The first half marathon among humanoid robots was held in Beijing

Technology market observers believe the half-marathon could accelerate robotics development more than any laboratory test. China's humanoid robots have demonstrated both significant strengths and critical weaknesses: the Tiangong Ultra set a world record for top speed of about 12 km/h, while smaller models have encountered problems with overheating and instability. The organizers called the event a “technology stress test,” noting the special atmosphere of the competition, where falls and glitches were met with applause rather than disappointment. In short, this race was not about medals - it was an event that became a milestone in the history of robotics.

The significance of the world's first half marathon for humanoid robots

April 19, 2025 was a historic date: for the first time in Beijing, a half marathon was held exclusively for humanoid robots. While regular athletes (about 12,000 participants) competed in parallel, the main arena was 20 robot teams from China, each competing in a parallel race on 21.1 kilometers of real open roads.

This competition was not intended as a competition, but as a test of the endurance limits of humanoid robots in a living environment. Unlike laboratory tests or pre-prepared tracks, here the robots faced unpredictable conditions: slides, turns, heat, vibrations. They had to cope with road irregularities, weather changes and mechanical wear and tear.

One of the organizers called the marathon an “extreme stress test.” Here all components were tested at once: balancing systems, energy supply, response to sudden obstacles, cooling efficiency and decision-making under stress. For the first time, robots found themselves in the same chaotic situation as real human athletes, with their creators walking alongside them, often running alongside them, holding tools in their hands.

Only six of the twenty robots that started finished. But the organizers did not perceive this as a defeat, but as a manifestation of the special culture of tolerance for mistakes cultivated by China. When the robots fell, the public cheered for their return to duty. The crowd shouted encouragement (“Come on, robots!”) as they watched the machines stumble, overheat, or lose their balance. One robot completely lost its head near the finish line, but continued to run further, literally without a head.

This emphasis on effort over results is rare in robotics, where public demonstrations are often tightly planned. Here, problems were seen as inevitable and desirable learning opportunities. As event officials noted, the purpose of the race was not so much to spectacle, but to purposefully search for bottlenecks in modern humanoid technology and stimulate the creation of more durable, efficient and adaptable models.

Real lessons learned

Among the conclusions the following points can be highlighted:

Completing the 21-kilometre distance required about a quarter of a million foot steps—a major test for any dynamic balance mechanism.

Most devices overheated, clearly showing the need to urgently look for better cooling methods.

Some robots lost their balance on turns or slopes, revealing the limitations of existing motion control algorithms.

Battery life remains a major concern, with several machines having to change batteries mid-run. One team replaced their robot five times during one race.

However, the results achieved gave hope. For example, the Tiangong Ultra, jointly developed by the innovation center of Beihang University and UBTECH, completed the distance in less than three hours, changing the battery only once and stably maintaining a speed of approximately 8-9 kilometers per hour. Another participant, the N2 robot from Songyan Dynamics, became the only device to complete the race completely autonomously, without a human guide. These breakthroughs show that humanoid robots are gradually approaching effective functioning in everyday reality. The designers used the race not only to test the technology, but also to gather valuable practical feedback needed for future versions. The open and transparent nature of the event, broadcast online without editing, reflects a new phase of confidence among robotics developers in China.

Changing cultural guidelines in robotics

Beyond the technical aspects, the event marked a cultural shift. It underscores a growing belief that advances in robotics should happen publicly, through trial and error, rather than in closed laboratories. Another message is loud and clear: We now need robots that are not just suitable for demonstration in the laboratory, but are robust, autonomous and adaptive enough to fit into everyday reality - be it logistics, healthcare, education or households.

This half marathon made visible the invisible efforts of engineers: the years of coding, detail tuning and mechanical tweaks behind the seemingly simple action of each step. For the spectators, the race turned out to be entertainment, for the designers - a necessary test, and for the robots themselves - a chance to prove that they are no longer prototypes, but future helpers of humanity.