Taking the scenic route to endurance-running glory

Hainan's stunning scenery should help ease pain of grueling Hood to Coast relay

At over 150 kilometers long, the BMW Hood to Coast China Relay is high on the list of must-run races for most endurance addicts.

To meet the soaring demand for the 24-hour team test, which staged its third edition in Hebei province in July, organizers have this year added a second race, which takes place on the island province of Hainan this weekend.

Starting from Saturday midnight, a total of 400 teams comprised of 2,000 domestic and international runners will take on the grueling challenge in the picturesque Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone.