Months ago, when news first broke about the ambitious plan to have humanoid robots join human runners in a half marathon, it sparked a lot of curiosity and some skepticism. Now, the much-anticipated event has officially taken place in Beijing, and it offered a glimpse into how far robotics has come, and how much more ground there is to cover.

On April 19, in the city’s Economic-Technological Development Area, 21.0975 kilometers of mixed terrain set the stage for a unique test: humans and robots moving side by side, though each in separate lanes for safety. The setup allowed for shared participation while respecting the technical needs of the robots, such as battery swaps that resembled quick pit stops rather than traditional refreshment breaks.

Each robotic participant had a human team in tow: navigators, operators, and engineers, all working quietly in the background to support the machines’ efforts. Performance wasn’t judged by speed alone; awards recognized endurance, gait design, and creative engineering, acknowledging that athleticism in robotics takes many forms.

Among the 20 teams, Tiangong Ultra, a humanoid robot developed by the Tiangong Team, led the pack. Tiangong Ultra standing 1.8 meters tall and weighing 55 kilograms finished the half marathon in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. Notably, its performance was supported by the Huisi Kaiwu platform, a system designed to enhance embodied intelligence, helping it maintain a pace of 7-8 km/h while occasionally reaching peaks of 12 km/h.

Participants like Zhang Huihui, a human runner in the event, shared their impressions: “Some of the robots were impressively quick, faster than I expected. I hope they keep coming back for future marathons.”

The course itself wasn't forgiving. Stretching through Nanhaizi Park, Paulownia Boulevard, and Wenbo Bridge, runners both human and robotic faced cracked asphalt, gravel paths, gentle hills, and patches of grass. For the robots, each surface tested their stride, balance, and the strength of their locomotion algorithms in ways that no lab environment could fully replicate.

Liang Liang, Deputy Director of Yizhuang’s Administrative Committee, described the variety among the robots. Some were built for speed, others focused on interaction or sleek design. Although all the robots used electric propulsion, the diversity in their movements and designs highlighted the range of creativity from the teams involved.

The Real Challenge: Beyond the Finish Line

Running a marathon is already a tough ask for any machine, but humanoid robots bring an additional layer of complexity. Each one is a system of thousands of components, and surviving a 21-kilometer outdoor race demanded a combination of heat dissipation, joint coordination, and precise navigation.

According to Xiong Youjun, CEO of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, real-world conditions like cracked roads, changing elevations, unexpected debris posed a very different challenge from a controlled lab track. It exposed weaknesses that teams will now take back to improve future models.

Rather than pure competition, the event encouraged knowledge-sharing across teams. Guo Yijie, Tiangong’s technical lead, shared that their strategy focused on real-time self-monitoring, optimizing joint torque, and refining stability based on human motion data. Key design areas included lightweight frames, coupled leg designs, and improved cooling systems.

For others, like Cui Wenhao of the Xuanfeng Xiaozi Team, the experience was a powerful learning opportunity. A snapped screw during a previous trial run forced their team to reinforce the ankle joints with new support structures — lessons they applied successfully in the official race.

Cui emphasized a point that resonated with many: long-distance outdoor testing is rarely seen in robotics, and the event helped drive structural and performance improvements that might not have emerged otherwise.

A Symbolic Start for China’s Humanoid Robotics Industry

Beyond the excitement of race day, the event marked a milestone for China's growing humanoid robotics field. It aligned with broader national strategies: in 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology outlined humanoid robots as a key development focus, targeting applications across manufacturing, services, and operations in challenging environments.

According to the Ministry, China holds over 190,000 valid robotics-related patents — around two-thirds of the global total. This momentum is supported by research forecasting that China's humanoid robot market could grow to approximately 870 billion yuan (about $119 billion USD) by 2030.

Xu Xiaolan, President of the China Electronics Society, noted that fields like artificial intelligence are increasingly shaping the evolution of robotics. The 2024 Embodied Intelligence Development Report echoes this view, projecting significant new opportunities as robots become more capable of interacting with real-world environments.

Liang summarized the spirit of the marathon succinctly: the goal wasn't just to finish a race it was to lay foundations for the next phase of robotics development. The efforts we saw on the track may one day translate into meaningful changes in how robots assist in workplaces, homes, and even public spaces.

As we reflect on this milestone, it's clear that while robots have taken their first real-world steps alongside humans, the journey is only just beginning.