zheng kai flagbearer running age three months half marathon extremely easy

In mid-May 2015, I began exercising to lose weight and reduce fat. By early September of the same year, I had successfully completed my goal. To this day, I have maintained my health without any rebound. The entire process can be condensed into a progression from being a "runner who gets out of breath after 200 meters" to a "runner who can run 30 kilometers with ease."

When discussing my half-marathon progression, I must thank three people—Yang Weifeng, Zhang Jian, and myself. To successfully complete the half-marathon, I relied on three qualities—ambition, vanity, and perseverance.

Initially, I used another app, but after several months of frequent data loss, I switched to Codoon. The earliest record I can find on Codoon is a cycling session on November 17th, followed by my first running record on the 19th.

After completing my first documented 10 kilometers, I didn't run more than 10 kilometers in a single session for the next month. Better late than never, my first mid-to-long distance run finally happened on December 17th, and soon after, the slogan "Half-Marathon Challenge" was raised 11 days later.

Reflecting on the period from late November to the end of the year, I must have been influenced by Yang Weifeng, a full-marathon 3:30 runner who discovered a book called 'The Running Bible' at a bookstore. He kept saying, 'Books must be borrowed to be read,' and would go to the bookstore every day to read it, explaining to me how to run correctly and correcting my running posture. Of course, the term 'half-marathon' came up frequently, and under Yang's deliberate guidance, I naively asked him to create a training plan for my half-marathon challenge.

Perhaps because I completed my first half-marathon without any breaks or supplies, I continued to run mid-to-long distances without breaks or supplies for a long time afterward, only recently starting to change. Aside from thirst, the soreness in my thighs the next day left a deep impression on me. The difficulty of moving up and down stairs without lifting my legs is something I will never forget. The first half-marathon was a hurdle, but after a week of rest, I found that running another half-marathon became much easier, and my legs didn't hurt the next day.

The Zhengkai Marathon of 2016My first full marathonFirst, it's worth mentioning my race attire. I might be the only member of the Xuchang Marathon Association who decorated their race attire: two large characters 'Xuchang' on the back and 'I love my family' on the front. Compared to taking it seriously, I felt this had more commemorative value. It showcased the style of our 'ancient capital of Han and Wei' at this local event and gave me a chance to express my heartfelt thanks to my family for supporting my running!

I was honored and privileged to be the half-marathon flag bearer for the Xuchang Marathon Association at the 2016 Zhengkai International Marathon, which was the highlight of this event. With the belief that 'as long as the flag is up, I am up,' I took the flag from the president and stepped onto the Zhengkai Avenue. Initially, I started with Zhou Xiaoqi, the 'handsome gatekeeper' from Xuchang University. Thinking that my old arms and legs shouldn't hold him back, I told him, 'Run freely, don't worry about me.' Unexpectedly, after 5 kilometers, I was the one excitedly weaving through the crowd, leaving him far behind. After 7 kilometers, the crowd thinned out, and I no longer had to weave through people. I could stride forward, aiming to 'conquer wherever the flag points.' Passing the supply points without eating or drinking, I didn't look at the scenery or the beautiful cheerleaders. My obsessive mind was focused on catching up to and surpassing the flags ahead! It sounds a bit silly, but when I overtook the official 3:30 pacer, I disdainfully thought, 'What's this? Running so slow!'

My obsessive flag-chasing behavior finally ended at the half-marathon finish line. I was very pleased that, at least within my sight, no one else was running with a flag. Seeing the electronic screen display 1 hour and 54 minutes, I waved the flag and joyfully jumped across the finish line.

The experience at Zhengkai taught me a lot. I adjusted my training methods, started to lower my pace to build endurance, and by early April, I consistently broke through 30 kilometers. I am confident and determined to complete my first full marathon in the second half of 2016. Here, I invite my friends: Let's meet at the 2017 Zhengkai Marathon!

Looking back at my half-marathon progression, it took three months to go from being exhausted after finishing to completing it with ease, from reckless advancement to steady success, and from accidental scientific methods to consciously following the rules. Nowadays, the half-marathon has become a weekly routine, and resting for a day after running doesn't affect me. This success is due to three qualities: ambition, which fills me with positive energy and helps me meet great mentors and friends like Yang and Zhang; perseverance, which keeps me committed to exercising and maintaining long-term relationships with my running friends; and vanity, a double-edged sword that sometimes motivates me to challenge and surpass myself but can also make me blind and overconfident.

(This article was originally written by a Codoon user. For reprints, please contact the Codoon editor.)