(People attend the running event on the track of Formula 1 stadium in Shanghai. Photo via ThePaper)

Running has become a new way for Chinese to bid farewell to the old and usher in the new for the New Year, with the trend growing bigger and bigger by the year.

Shanghai, a very special and distinctive place in China, attracted over 10,000 people to run on the track in city’s Formula 1 World Championship Stadium—the only F1 track to have held a half marathon on the first day of 2019, with its “High Five” running event.

There were also more than 200 parent-children groups at the event.

“Although there are plenty of running competitions in Shanghai, I, together with my husband and our five-month-old son, chose here because of its uniqueness,” a runner surnamed Ji said, who is wishing to leave an unforgettable memory to her baby.

(People attend the New Year 5-km running in Ningbo.)

Ningbo in east China’s Zhejiang province has the longest history of celebrating the New Year in China with a running event, as the city has been celebrating New Year with running for 36 years. This year, more than 10,000 people took part in the 5-km running activity.

“Sport has already become a new fashion and lifestyle in Ningbo, as it can provide people with a feeling of happiness,” said Xu Jianyong, a local citizen who has been attending New Year running event for more than 30 years.

As running continues to gain popularity in China, more and more Chinese are taking part in the sport, which is accessible to everyone and can help people keep fit.

Other Chinese cities also hosted similar running activities, including Suzhou and Nanjing in east China’s Jiangsu province. Many people also joined in the activities via various running smartphone apps.