HOHHOT, China, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A half marathon attended by nearly 1,000 domestic runners kicked off on Monday in the freezing cold Genhe, a city recognized as China's "Pole of Cold," northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Local runners Bi Fengyang and Li Xin won the men's and women's events respectively in 1:14:57 and 1:31:31.

Runners who completed a distance of 21.0975 kilometers within 3.5 hours received awards.

Organizers also hosted a five-kilometer run and a snowshoeing activity at the same time, when the outdoor temperature was about minus 40 degrees Celsius.

Located at the northernmost tip of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Genhe's average yearly temperature is minus 5.3 degrees Celsius, while its lowest temperature recorded is minus 58 degrees Celsius.