a tale of a second childs father running story

To prepare for a second child, he broke free from over a decade of a decadent lifestyle, started paying attention to his health, and tried some simple physical exercises, beginning with running. This initial step made him fall in love with running, and he couldn't stop. He is Codoon's 'Second Child' Dad—@uking-dg.

The Running Story of the 'Second Child' Dad:

Now, looking back, it's been a year and a half since I started running. I began in the summer of 2014 to prepare for my family's second child, starting with jogging to strengthen my body for better offspring. Initially, I could only run three to four kilometers at a time, and each run left me drenched in sweat and extremely tired. The first week was particularly tough, with various discomforts like sore thighs, chest pain, knee discomfort, and calf pain. For someone weighing nearly 180 pounds, it was genuinely hard to start.

However, I didn't give up and kept persisting. I ran every morning, walking when I couldn't run, and gradually increased the distance. Eventually, I overcame this difficult period.

By November 2014, I could run 10 kilometers. Heavy people are prone to injuries during exercise, and one morning, on a whim, I tried a fast return run, which unfortunately resulted in a knee injury. I had to limp while walking and use the wall for support when climbing stairs. I had no choice but to pause running and read various running books and knowledge. At one point, I was worried I might never run again. After nearly twenty days of rest, my knee improved, and I started jogging slowly from scratch.

During the Spring Festival, I didn't stop running, doing at least two 18-kilometer jogs and two 8-kilometer pace runs each week. My running improved significantly, and my weight dropped from 180 pounds to 165 pounds. I felt much more energetic, and my wife's baby bump was five to six months along.

By April 2015, our family welcomed a second child, and the whole family was filled with happiness. Truly, the harder you work, the luckier you get! By this time, my running ability had improved significantly; I could run 20 kilometers in one go, and my pace had improved to 5:30 per kilometer, no longer at a snail's pace. My weight had dropped to below 158 pounds.

Starting from my first half marathon on June 13, my 'running season' began. In October, I was fortunate to win a spot in the 'Direct to Shanghai Marathon' men's full marathon, jointly organized by Codoon and Industrial Bank. At that time, my longest run was 34 kilometers, and I hadn't tried a full marathon yet. On October 18, I attempted a full marathon for the first time, finishing in 3 hours and 46 minutes, following the marathon hydration strategy throughout. It was an exhilarating experience.

On November 8, at the Shanghai International Marathon, I achieved a personal best of 3 hours and 34 minutes in my first marathon on the enthusiastic Shanghai Bund. Running has helped me meet a better version of myself! By then, my weight had stabilized at 140 pounds.

Next up are the Dapeng New Year Full Marathon on January 1, 2016, and the Xiamen International Full Marathon on January 2, 2016. These will be new challenges for me. The Xiamen marathon is a back-to-back full marathon, which is a test for any marathon runner. But I believe I can complete it successfully and am working hard towards that goal!

The harder you work, the luckier you get! Believe that good luck will accompany you.