Set to hit the wall - China's Great Wall|17 May 12 @ 09:49am

MARATHON runners Marilyn Lewis and Kim Arenson, of St Ives, will be in unknown territory when they tackle a goat’s trail in Saturday’s Great Wall Marathon in China.

Lewis, 48, and Arenson, 44, are competing in the 42.2km race for the first time but it is no ordinary marathon.

The race includes running up and down 5164 steps of the Great Wall and crawling uphill on a goat’s trail through the Tianjin province.

With temperatures expected to eclipse 30C, Arenson said it won’t be a race against the clock but a survival of the fittest battle.

``I can’t wait,’’ she said.

``What an incredible challenge and adventure it is going be.’‘

The good friends, who have competed in marathons and half-marathons in Canberra, the Gold Coast and New York, hope to hit the finishing line together.

Lewis, who is trained by St Ives Australian and world natural figure champion Loretta Mostofi, said the pair will run together to the finish line.

``It’s going to be very difficult and there are parts of the course where you can fall off,’’ she said.

``It will take two hours more than the last marathon I ran, so it will be more exhausting.

``I’m just hoping to finish.’‘

Trained by personal trainer Ben Wadwell, Arenson said the endurance run is more than a physical test.

``The first 21km is easy, after that it’s all mental,’’ she said.

``I won’t be giving up.’‘

Details: great-wall-marathon.com