a beginner runners marathon story

In 2015, I heard many stories from wave runners about their marathon experiences. As for me, a novice runner with no stories, I finally gained some stories of my own through running.

January 2, 2016, at 11:39:15 AM, was the most touching moment since I started running. I was moved by myself, capturing that moment. I was grateful my heart was still beating, that I could still feel the beauty of the world, breathe in the fresh air of Xiamen, and hear the cheers around me. Xu Duoduo, you have finally safely completed your first marathon, 42.195 kilometers.

Until the morning of the 2nd, when I woke up naturally, I was still filled with unease. My right foot was still sore, and I didn't dare to exert force naturally. But since I was already there, I decided to make the best of it. After washing up and having a perfect breakfast that filled me with positive energy, I got dressed in my running gear and set off immediately.

The closer we got to the starting point, the more crowded the roads became. Tens of thousands of runners were converging from all directions into various starting groups. By the time we reached the stadium starting point, the groups were already filled with marathon runners ready to go. Due to unclear signage and staff instructions, the four of us took quite a while to finally squeeze into the first group of invited runners.

During the race, I didn't miss any of the official supplies every five kilometers. I drank water at every station, consumed sports drinks and bananas after the halfway point before drinking water. About half an hour before the start, I took an energy gel and a salt tablet. For the first two supplies, I only drank a small cup of water. At 10 kilometers and 15 kilometers, I took another salt tablet each time. I usually like to hold a sip in my mouth and swallow it bit by bit. When discarding the paper cup after drinking, I made sure to aim for the bins on the side to avoid affecting other runners.

I planned to run at a pace of 5:30 per kilometer. Around the 25-kilometer mark, I saw the official 3:30 pacer catching up. After 30 kilometers, due to a cramp in my left foot, I stopped to stretch and adjust, which significantly slowed my pace. I thought to myself, with just over 10 kilometers left, I could finish at a 6:00 pace. But looking at the runners ahead and checking my watch, I found my pace was still around 5:30. In the last 10 kilometers, I constantly checked my watch, hoping to reach 40+ kilometers soon. At 35 kilometers, volunteers on the roadside started shouting, 'Hang in there, the finish line is just ahead.' I saw some people starting to walk, and I wanted to walk too, but I kept running, following the runners ahead at a 5:40 pace. At 40 kilometers, volunteers shouted, 'Only 2 kilometers to the finish line, keep going, you can do it!'

Finally, I reached 42 kilometers at a pace of around 5:40. Men and women began to split into separate lanes for the finish. I saw two female runners ahead of me taking big strides, gritting their teeth, and accelerating. Being cautious, I remembered hearing about runners who had sudden heart attacks from sudden acceleration. Having completed 42 kilometers, why not enjoy the last 195 meters slowly? With a smile on my face, I maintained my original pace of around 5:30 and ran towards the finish line. Crossing the finish line, I felt like crying. But I didn't stop; I kept running slowly, looking for my teammates waiting at the finish line. That moment was the most complex emotionally, yet lonely with no one to share it with.

Because the pants I wore this time were not suitable, my inner thighs were chafed and sore after 15 kilometers. The pain felt like salt being rubbed into the wound. After 30 kilometers, my left leg started cramping, which distracted me from the chafing pain. This was the first time I experienced cramping while running, and it made me a bit panicked and unsure of what to do. I started stretching my calf, but it didn't help much. Seeing two runners ahead of me stopping to stretch by the roadside, I mimicked their actions, and it indeed improved. Cramping during running could be due to the cold without proper warm-up or excessive electrolyte loss due to heat.

I owe my successful completion of this race to many people. Thanks to all the participants of the Xiamen Marathon, we shared that morning together. Thanks to friends who cheered us on. Thanks to my 2015 self for sticking with running.