This summer in Lijiang, the biggest change from last year is that everyone is forming groups—looking for training partners and training organizations.
After all, marathon training is about the method behind a workout plan and the atmosphere of training with others. Some long or high‑intensity sessions, without partners—even the strongest willpower will, at some point, fail to keep you going. Runners who have been there know that feeling.
Two years ago, Liao Shunhu and Li Yongyuan, as Yin Shunjin’s right‑hand men, ran a thriving training camp in Huize; some tempted runners, lacking the means, had to find other options. Back then, few could have imagined training camps would bloom everywhere two years later.
Two years on, Huize still sees people coming and going, but the training‑camp boom has spread from Huize to more accessible Lijiang, Kunming, and Yuxi. Today, commercial running clubs are no longer niche. From high‑altitude camps serving elite athletes to city running groups for everyday enthusiasts, they’re everywhere.
We’re pleased to see runners shifting roles and exploring new market opportunities, but bravery is one thing—business is still business. We hope more runners can withstand the tests of market forces.
01
A runner and also a boss
Life’s not that easy
Yang Dinghong is not only a veteran on China’s marathon circuit but also experienced in running camps; his Qusu Sports draws a steady stream of trainees each year.He revealed he plans to open a new camp in Xundian, Kunming.。
Yang Dinghong competing at the 2024 Xiamen Marathon
However, one reality he must face is that running a camp while trying to keep his own training efficient and systematic is a major challenge. Even with others helping, communicating all the camp’s details still consumes a lot of energy. Yang Dinghong also noted that while his top disciple Wang Jie has recently pulled off upsets in some races, it reflects that he can no longer oversee his own daily training 100%.
This is the challenge every training‑camp organizer must face.
Starting a training camp means your identity as a pure runner gains an added layer—the role of operator, or simply, bossAnd the first test an operator faces is the psychological challenge when income and expense figures are constantly fluctuating.
Rent, facility renovations, purchasing training equipment, food and lodging operations, coach salaries, athlete protections… each is a real cost. Many athletes who once only buried their heads in running used to worry only about pace, heart rate, and recovery; after starting a business they must juggle expenses, personnel management, and athlete demands.
Add the necessity of content and social‑media duties, and the “boss” becomes even more stretched. Once you have to handle all of this yourself, it’s harder to guarantee training. So before becoming a boss, think carefully—who can help shoulder each task; don’t carry everything on one set of shoulders.
When passion collides with the daily grind, a boss’s energy is heavily diverted. This also indirectly reminds runners considering joining a club:Don’t focus only on a founder’s former competitive glory—glory doesn’t equal stable service capability. An athlete who runs fast doesn’t necessarily run an effective operation or manage well.。
02
Sentiment is one thing
Business is business
The origin of many training camps lies in the goodwill and trust within the running community.。
People meet through running, admire a coach’s performance, have heard his race stories and seen his training philosophy, and arrive with a sense of reverence. Many join clubs hoping to make friends or find teammates, treating a training camp as a make‑or‑break lifeline to change their fortunes.
A female pro who traveled to a training camp in Kunming discovered after a few days that very few participants remained, that nearly all the options promised before joining had evaporated, and that recovering the training fee she’d paid was extremely difficult.
Personal goodwill is precisely where commercialized training camps can blur boundaries. Many conflicts arise from conflating “friendship” with “paid services.”
You assume you’ll get the coach’s constant attention, race debriefs and psychological support; that living and training side‑by‑side means many things can be agreed verbally; that a personal connection will make written agreements unnecessary.
Reality often doesn’t live up to those expectations.Oral promises and pie‑in‑the‑sky plans sketched in chats, without contractual constraints, can easily lead to everyone telling a different story.Cases where training results fall short, accommodations and meals don’t match the publicity, or refund disputes arise have been common in the running scene.
Goodwill can be a bonus, but it can’t be the whole service. Runners considering a camp should be clear: you’re paying for training services, not just making friends—don’t let personal ties prevent you from clarifying the rules. Refund policies, injury handling, accommodation standards and any additional non‑training services should, as far as possible, be covered by written agreements.
No matter how close the relationships, they can’t replace a rules‑based safety net.And as an owner, you can’t do business only for short‑term gain—you need to think long term.
03
You can’t compete only on price.
Long‑term thinking is what builds reputation.
As more training camps appear, market competition follows.Price becomes the most direct weapon.。
The market ranges from low‑cost running groups to high‑end, long‑term plateau camps, with a wide price spread. Some camps use low prices to attract runners, drawing them in with cheap registration fees. Many runners’ first instinct when choosing a club is to compare prices. For the same altitude camp, if one is cheaper, is it really better value?
But a running training camp isn’t necessarily more cost‑effective because it’s cheaper, nor is a higher price a guarantee of reliability.
Behind low prices there may be a single coach leading dozens of people, leaving training to be largely self‑directed; venues and food/lodging may be cut to save costs, with recovery conditions that don’t meet the needs of altitude training; and there may be no comprehensive injury contingency plan, meaning problems aren’t always fully managed.
You may save some money upfront, but if training lacks proper guarantees and you get injured, rehabilitation costs will far exceed the registration fee you saved.
Conversely, high price doesn’t guarantee consistent results. Many runners head to the plateau expecting to chase fast times, only to end up with a check‑in‑style training camp.
Price is only the surface — what you should really look at is the full package behind that price: coach-to-athlete ratio, whether the training schedule is individualized, availability of rehab support, lodging and recovery conditions, and genuine feedback from past participants — not just being lured by a low price.
Price wars move numbers; marathon training relies on science, patience, and solid, hands-on service.
For many runners testing the waters with marathon training camps, they also need to decide whether, on the business side, they want to make quick money or, with a long-term mindset, grow the operation sustainably and find a direction or hot opportunity for transformation.
More people choosing to train in groups is a positive signal for the running community. Individual runners no longer have to tough out long distances alone — with professionals to guide them and like-minded partners alongside, they can avoid a lot of unnecessary detours.
But clubs and training camps are only tools, not a universal cure for PBs.
Before joining, ask yourself three questions:
First: Are this organization's responsibilities and liabilities clearly defined? How do they handle injuries or withdrawing from the camp?
Second: Do I need this camp's training system, or am I simply drawn to the halo of star athletes and the social vibe?
Third: Do the club's model and the coaches' philosophies match my physical base, goals, and financial capacity?
Group training is great, but there's no need to blindly chase the hype.
Look at commercial running clubs rationally and separate passion from business — only then can group training help us go further instead of getting swept up in market waves.
I hope that on autumn racecourses we'll hear one inspiring, passionate story after another from training camps, not petty squabbles and gossip from inside those camps.
[End-of-article interaction]
Text / Editor:Roving correspondent / David
Image source: Paoye Dabaozha
Visual: Max
