LANZHOU, May 25 (Xinhua) -- In the gentle breeze, tens of thousands of marathon runners took the route along the Yellow River in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province, for the 2025 Lanzhou Marathon on Sunday morning.

Qiang Zhongwei, a 37-year-old marathon enthusiast from Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, arrived in Lanzhou one day earlier to enjoy the local scenery.

This was Qiang's third consecutive year to participate in the Lanzhou Marathon. Like him, more than 20 of his teammates from a local elite running team in Xi'an chose to arrive in Lanzhou ahead of schedule.

Here, marathon enthusiasts across China either visited the banks of the Yellow River or searched for local street food.

Qiang said that his knowledge of Lanzhou has become increasingly profound during the past few years through participating in the marathons.

"I have gradually experienced Lanzhou's characteristic cuisine such as beef noodle and lamb meat. And I have visited local landmarks such as the Yellow River Tower and Zhongshan Bridge," said Qiang, adding that combining running and tourism offers a unique experience.

The 2025 Lanzhou Marathon took in the Yellow River Scenic Line, connecting many of the city's historical landscapes.

"When I started to run along the Yellow River, passing by landmarks like Zhongshan Bridge, I felt like opening a thick historical and cultural book," said Qiang.

According to organizers, this year's event attracted a record 310,000 applicants.

Li Qiang, an assistant researcher at the China Tourism Academy, said that the unique design of the marathon track, including different local scenic spots, made the race an excellent "moving billboard" for tourism.

"This shows how sport events empower tourism and tourism nurtures events in turn," said Li.

Lanzhou has seen increased inbound tourism in recent years, through events like marathons, concerts and cultural activities.

Data showed that during the five-day Labor Day holiday, Lanzhou received 6.6954 million tourists, a year-on-year increase of 12.52 percent, and achieved a tourism expenditure of 4.363 billion yuan (608 million U.S. dollars), up 14.77 percent year-on-year.

"By constructing an industry chain of sport events and enhancing their comprehensive effect, Lanzhou's sports and tourism integration will be further strengthened," Li noted. ■