The 2026 Lanzhou Marathon is about to begin, and elite athletes are making appearances: Zhang Deshun, Li Meizhen, Feng Peiyou, He Jie, Yang Shaohui, Mao Jinhu and other top domestic competitors have gathered in Lanzhou. This year 19 athletes will be competing in the selection for the Nagoya Asian Games. Even elites keep the important pre-race "ritual" — here we share a fresh set of the elites' official pre-race portraits and some athletes' pre-race thoughts. "Workhorse" Guan Yousheng and the "people's top female" are not entered in the Asian Games selection; Guan Yousheng will race next week in the Golden League China Series final, maintaining peak intensity. After careful consideration, Zhu Qing also did not register due to a lack of experience racing at plateau/high altitude and concerns about fitness reserves. There are new rules at this year's Lanzhou Marathon that deserve special attention: 1) Male athletes may not act as pacemakers for female athletes. If this occurs, officials will issue one warning, a yellow card on the second offense, and a red card on the third, leading to ejection. 2) Female athletes may use gestures or communicate with officials to lodge protests during the race. 3) Improper use of the race bib — for example, if it is folded, obscured, or flapping — will result in the athlete being removed. Additionally, the organizing committee has already sent text messages before the race to the top 250 athletes by past results, informing them not to provide pacing for female athletes — did you receive it?#LanzhouMarathon#AsianGames#SelectionTrials#ZhangDeshun#LiMeizhen#FengPeiyou#HeJie#TrailRunningBigBang