dawu chaotai journey: the world is so big cross mountains and chase seasons

"People claim that the best years are actually the most painful, only in retrospect do they seem so happy."

- Preface

In 2017, I participated in the Codoon-organized Great Five Peaks pilgrimage for the first time. After the race, I firmly told myself that I would never do trail running again in my life; it was too torturous.

It wasn't until I was waiting at the airport, chatting with Monkey about the grueling experience of trail running, that I realized how much I enjoyed recounting every detail. Monkey didn't interrupt, just listened quietly, and finally said, "Congratulations, you've gained a new experience."

Thus, the 2017 experience at Mount Wutai became a haunting memory.

I kept thinking about running the same route again in 2018, spending a year preparing to see if I could grow from suffering to enjoying the race itself, growing wild and free.

On April 14, 2018, I participated in the Chaigutangsi Trail Race and said, "Running in the rain is really exhilarating."

On May 20, 2018, at the TNF100 Qinling Station, I said, "Can the weather get any worse than this?"

On June 9, 2018, at the third Great Five Peaks, I took back what I said at the TNF100 Qinling.

1. "Being flashy comes at a price."

(From right to left: two of the four trail running kings: Agile Squinty Chubby and Short-legged High Cadence King)

I believe that as a man, it's impossible not to compete; this life will always be about competing, with oneself and with those around you.

Last year, after running Mount Wutai, I felt it was particularly torturous. So, to share this joy with my friends, I invited two of my trail running beasts to experience it together.

A thousand people have a thousand definitions of trail running. For example, I think fun things should be done with friends.

For instance, Teacher Hanawa's definition of trail running is that piety is the most important. How do you show your piety?

"Wear less to fully feel nature's gifts."

"Mount Wutai is always sunny and pleasant every year. It would be better if there were strong winds and rain to add some difficulty." This wasn't said by me; it was Hanawa.

"Teacher Hanawa, it's supposed to be very cold tomorrow. Aren't you going to wear long sleeves and pants?" "I can't afford to lose face." This wasn't said by Hanawa; it was mentioned during a conversation between Hanawa and Shisan.

Who is Shisan? He's the one who told me at the TNF100 Moganshan that trail running is all about short sleeves and shorts. Why fear the cold? Fast runners are like a gust of wind; the wind only makes others cold, not themselves.

There are too many people like this around me, and I'm easily influenced.

So, before the race, after Fatty took my left-side profile photo, I vaguely heard him say, "So ugly," when I looked down at the picture.

So, on the morning of the race, I resolutely changed my long-sleeve thermal layer to a short sleeve.

After all, the 40K and 70K routes at Mount Wutai intersect. Wearing short sleeves to stay flashy, I would surely be praised by Teacher Hanawa and Shisan Xiaolei.

"Hmm, Squid, very good, you've grown."

For this compliment, never mind short sleeves, I would even try a vest if you handed it to me.

2. "I'm an old hand, I know the way, I can't lose."

They say the first time is unfamiliar, the second time is familiar. As someone standing at the 40K starting line for the second time, I can say I'm very familiar with the route.

At the starting point, friends kept asking, "Why aren't you running the 70K?"

Because the 70K qualification requires finishing the 40K within 8 hours last year, and I took over 9 hours, so I didn't qualify.

So, when the host Tiger was about to start the countdown, I patted my little niece and tried to imitate all the rituals of the great runners in my mind.

Like Dabao putting on headphones to listen to music, Shisan taking off his jacket, Hanawa starting with a sprint.

At that moment, I felt I had imitated them very well, even the tone of voice.

"Koala, give me the center spot, I'm going to dash out, free and easy with the wind."

"Okay, giving you the freedom to fly."

(After the race, Nathan told me, "Squid, you can cut the tube shorter, don't let it hang around your neck like Nezha's Red Armillary Sash.")

So, I sprinted for a full two kilometers, feeling the glory of leading the race with no one ahead of me. At that moment, I realized one thing.

The joy of leading was about to end because the next part was the hardest climb of the 40K, a 2-kilometer ascent with a 700-meter elevation gain.

I expected it to be hard, but I didn't expect the weather to make it even harder.

Due to the weather, I experienced for the first time the process of relying on shouting for communication.

"Those behind, go right! Go right!"

"Okay, thank you, those ahead."

Unable to see the road ahead, I just moved slowly, step by step, as it was the path to the checkpoint for food.

I quickly drank some hot water, ate four bananas, three slices of bread, a bowl of plain noodles, and a can of food, then hurriedly continued running. It wasn't that I couldn't eat more; the demonic wind was too cold.

If the natural wind from a Midea air conditioner is like an angel kissing your face, then the wind at Mount Wutai's East Peak is like the King of Hell choking your throat. (I hope Midea remembers me for future business events, heart.)

Just a bit down from the East Peak, a volunteer stopped the runners, giving a yellow card warning.

"It's like this, it's snowing heavily on the North Peak, the weather is extremely bad, we suggest the runners withdraw."

"Can we still run?"

"We suggest withdrawing, but we also respect each runner's decision."

At that moment, two 40K companions arrived, and we made a unanimous decision.

"Continue the race, but the three of us will stick together and take care of each other."

3. "On the way to the North Peak, I met the idols I had been longing to see."

I think this video can basically reflect how cold Mount Wutai was that day.

If it still doesn't reflect it, I think the 70K runners we met head-on can give the answer.

When I met Hanawa, the one who told me:

"Piety means wearing less and fully accepting nature's gifts."

Because of him, the one who made me choose short sleeves, no exaggeration.

I felt like I saw a heavily armored figure in front of me. A windbreaker, long pants, gloves, and plastic bags over the gloves.

If it weren't for those familiar thick lips, I wouldn't have recognized him as the teacher Hanawa who would rather wear a vest than short sleeves.

(Look, he even put plastic bags over his gloves.)

During our brief meeting and warm embrace.

While Teacher Hanawa kept repeating in my ear, "It's snowing heavily on the North Peak! It's so cold!"

I was thinking about the feasibility of taking Teacher Hanawa's clothes, even if it was just the plastic bags to cover my hands.

But then I thought, I can't outrun him, nor can I beat him, so I could only say to Teacher Hanawa in my heart,

"Damn."

After saying goodbye to Teacher Hanawa, every 70K friend I met said the same thing,

"The North Peak is very cold. If you can't make it, just withdraw, Squid."

"Withdrawing is impossible, not in this life."

With this belief, I moved towards the "very cold North Peak" they mentioned.

No exaggeration, at that moment, I wasn't thinking about withdrawing or not. Curled up in my OR windbreaker with short sleeves, I was thinking about a simple and honest truth.

"Don't stop, keep running, running will warm you up."

4. "I think all questions can be answered in a moment."

I think many friends might have thought about withdrawing during yesterday's race.

Or asked themselves, why come here to torture yourself? Isn't giving up also a form of wisdom?

But it seems some answers don't need many words; a moment is enough.

When I ran a bit down from the North Peak towards the finish line, the weather started to clear up.

When the thick fog in front of me suddenly began to dissipate, revealing a clear sky and a sea of clouds.

When I saw the calm and vast mountains and rivers, with no trace of greed, anger, or delusion, and we kept moving forward, still on the road.

In these small moments, I suddenly felt that this is the reason for the obsession and persistence.

"Just for this moment."

5. "Without the people and stories we care about, each trail race would be no different."

At the finish line, when we crossed the line hand in hand, the host Tiger said, "It seems many of our runners chose to cross the line hand in hand today, I wonder why."

Perhaps runners are mostly not good with words but are good at expressing through actions.

So, I sincerely believe that companionship is the best form of gratitude, nothing more.

Thank you to every staff member of the third Great Five Peaks organized by Codoon for their warmth and dedication.

Thank you to every companion I met on the road during the third Great Five Peaks, I truly gained a lot.

Thank you to myself for not giving up, for achieving the small goal of finishing within 8 hours, so I can join the 70K team next year.

CC said, "Without the people and stories we care about, each trail race would be no different."

After the race, Brother Xiong said, "This Mount Wutai race is destined to be recorded in the history of trail running."

People claim that the best years are actually the most painful, only in retrospect do they seem so happy.

But this world is like this, we all grow a bit through constant falls, turning past events into poetry, and using memories to drink, gulping down the wine of memories.

No matter how painful the fall was, we will continue to move forward.

On this road, you are not alone; at least here, you have found your kind.

So you realize, there will always be a group of people working hard alongside you, remembering this kind of companionship, and persisting in what you love.

I am Shen Squid, thank you for reading this rambling account.

See you next year in the 70K team.