When you sign up for the Toray Shanghai Marathon, you are asked to provide a cell phone contact number. This year, that meant being the recipient of a series of well-intentioned, but inadvertently hilarious text messages full of “tips.” The last 3 came in at 5 AM the day of the race, ensuring anyone who sleeps near their phone an early wake up call. I’ll just go ahead and start at the beginning.
Dec 1: Race day weather would be 6-13 degree, north wind, grade 3-4, please get everything prepared for the race.
Dec 2: Welcome to the Shanghai International Marathon, please have enough sleep and proper training to ensure your physical strength.
Dec 2: Warm tips from Shanghai International Marathon: Please have more carbohydrate, but less fat. Please take good care of yourself and have your gear ready.
Dec. 3: Warm tips from Shanghai International Marathon: weather forecast of 4 Dec: temperature: 9-13 degree, wind: NW at 16-24 km/h. Pls make sure you get enough sleep tonight.
Dec. 3: Warm tips from Shanghai International Marathon: Weather tomorrow 9-13 degree, wind frade 3-4. Race starts at 7:30. Pls come to the starting point on time to register and deposit ur clothes.
Dec. 3: DO have breakfast 2.5h before the race wiz usual amount, have more carbohydrate. Warmup is important and necessary. Do NOT take the race if u feel ill.
Dec. 4: In case u feel ill during the race, pls contact the referee of volunteer to quit the race immediately. Dont take any risk. Life is of the essence.
[repeat Dec. 3 text 3 more times]
You get the picture. Extremely cute and well-meaning, but perhaps not so early in the morning next year. Good luck to all the 2012 Shanghai Marathon runners. For any questions on running in Shanghai, don’t hesitate to as us at UnTour Shanghai-Shanghai’s #1 jogging tour provider.
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