Marathon fever is suddenly sweeping across China. Since 2014, city marathons have been the fastest developing and most influential road running races in China with the largest number of participants. According to the Chinese Athletic Association, 53 marathons were held in China in 2014, 134 in 2015, a sharp increase of 14% on 2014, and the number reached 328 in 2016, with over 2.8 million runners. In 2017, there were 1102 marathons and marathon-related road running races in China with no fewer than 800 runners each, and nearly 10 million participants. It can be argued that marathon races are becoming a sports carnival and the name card of the development of a city in China. But there are also many questions worth exploring: Why is the marathon suddenly so popular? What are people’s experiences like with running the marathon? What problems does it reveal? And how will it impact economy? etc. Sports Review in this issue publishes articles by Ji Chenglong, D. Mgt. at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Sun Ke, Ed.D. at Beijing Institution of Education and Chen Guoqiang, Ph. D. in Journalism and Communication at Shanghai University of Sport. They will discuss the marathon mania in China from the perspectives of the market, society and race participation.

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