Two participants of the 2017 Shenyang Kangping Wolong Lake Half Marathon hold up changmingsuo (an ornament shaped like a lock worn by people as a symbol of longevity in China) while posing for a photo after finishing their race on Jan 15. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chilly weather in Shenyang didn’t cool the enthusiasm of hundreds of runners last weekend; on the contrary, it gave them a chance to test their will power and physical fitness.

When the temperature in Shenyang dropped to -13 degrees Celsius on Jan 15, the first Shenyang Kangping Wolong Lake Half Marathon went ahead as scheduled. More than 500 long-distance running enthusiasts from across China — including those from Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong province, and Heilongjiang province — gathered on Wolong Lake to run the tough race.

With long-distance running becoming increasingly popular in China, the Wolong Lake event, sponsored by the government of Shenyang’s Kangping county, provided participants a unique experience as the whole race route was on the completely frozen lake.

Runners cross the frozen Wolong Lake during the 2017 Shenyang Kangping Wolong Lake Half Marathon on Jan 15. [Photo/Xinhua]

Runners could choose between a half marathon (21 km), a 10-kilometer race, and the mini marathon (5 km).

After some fierce competition, Hou Yanmin, a 38-year-old man from Harbin, Helongjiang province, won the first prize for the male half marathon.

All the runners who crossed the finish line received a changmingsuo (an ornament shaped like a lock worn by people as a symbol of longevity in China) as a testament of their courage and their spirit of perseverance; it also conveyed good wishes from the organizer of the event.

“It’s the first time for local runners like me to run on frozen lake, I am very glad to have the opportunity to make friends with long-distance runners from across China in my hometown, ” said Ma Guixiang, a female runner from Kangping county.

Competitors of the 2017 Shenyang Kangping Wolong Lake Half Marathon, together with their family members pose, for a group photo after finishing the race on Jan 15. [Photo/Xinhua]