Beijing to Host the World's First Human vs. Robot Half Marathon

Diego Tobias
Mar 20, 2025
6 min read

Updated: Mar 29, 2025

The world of distance running is about to witness a historic first. This April, Beijing will host the first-ever human-robot half marathon, where 12,000 human runners will compete alongside humanoid robots in an unprecedented test of endurance, speed, and technology. The event will mark a groundbreaking moment in sports and robotics, pushing the boundaries of what machines can accomplish alongside human athletes.

Will robots be able to keep up with the best distance runners on the planet? Or will they crash, malfunction, or run out of battery before crossing the finish line?

Let’s break down everything you need to know about this once-in-a-lifetime race.

How the Human-Robot Half Marathon Will Work

The 21.1-kilometer (13.1-mile) race will take place on April 13, 2025, in Beijing, starting at Nanhaizi Park and finishing at Tongming Lake. Human participants will compete as they would in any traditional half marathon, while robots, built by over 20 global tech companies, will have to follow strict guidelines to be eligible for the race.

Here’s what makes this event unique:

Robot Eligibility Criteria

Humanoid Shape: All robots must have a human-like structure—no wheels, drones, or rolling devices allowed.
Movement Requirements: Robots must walk or run using bipedal locomotion (no four-legged designs).
Two Types of Robots: Some robots will be autonomous, using AI to run without assistance, while others will be remote-controlled by operators.

Race Rules and Logistics

Time Limit: All robots must complete the half marathon within 3 hours and 30 minutes to be considered finishers.
Battery Management: If a robot runs out of battery, its team can replace it—but with a 10-minute penalty per battery swap.
Robot Relays Allowed: Some teams can swap out robots mid-race, but each substitution also results in a 10-minute penalty.

These rules are meant to ensure that robots face similar endurance challenges as human runners while allowing for some realistic technological limitations.

Will Robots Actually Be Able to Keep Up?

While humanoid robots have made huge advancements in recent years, they still have a long way to go before they can rival elite human endurance athletes.

Current Speed & Endurance of Running Robots

Fastest Humanoid Robot: Cassie, a bipedal robot developed by Agility Robotics, set a Guinness World Record for the fastest 100 meters by a robot in 24.73 seconds. That’s slower than an average high school sprinter but still impressive.
Boston Dynamics' Atlas: One of the most advanced humanoid robots, Atlas, can perform parkour and sprint for short distances but has never been tested over long distances.
Battery Limitations: The biggest problem for robots is power—current humanoid robots can only run for about 30-40 minutes before needing a battery swap.

Compare this to elite human runners, who can run a half marathon in under 60 minutes and maintain speeds of 13 mph for over an hour.

At this stage, no humanoid robot is capable of running an entire half marathon without stopping. The main challenge for robots won’t be speed but energy efficiency and durability over long distances.

How Will Humans and Robots Be Separated?

To prevent potential collisions, malfunctions, or technical failures impacting human runners, the course will have separate running lanes for robots and humans.

However, there will still be points where they will run side by side, allowing for some incredible moments where runners and machines will be pushing toward the finish line together.

Race officials are also preparing backup protocols in case a robot collapses mid-race or malfunctions in a way that could interfere with human competitors.

Who Will Win? Humans or Machines?

At this stage, humans are still the dominant endurance runners—but that may not always be the case.

Right now, the biggest weakness of robots is battery life, stability, and adaptability. The best distance runners in the world can maintain high speeds, adjust to terrain changes, and run through exhaustion, while robots are still struggling to run in a straight line for more than a few minutes.

That being said, technology evolves fast.

In the 1980s, robots couldn’t even walk properly.
In 2013, robots barely managed to stay upright while walking.
By 2022, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas could sprint, jump, and perform backflips.
By 2030, it’s possible that humanoid robots will be capable of running full marathons at competitive speeds.

While humans will almost certainly win this year, this event is a first step toward the day when robots might actually compete against elite human runners in endurance sports.

Why This Event Matters

Beyond the entertainment value, this human-robot half marathon is an important moment in robotics, AI, and sports history.

What This Race Could Mean for the Future:

✅ Advancements in AI & Robotics: Testing humanoid robots in real-world endurance scenarios will speed up innovation in AI-driven movement and energy efficiency.✅ Potential for AI-Assisted Training: The development of humanoid robots could revolutionize the way athletes train, with robots acting as pacers or training partners for elite runners.✅ A New Era of Competition: If AI and robotics continue to improve, we could eventually see humans and robots competing in Olympic-style events within the next few decades.

The first self-driving car race happened in 2004. Less than 20 years later, AI-powered race cars were outperforming human drivers in certain conditions.

Could the same happen with distance running?

In a pioneering event that blurs the lines between human athleticism and robotic innovation, Beijing is set to host the world's first human-robot half marathon on April 13, 2025. This unprecedented race will feature 12,000 human runners competing alongside humanoid robots from over 20 companies, marking a significant milestone in the integration of robotics into mainstream society.

Event Overview

The half marathon will cover the standard distance of 21.0975 kilometers (approximately 13.1 miles), starting at the South Square of Nanhaizi Park (Phase I) and concluding at the National Information Technology Application Innovation Industrial Park (Xinchuang Park) near Tongming Lake. Both human participants and robots will commence the race simultaneously from the same starting point. For safety purposes, the course will have barriers or green belts to separate human runners from robotic participants, ensuring a secure environment for all.

Robot Participation Criteria

To qualify for the race, participating robots must adhere to specific criteria:

Humanoid Appearance: Robots are required to have a human-like form, capable of bipedal walking or running. Designs incorporating wheels are not permitted.
Control Mechanisms: Both manual remote-controlled (including semi-autonomous) and fully autonomous robots are eligible to participate.
Safety Compliance: Teams must ensure that their robots do not pose any risk to the track, other participating robots, or surrounding individuals.

Race Regulations and Logistics

The organizers have established specific guidelines to accommodate the unique capabilities and limitations of robotic participants:

Cut-off Time: Robots are allotted a maximum of 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete the race.
Battery Replacement and Robot Relays: Teams are permitted to replace batteries or implement robot swaps during the race. However, each robot swap will incur a 10-minute penalty, impacting the team's overall standing.

Awards and Recognition

To acknowledge the achievements of both human and robotic participants, the event will present awards in several categories:

Top Finishers: The first three finishers, irrespective of being human or robot, will receive prizes of CNY 5,000, CNY 4,000, and CNY 3,000, respectively.
Special Awards for Robots: Additional accolades will be granted to robots for categories such as Best Endurance, Most Popular, Best Gait, and Best Creative Design, among others.

Implications for Robotics and Society

This event signifies a remarkable advancement in humanoid robotics, showcasing their potential to operate in dynamic, real-world scenarios alongside humans. Li Quan, deputy head of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, expressed that the marathon aims to "showcase achievements in the humanoid robotics industry and spark discussions to deepen the public's understanding of robot capabilities, thereby accelerating industry development."

By integrating humanoid robots into a mainstream sporting event, the marathon not only highlights technological progress but also encourages public engagement and discourse on the evolving role of robots in daily life. This fusion of athletics and technology may pave the way for future collaborations and innovations, further blurring the lines between human and machine capabilities.

Final Thoughts: A Race for the History Books

On April 13, Beijing will make history by hosting the first-ever human-robot half marathon. While humans will almost certainly win this time, the real story is how much closer robots are getting to matching human endurance.

Will this event be a glimpse into the future of sports, where machines and humans race side by side? Or will it serve as proof that no amount of AI can replicate human endurance, strategy, and willpower?

Either way, this will be a race that the world will never forget.