The Beautiful Qinghai Plateau Marathon starts 7:30 AM on Sunday, September 6 at the south gate of the Qinghai Sports Center in Xining, with 15,000 runners split between a marathon (42.195km, 5,000 spots) and a half marathon (21.0975km, 10,000 spots). Pre-registration runs July 27 10:00 to August 9 17:00; if oversubscribed, spots are decided by a lottery announced August 13, with payment due August 13-16. A rare provincial-capital plateau marathon, run in September when Xining's average temperature sits at a comfortable 17-19°C, showcasing the region's green mountains, multi-ethnic folk culture, and modern cityscape along the way. Entry requires proof of a recent qualifying finish (one full marathon or two half marathons in the past 24 months for the full; two 10K+ finishes for the half) and a medical check within the past 12 months, including blood pressure and an ECG.
Races Offered
Main Race
Sep 06, 2026
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Distance —
Main Race
terrain
Type —
Running
timer
31 days remaining
Weather History
These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for September in Xining.
thermostatTemperature
8.0° / 16.5°
wb_sunnyFeels like
6.4° / 14.7°
light_mode
Avg sunshine hours
8h 25m
water_drop
Avg rainfall
5.3 mm
ac_unit
Avg snowfall
—
air
Avg wind speed
5.5 km/h (Light breeze)
opacity
Sweat loss rate
Low
terrain
Course conditions
Firm and slightly soft
sunny
Max UV Index
Moderate (5.0)
humidity_mid
Humidity
78.5%
wb_twilight
Sunrise
06:56
nightlight
Sunset
19:21
About Xining
Learn more about the host city, Xining.
Xining is the capital of Qinghai Province and the capital of Xining City District, a prefecture of Qinghai. It stands on the elevation of 2,270 m and has a population of around 2.5 million.
