Expats excited to participate in Shenzhen Marathon

The much-anticipated Shenzhen Marathon returned on Sunday after a three-year hiatus, with 20,000 runners participating in the event's full and half marathons.

Thomas Royet, a French entrepreneur who has been living in Shenzhen for 17 years and is a fan of the Shenzhen Marathon, was excited to run again in the city he calls a home away from home. He and his friend Richard Howard, from the UK, were among the group of 80-strong foreign runners taking part in the race.

"Shenzhen is like a runner's paradise. For example, the beautiful Shenzhen Bay is long enough to train for long distance. You’ve got world-class facilities for workouts in stadiums as well," said Howard.