If you collect race medals, the 2026 Luocheng Half Marathon has just made the decision harder. The organisers have unveiled the race kit and the finisher medal, and the reaction in Chinese running circles was immediate.
Luocheng sits in the far north of Guangxi, in a county that is the only Mulao autonomous county in the country. Both the kit and the medal are built around that identity rather than a generic race logo.
Race facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Race day | Sunday 8 November 2026, 7:30 start |
| Start / finish | Minzu Culture Square, Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County, Hechi, Guangxi |
| Field size | 4,200 runners |
| Entry fee | ¥120 |
| Registration closes | 1 November, 18:00 — no ballot, first come, first served |
| How to enter | The 「罗城半程马拉松」 WeChat account and the usual Chinese entry platforms |
The race kit: Mulao patterns in yellow
The singlet is yellow, which on race morning will read as sunlight across the whole field. The fabric carries traditional Mulao patterns rather than a printed sponsor block.
- The front reads 「千年仫佬，三尖罗城」 — a thousand years of the Mulao, and the three peaks that define Luocheng.
- The back carries 「生态好水，罗城山泉」 — good water, the Luocheng spring.
The fabric is a quick-dry mesh, cut for running rather than for the finish-line photo. It is also, by the look of it, a shirt people will keep wearing afterwards.
The medal: a drop of Luocheng spring water
The finisher medal is the centrepiece. Its outline is a drop of water, a reference to the springs the county is known for, and the rim is a ring of phoenix and curling-grass motifs — a wish for a safe, strong run.
The two faces do different work:
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One face is Mulao brocade: white, red and blue in interlocking bands, layered enough to read as textile rather than print.
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The other carries a drum-bird (锦鸡) motif at the top — small, sharp, and meant to suggest a bird that sings once and is remembered — with the race name and distance below.
Both are struck in a champagne-gold relief, so the patterns sit proud of the surface instead of being etched flat.
Prize money
The race pays properly for a county half: ¥10,000 / ¥6,000 / ¥4,000 for the top three men and the top three women, plus a ¥10,000 bonus for a new course record.
The course: karst peaks, farmland and lakes
The route is built on the county's geography rather than a city grid. Expect limestone peaks, terraced fields and water — the kind of course where the scenery does the pacing for you and the climbs are short and frequent rather than long.
What to know before you enter
- There is no ballot. Entries close on 1 November at 18:00 or when the 4,200 places run out, whichever comes first — so the decision is this week, not next month.
- The ¥120 fee is among the lower half-marathon prices on the Chinese calendar.
- Luocheng is reached via Hechi; build in travel time, because the start is at 7:30 and the county is not on a high-speed line from every direction.
Sources and further reading
- Original article: "水滴奖牌 + 仫佬纹样！这场广西半马颜值直接出圈" — Mengxi Marathon Guide (WeChat)
- Race announcement and entry window (Sohu, Chinese)
- First Track entry platform
- Zuicool race entries
Curated and translated from the WeChat account 「梦汐跑马指南」, published 26 October 2026. Images belong to the original author and the race organisers; race details are subject to the organisers' official announcements.