The 2026 Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon is set to kick off on April 19. An unprecedented late-night test run took place from the evening of April 11 to the early hours of April 12 at the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.

But this wasn't just a warm-up — it was a full-scale simulation test of the entire race. Designed to mirror real competition conditions, the test run covered everything from route navigation and scheduling to equipment coordination and emergency response, aimed at ensuring that robot competitors will run smoothly from start to finish during the race.

A humanoid robot from Unitree on a test run of the half marathon

More than 70 teams, including four international ones, took part in the test. Robots competing in both autonomous navigation and remote-controlled categories raced side by side, all demonstrating remarkable performances. Among them, the debut team from Unitree Robotics drew significant attention. Its star humanoid robot "H1", dressed in a sleek black "battle suit", stole the spotlight. On certain stretches, H1 showcased remarkable acceleration — even briefly outpacing the accompanying support electric vehicle. As a "veteran", H1 had previously won multiple titles at the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games. Standing about 1.8 meters tall and weighing 47–62 kilograms, it has achieved a peak speed of 10 meters per second in testing, setting a new world record for 100-meter sprint speed among humanoid robots and approaching the limits of human performance.

This test strictly followed a "full-process, full-scenario, full-element" standard. For the first time, teams ran the entire official distance (21.0975 kilometers) at night, adhering to the real race procedure, rules, and support systems. The test covered two competition categories, two race environments (urban main roads and ecological parks), and two testing scenarios (technical performance and logistical support). Through this comprehensive stress test, the teams were able to identify potential issues and fine-tune the robots' operational details.

As the world's first humanoid robot marathon series, this year's race will see new benchmarks in scale, technological innovation, and event arrangement and support, among other aspects. On April 19, this groundbreaking half marathon will officially begin. More than just a race, it marks a major step forward for the robotics industry — accelerating the transition of humanoid robots from lab to large-scale, real-world application.

(Source: Beijing Daily)