鈥淭he wall itself is an amazing experience. It鈥檚 so steep,鈥� said Stark, who competed against more than 750 runners from 50 different countries.
The race began in Yin and Yang Square with a steady five-kilometre uphill trek just to reach the wall. The wall鈥檚 stairs aren鈥檛 uniform, so some steps are higher than others, said Stark. She didn鈥檛 mind the 3.5-km up and down journey along the wall, and she especially didn鈥檛 mind running down the stairs because she鈥檚 used to running downhill in Jasper.
鈥淥ther people were hanging onto the wall, really scared and walking down them, but I just went down, because it works for me.鈥�
The rest of the course meandered through rural villages where local residents lined the road to support runners. Many shouted 鈥渘菒 h菐o,鈥� which is hello in Mandarin.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e all waving at you, giving candy and high fives. Some kids were giving flowers,鈥� recalled Stark. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like you鈥檙e a rock star.鈥�
One vertical section, known as the Goat Trail, was a bit treacherous. It didn鈥檛 have formal stairs, just rocks that improvised as places where people could put their feet and scramble up.
Stark enjoyed meeting runners from all over the world during the race and formed a friendship with a 65-year-old South African man named John.
鈥淚 was doing well until kilometre 34 and then I became severely dehydrated.鈥� She was at the point of almost passing out when John caught up to her. 鈥淗e took my hand and said 鈥榶ou know, we started this together, we鈥檙e going to finish this together.鈥欌��
Even when she felt better and told him to go ahead, he insisted on crossing the finish line with her.
Being dehydrated was frustrating for Stark, but she realizes that physical ailments are part of running. 鈥淪ome days you have good runs, some days you don鈥檛 have good runs.
鈥淢y moving time was five hours and 27 minutes, which I was really happy with.鈥�
After touring around China a bit, Stark made it home in time to run a 20.6 km section in the Banff-Jasper Relay. 鈥淭here was a lot of climbing and I didn鈥檛 even notice the hills and I think it鈥檚 because of having done the [Great Wall Marathon].鈥�
Though the Great Wall was only Stark鈥檚 second marathon, she plans to run more and participate in at least one on every continent. 鈥淢y goal for the seven continents is I want them to be unique and original.鈥�
North America is already ticked off the list thanks to the Mount Robson Marathon she ran last year.
She hopes to do the Athens Classic Marathon in the fall and is confirmed for the Antarctica Marathon on King George Island for 2017. Two other marathons that pique her interest are the Inca Trail in South America and the Big Five in Africa. In the Big Five, participants run across the savanna with nothing separating them from wildlife like lions, rhinos and elephants.
Stark met many people at the Great Wall Marathon who use running as a reason to travel. It鈥檚 a different way to see and experience new countries, while also pushing physical limits, she said.
鈥淚 like running because it鈥檚 just for you. It鈥檚 a lifelong goal to stay in shape.鈥�
