xi ma spring is the time to run the cherry blossom marathon

Xima, Xima, Xima, knock it a few more times so the input method remembers, I'm not writing Xima.

I am an anesthesiologist from Xi'an. They say anesthesiologists deal with death every day. Having seen life and death often, I understand the preciousness of life even more. Two years ago, I slowly started running.

I completed my first marathon in Yangling, Shaanxi. To be honest, it was a reckless attempt. Without any full marathon experience and adequate pre-race preparation, I completely collapsed at 30 kilometers, barely finishing the last 10 kilometers. However, this provided valuable lessons for future races. Later that year, I participated in the Xi'an Marathon with a relaxed and safe mindset, enjoying the race and feeling the enthusiasm of the people of Xi'an. After the Xi'an Marathon, I decided to run a full marathon seriously on the most beautiful course in the best season.

At the beginning of 2019, I registered for the Wuxi Marathon. Despite the low 21% lottery rate, I was still favored by the goddess Xishi.

I didn't strictly follow the training standards before the race, running only about 40 kilometers per week. I went back to my hometown for the New Year, indulged in my mother's delicious cooking, and didn't control my diet at all. I also had a few drinks with my father every day. After a week, my physical condition almost returned to its pre-liberation state. After the New Year, I started everything with weight loss. I quit drinking, controlled my diet, did aerobic exercises four times a week, and strength training at the gym three times a week, gradually restoring my physical condition. Even I felt that my steps had become much lighter than before. When I stepped on the scale, I found I had lost nearly 8 pounds in a month. This might have laid a physical foundation for my performance.

*Codoon body fat scale, the more you weigh, the thinner you get.

Although I lost weight, I unfortunately caught a cold because I didn't keep warm during exercise. To better adapt to the intensity of the race, I participated in a trail run in Qinling Ziwuyu on March 10 (two weeks before the Wuxi Marathon), hoping to achieve LSD through the trail run and let my body undergo a preconditioning. It was my first time participating in a trail run, and I signed up for the 17-kilometer experience group with about 900 meters of elevation gain. Perhaps it was the excitement of the first time, or maybe my experience growing up in the mountains (Huangshan, Anhui) gave me a natural advantage in mountain running. I finished in 2 hours and 8 minutes, taking first place, 15 minutes faster than the second place (full marathon PB 3:45). This greatly boosted my confidence and laid a psychological foundation for my performance in the Wuxi Marathon.

*You never know until you try, and when you try, it can be surprising.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan: resting before the race, reducing running volume a week before, and starting to supplement enough carbohydrates three or four days before. Although I still had a bit of a cold, I thought it shouldn't be a big problem. But man proposes, God disposes. The flight on the 22nd night was delayed, and I arrived at the hotel at 2 AM. The next morning, I woke up with a headache, sore throat, and stuffy nose. I took two Tylenol pills with a sense of unease and silently prayed for the goddess Xishi's blessing.

The scene at the race kit collection was a sea of cherry blossom red, and I was immediately infected by the atmosphere. The effect of Tylenol also reached its peak, and everything started to feel better. The race kit collection process had already been praised by experts from all over the country, so I need not say more.

*Before the race, did you achieve your initial goals?

I also visited Yuantouzhu. Although the cherry blossoms were not fully in bloom, they were already breathtakingly beautiful. Sun Jigao, a Ming Dynasty scholar from Wuxi, described it as 'a turtle floating in the sky, mountains rushing like dragons.' Just look at the pictures.

*Beautiful Yuantouzhu, I only knew the word 'head' before.

In my imagination, Wuxi is a very peaceful, quiet, modern, and elegant small southern city. But after actually walking through it, I felt the problems brought by the rapid development of modern cities and society. Compared to nearby Shanghai, Nanjing, and Suzhou, Wuxi's development is significantly lagging. Walking on the streets, you will find a high proportion of elderly people. I guess it might be because there are too many developed cities around, causing a siphon effect that leads to a serious outflow of young people. After all, my stay was very short, and my understanding is very superficial. I'm just sharing my inner feelings here. But even under such conditions, the Wuxi Marathon can still become one of the most attractive events in China. This must be the result of many people's efforts.

Back at the hotel, I ate a bowl of rice, prepared my race items, set the alarm clock, and went to bed early. After all, I was still coughing.

*Hard to handle Wuxi Marathon pink, Guangzhou Marathon orange suits my low-key temperament better.

Wuxi's dawn comes earlier than Xi'an's, but I still woke up before dawn. Queuing for the toilet, storing my bag, greeting familiar running friends, warming up, I always enjoy this process. At this time, you will see faces full of energy, each one having ideas about life, demands for themselves, and expectations for their dreams. And these faces have not yet experienced the torment of 21 kilometers or 42 kilometers, looking particularly fresh and sunny. Seeing all this, you will feel that the daily training is worth it, and the daily self-discipline is meaningful because you can see yourself in these vibrant faces.

*Thanks to Dong for helping me carry my bag.

 

*Too introverted, embarrassed to ask the young lady for a photo.

The Wuxi Marathon starts in zones based on past performance. Well, E zone, a recognition of my two years as a running novice. Security check--check-in--gunshot--start, the sense of ceremony is the most important essence of a marathon.

*E zone experts disdain to see the starting ceremony, only hearing the starting gun.

*Saying goodbye to the starting point, the gun had already fired for 9 minutes by then.

The Wuxi Marathon course is narrow at the beginning and wide at the end, so the first half is inevitably a bit crowded. But because of the zoned start based on performance, the runners around you are not too different in pace. From 3 kilometers to 17 kilometers, the route runs along the lakeside, with picturesque scenery, a gentle breeze, and suitable temperatures. The flat course allowed me to run at a pace of around 5:25 per kilometer very comfortably. I didn't feel any hardship, and even the cough I had at the start gradually got better. The first half was almost like enjoying a tour.

*Did you see the most handsome guy on the course?

While enjoying the scenery, I unknowingly reached Wuxi's only 211 university: Jiangnan University. Instantly, I felt the most enthusiastic cheers on the entire course. The young lives cheering and jumping on the sidelines instantly dispelled the slight fatigue I felt.

Soon, I reached the point where the half marathon and full marathon split. I glanced at my watch and saw that my pace hadn't dropped. I was secretly delighted, thinking that I was in good shape today and had a chance! For the remaining half, just go for it! Seeing those half marathon runners splitting to the left, I couldn't help but feel a slight, petty sense of superiority. A guy in front of me said, 'Heaven is on the left, hell is on the right.' Clearly, he was experienced.

*Heaven is on the left, hell is on the right.

Leaving Jiangnan University, without the students' cheers, my legs slowly started to feel stiff. At the 22-kilometer aid station, I ate an energy gel I had brought with me and felt energized again. My pace didn't drop and remained around 5:25 per kilometer. Although tired, I still felt capable. This feeling lasted until 33 kilometers. My watch indicated 33 kilometers, taking 3 hours. I calculated that with 9 kilometers left, I only needed 1 hour to break 4 hours, with a pace slightly over 6 minutes per kilometer. I was a bit tired now, so I wondered if I could slow down a bit. Many things are like this: when you start to waver in your mind, your actions quickly reflect it. I immediately felt my thigh muscles stiffen, becoming heavier, and losing connection with my body, almost not belonging to me anymore. My pace immediately dropped to around 5:50 per kilometer. I knew this was the legendary 'hitting the wall.' And hitting the wall is a positive feedback loop: the more you feel like you're hitting the wall, the stronger the feeling becomes, eventually completely overwhelming you.

Realizing this, I started to distract myself, looking up at the sky and glancing at fellow runners. I saw various states: a few still relaxed and enjoying the race (at least it seemed so); some on the verge of collapse, occasionally letting out low growls to motivate themselves; some had completely given up, dragging their legs slowly forward; most were like me, barely holding on, forcing a smile when they saw the camera.

*Even a forced smile is still charming.

7 kilometers, 40 minutes, never felt so long. I endured aid station after aid station, increasingly craving the encouragement from volunteers. I pondered life's unsolvable questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why do I run? Why do I torture myself? Am I out of my mind? I'll never run again...

Finally, relying on that last bit of so-called willpower and two energy gels, I barely made it to almost 39 kilometers. Because I hadn't paid attention to hydration earlier, focusing only on functional drinks, I was particularly thirsty at this point. I drank a few more sips of water at the 39-kilometer aid station, but drank too quickly and got a side stitch. I walked a few steps, and my pace dropped to 6:20 per kilometer. I am especially grateful to a volunteer on the course who cheered me on: 'You've already run 40 kilometers, only 2 kilometers left, don't give up!' When people are vulnerable, they especially need encouragement from others. Simple words gave me immense motivation. 3 hours and 41 minutes, with only the last 2 kilometers left, breaking 4 hours was in sight. I gritted my teeth and pushed through. 40 kilometers was the last milestone marker until the '200 meters to the finish' sign. In the distance, the finish line was there, the crowd was cheering, families were reuniting, and finishers were celebrating. The happiness I had been longing for 4 hours was just 200 meters away, waiting for me. I adjusted my expression, wiped off the sweat, put on a smile, spread my arms, and sprinted forward...

The timer was still running. I turned back and captured the moment 20 seconds after crossing the finish line. I took a deep breath; I did it! I was almost moved to tears by myself. Seeing those older than me and many faster female runners ahead, I thought I'd better not embarrass myself, as it didn't match my status as an E zone expert.

*This hero's victory sign is so fitting.

*Next spring,Remember to draw me again.

After finishing, or more accurately, the moment I crossed the finish line, my phone rang. My college classmate and fellow townsman, Han, who was providing medical support for the Wuxi Marathon, met me in the finish area. With the joy of finishing, fatigue, and catching up with an old friend, I felt a mix of emotions, so much so that I was a bit dazed at the time, as you can tell from my expression.

*For the record, Han is 195 cm tall.

The joy of success lasted a long time, so much so that I still find it hard to calm down when I think back. The entire marathon process felt a lot like life to me. When we are young, we don't know what pain and hardship are; we enjoy the beauty that youth brings every day. Just like the first half of the Wuxi Marathon, with beautiful scenery and pleasant weather. Gradually, the burdens of life weigh on our shoulders, and we start to experience the difficulties of life, but we can still feel its beauty. Sometimes, when life hits a wall and it feels impossible to go on, we ponder that question: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why do people live? Looking at the people around us, each one is like a fellow runner on the marathon course. Everyone has a different attitude towards life: some are relaxed and at ease (at least it seems so); some are struggling on the brink of collapse; some have given up and are drifting along; but most are moving forward with heavy burdens, believing that as long as they work hard, they will eventually see hope and achieve success.

In life, we also have many spectators and course volunteers who cheer us on, but they can't replace us. Every step needs to be completed by ourselves. Whether fast or slow, good or bad, life also has an endpoint. When you reach the endpoint and look back on your life, will you feel the joy of success or regret for not trying harder? Every marathon is unique, and life cannot be lived again. Every step we take becomes a memory, and every step shapes who we are now. It doesn't matter how well we perform; what matters is that we have run happily. Isn't that right? The spring water is just born, the spring forest is just flourishing, and the spring breeze is ten miles long, but it's not as good as the Wuxi Marathon. If I hadn't run the Wuxi Marathon in spring, I wouldn't have understood all this. Thank you, Wuxi, thank you, marathon!