One

All my friends know that I am particularly fond of reading the 'History of the Song Dynasty,' which is why I have a special interest in the city of Yinchuan. Last year, I eagerly participated in the inaugural Yinchuan Marathon, but I left disappointed.

A photo from last year at the starting point, Helan Mountain Sports Stadium.

Many of you might remember what happened afterward. I wrote a race review questioning the design of the course. I criticized the latter half of the Yinchuan Marathon course as being a 'three-no course'—no scenery, no shade, and no spectators—and vowed never to run the Yinchuan Marathon again.

I had no idea that this article would garner over 100,000 reads. Some friends supported me, while others told me Yinchuan didn't welcome me and that I should leave. This left me feeling both guilty and fearful, thinking that the next time I visit Yinchuan, I'd have to go incognito.

This year, as soon as the Yinchuan Marathon press conference concluded, many friends messaged me, saying, 'Old Zhao, the Yinchuan Marathon course has changed. It's now all within the city and no longer includes the over ten kilometers of the Yellow River Bridge. Are you coming this year?'

To be honest, I really wanted to go, but I was hesitant.

On one hand, I had sworn not to run the Yinchuan Marathon, and signing up again felt like a slap in the face. On the other hand, I'm thin-skinned, and being recognized and scolded wouldn't be a pleasant experience.

What finally convinced me was a message from my Yinchuan buddy, Jiang Xiaoqing, who said on WeChat, 'Come on, experience the new course.'

I confirmed it was a friend and not someone who wanted to hit me.

Two

It's quite embarrassing to admit that despite visiting Yinchuan twice, I had never visited the Western Xia Imperial Tombs. So this time, I left Chongqing on Friday afternoon to pick up my race gear and planned to spend Saturday exploring the Western Xia Imperial Tombs and the Western Film Studio.

Speaking of picking up gear, I must especially thank the organizing committee for assigning me a birthday number. I felt incredibly refreshed when I received my bib.

But there was more to be excited about. The race pack included energy gels and salt tablets (though common, many races no longer provide these), and a Yinchuan tourist passport. With this passport and my bib, I could enjoy half-price or free entry to 28 attractions in Yinchuan.

Darn, why does this sound like an advertorial? I need to change my tone...

This time, I brought along my little niece, who loves to explore. At the tomb of Li Yuanhao, the founding emperor of Western Xia, I took my customary flying photo, thinking it turned out well. But my niece's comment left me speechless.

She said, 'Uncle, are you dancing in front of someone's grave?'

I understand her point, but how can I jump so high?

Yes, this little rascal finished the race in 4 hours and 20 minutes under the scorching sun. She almost burst into tears when she saw me at the finish line, unable to move her feet. I practically dragged her to the stretching area.

At her request, here's a photo she personally selected.

Three

This year's course has indeed improved significantly. The start and finish lines were combined at People's Square, and the entire route ran through the city, showcasing Yinchuan's most bustling streets and iconic buildings. No more lonely stretches in the wilderness.

I arrived early at the starting point and, amidst the crowd, ran into Sun Fei and Duan Wei, who had traveled all the way from Beijing to celebrate 520 Day. I was honored to get a photo with these two celebrities.

Brother Duan complained that the photo made him look fat, but thankfully, I wasn't the one who took it.

This was my third race in May. I ran a full marathon in Dongying on May 5th, paced the Yanqing Women's Half Marathon on May 12th, and now I was in Yinchuan. After three consecutive weekends away, I expect to kneel and apologize to my daughter when she gets home from school next week.

Given that I've already shown off my vest tan lines in Dongying and Yanqing, many friends have congratulated me on my 'seamless flesh-colored vest.' As the saying goes, 'When you owe a lot, you don't worry about it,' so I decided to fully embrace myself and wear the vest in Yinchuan too.

The weather in Yinchuan was just like last year, with the sun shining brightly. The flowers seemed to smile at me, and the birds seemed to say, 'Soon you'll be a barbecue.'

My plan was to maintain a steady pace of 5 minutes per kilometer and slow down as the temperature rose, prioritizing finishing the race safely.

As everyone knows, I have weak willpower. With this mindset, I started slowing down around the 17-kilometer mark.

To avoid having the shadow of my hat brim obscure my face in photos, I opted for a headscarf instead of a hat. In hindsight, this was not a good choice as the sun dazzled my eyes.

It was a bit blinding; I might lose some followers.

Fortunately, the organizing committee provided excellent support, with constant misting stations and foam soaked in ice water. I asked a volunteer to put a chunk of foam in my vest, and it felt incredibly refreshing.

Four

I strolled leisurely along the course, feeling particularly sorry for the volunteers and the girls holding signs under the scorching sun. These kids were barely older than my daughter, with delicate skin. I wondered if they had applied sunscreen.

Especially the girls holding signs at the mileage points, standing unprotected and high-fiving runners while cheering us on. I couldn't help but tell them, 'Don't shout, take a break, it's too tiring.'

By the time I reached the 37-kilometer mark, I had lost the will to continue. But then I thought about my friends running the marathon in Nanchong, where the sun was reportedly even harsher than in Yinchuan. This thought made me feel a bit better.

On Helan Mountain Middle Road, I ran into a buddy from the Sunshine Running Club. We had both just returned from Dongying, already sunburned, so we decided to stick together and jog to the finish line at a 6-minute pace.

After running a few hundred meters, some policewomen on duty suddenly pointed at me and shouted, 'Hey, isn't that Bucktooth Zhao?'

I shuddered, thinking that my criticism of Yinchuan's course last year had even caught the attention of the police. I pretended not to hear and kept running. But my helpful buddy turned to them and said, 'Yes, it's him,' which made me speed up in fear.

To my surprise, the policewomen shouted, 'Bucktooth, keep it up! I follow your public account...'

Oh my, I was scared to death. If they had said so earlier, I would have turned back to greet them. If I weren't afraid of being laughed at, I would have gone back to take a photo with them.

Five

Soon, I reached the finish line. On the final stretch, my buddy started striking various poses, and I began to fake a sprint to the finish.

Just as I was happily sprinting, a familiar face emerged from behind a huge camera and said in a frosty tone, 'Old Zhao, go back 50 meters and run again.'

That face belonged to Sister Dai Wuyan.

After two failed attempts, Sister Dai finally completed her first half marathon in Yinchuan, officially entering the running community. Dedicated as she is, she immediately picked up her camera after finishing and waited at the finish line to take photos of everyone. Truly a model worker, I might have to give her a 'March 8th Red Banner Holder' award next time we meet.

Faced with Sister Dai's unreasonable request, I, of course, complied without hesitation. Following Shen Wuzei's advice, 'Don't be afraid, just do it,' I made a heart gesture taught by the little rascal and sprinted towards Sister Dai's camera.

Sure enough, Sister Dai took a series of marathon photos that I was most satisfied with. I almost wanted to give her a big kiss.

In the end, I crossed the finish line with a time of 3 hours and 56 minutes, barely keeping within the 4-hour mark.

Speaking of Shen Wuzei, I have to share some news. He dislocated his right arm during the Qinling Trail Race held simultaneously. With the help of fellow runners, he reset his arm, wrapped it in a bandage, and finished the race.

I really admire this daredevil. Youth is indeed an asset. #SpecialReminder: This behavior is not recommended, do not imitate.#

Six

I can't help but dedicate a chapter to praise the Yinchuan Marathon organizing committee and volunteers.

Compared to last year, this year's Yinchuan Marathon saw significant improvements in both the course and the support. While chatting with fellow runners, we all agreed that the organizing committee had put in a lot of effort. At least the race director understands marathons and knows what runners need and when.

The volunteers were especially dedicated, providing services while cheering for the runners. Many kids had lost their voices from shouting so much.

This year's race chips had to be collected, and most runners were too stiff to squat down after finishing. The volunteers squatted down to help us remove the chips from our shoelaces and then retied them. The young man who helped me even thoughtfully said, 'Your feet are a bit swollen after the race; I'll tie your laces a bit looser.'

After receiving their medals, the kids would line up and clap to welcome the runners, creating a special sense of ceremony. Considering that thousands of runners passed through, they had to clap thousands of times, which was no less tiring than running a marathon.

Kids, you did a great job, well done.

After receiving the medals, there was a dedicated indoor massage area and ice water pool. These small details showcased the significant progress of the Yinchuan Marathon.

After saying so much, my main point is this:

If you genuinely want to organize a marathon, putting in the effort can make it great. The Yinchuan Marathon is a prime example.

If I have the time, I'd like to run the Yinchuan Marathon again next year to see how much more they can improve.

Witnessing the progress of an event firsthand feels pretty good.

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