, the share of hard-surfaced sections on the DSD 100K course was reduced from 45 percent to 25 percent through route adjustments.

The challenge is to preserve the historic landscape while allowing it to remain part of everyday life. Sections of the old road network are still used by local villagers, meaning that hosting thousands of runners requires consideration not only for ancient trees and heritage sites but also for the people who live and work along the routes.

In Zhaohua, the influx of runners was evident at local restaurants and guesthouses. For small businesses, the event brought a welcome increase in customers during what would otherwise have been a quieter period.

"We've been full every day these past few days, and we're still working past midnight," said Zhai Zhigang, owner of Jianghu Fish Restaurant in Zhaohua.

He added that vendors selling local specialties and cultural souvenirs had also benefited from the influx of visitors. For Zhai, the impact was straightforward: more people visiting the ancient town meant more business for local residents.

"We hope there will be more events like this to bring visitors to the ancient town, so we can earn more too," he said.

For Thevenet, the race was a return to a place he had come to appreciate. Having competed in Guangyuan last year, he remembered not only the course but also the warm reception he received.

For a runner from Chamonix, the event brought the familiar UTMB name to a very different mountain setting. But it was the combination of the ancient landscape, cypress-lined trails and hospitality of local people that convinced him to make the journey again.

"There was no reason for me not to come back," he said.