Just as Lao Zhao was the first in the country to prepare for the 2020 Wuxi Marathon, I might be among the first batch of runners preparing for the 2019 Yinchuan Marathon: At the beginning of January, during the midsummer light year running group's annual meeting, I didn't get a spot for any of the various marathons like Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing, Xiamen, Wuxi, Harbin, or Lanzhou, but I did get a direct entry for the Yinchuan Marathon.

So, should I still go?

Does it seem like I'm reluctant? — Believe me, if you had experienced the inaugural 2017 Yinchuan Marathon (race report here →_→Race Report | Ningxia River, although you can't PB, you can SB) and the fear of being dominated by temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius and the nearly 10-kilometer-long Binhe Yellow River Bridge, you would also be afraid to challenge the Yinchuan Marathon again, even though the course was changed back to the main city last year and received good reviews from Lao Zhao. But I never really trust him.

But since I won the spot myself, I'll run even if I cry. I can't afford to ruin my luck.

Later, I was lucky enough to get the 4:00 pacer qualification for the Yinchuan Marathon. This is my second Yinchuan Marathon in three years. Here I come.

This was once the place where the phoenix spread its wings.

At this moment, the silent royal tombs and rock paintings

                  —— Ding Yi, 'Everything is Fine in Yinchuan'

This time, Midsummer Light Year organized a large team of over 30 people, including ten official pacers selected by the organizing committee, to head to Yinchuan. The original plan was to charter a soft sleeper carriage on train Z277, have a party on the train, and then run the marathon in a lavish manner. However, due to concerns about being too conspicuous and getting blacklisted by the Ministry of Railways, we decided to split up but still made a grand journey westward.

Midsummer Light Year · 2019 Yinchuan Marathon Small Team

This is my fourth time in Yinchuan, and the schedule is tight. I didn't want to pretend to be sentimental and waste time at Zhenbeibao. After a quick tour of the Ningxia Museum, I went through People's Square to the convention center to collect my race kit. I enthusiastically introduced the free-roaming peacocks at People's Square, which I found super magical when I first came in 2017, to Jerry and others. But the square was still there, and the peacocks were nowhere to be found. It was quite embarrassing. So, can any kind-hearted people from Yinchuan tell me where the peacocks went?

In the afternoon, all pacers took a group photo and went over the precautions. Everything was familiar. After receiving the pacer gear in the evening, I waited for the second official pacer experience to begin.

2019 Yinchuan Marathon Official Pacer. Photo by @Peanut

2019 Yinchuan Marathon Full Marathon 4:00 Pacer Group. Photo by @Peanut

1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4

Same actions, one more time

           —— Su Yang, 'Morning Exercises, Evening Exercises'

Starting two weeks before the race, the Midsummer Light Year Yinchuan Marathon group and the official pacer group kept a close eye on Yinchuan's weather. It consistently showed cloudy on the 26th, with temperatures suitable for racing. Having experienced the scorching heat of the inaugural Yinchuan Marathon, I was particularly worried about getting a 'leather vest' tan again. This apprehension peaked a week before the race: to accommodate two important professional qualification exams, the start time was adjusted from 7:30 to 8:00.

2019 Yinchuan Full Marathon Official Pacers, ready to go. Photo by @Eastward

I didn't sleep well at night, still following the usual routine of waking up at 4:00 to eat some bread, as if the gun would go off at 7:30. After taking the shuttle bus to the starting point and taking some photos, I realized I hadn't seen my legendary brother-in-law Lao Zhao since arriving in Yinchuan. I called him, inadvertently interrupting his meticulous application of Vaseline. My apologies. By the way, since the 2017 Tianjin Wuqing and Yinchuan 'barbecue' marathons, I've completely skipped the pre-race Vaseline step. How should I put it, 'Applying Vaseline feels good temporarily, but not applying it feels good all the time'—I know you suspect I'm joking, but you probably don't have evidence—so, Lao Zhao, try skipping it in Lanzhou, after all, you've been through a lot.

A customary group photo with a professional fake smile.

This is my 26th full marathon. Although it's my second time as an official pacer, I've already reached a state of calm. So much so that when Lao Zhao, who has become a mediocre runner, overtook me after four or five hundred meters, I didn't feel a ripple. It's not that I didn't want to; it's that I couldn't...

As an official pacer, I won't go into details. Many excellent pacers have set examples before me, and I successfully completed what might bethe loneliest 4:00 pacerdebut in history at last year's Heze (Dongming) Marathon. But in a provincial capital marathon like Yinchuan, there were quite a few people following.

This is what a 4:00 pacer should look like. Photo by @He Jun from iYundong

So, while controlling the pace, I reminded everyone to take the turns carefully, drink water, and replenish as needed.

Thanks to the other four excellent pacers in the group, everything felt familiar and perfect.

I am the sand

The bird flying fast

Flying over the plains

               —— Su Yang, 'Growing in Yinchuan'

There were also some minor incidents.

Around the 9-kilometer mark, Uncle Jerry and another pacer's balloons got tangled together, causing a commotion with people cheering 'together.' Uncle Jerry had to stop to fix the problem, which took three kilometers to make up for the lost minute.

The 4:00 group surged ahead, with Uncle Jerry being the tallest pacer. Photo by @Ma Jun from iYundong

Many Midsummer Light Year runners participated, including some first-timers. I tried to help them break four hours while fulfilling my pacer duties, reminding them to keep pace and replenish. Special mention goes to 'Midsummer Peng Yuyan,' who I've teased for half a year for not breaking four hours.@Alex, who abandoned the plan to follow me for 30 kilometers after the halfway point. After consuming one of my energy gels at 17 kilometers, he almost failed to break four hours in the latter part of the race. Truly, a rookie mistake.

'Midsummer Peng Yuyan,' who almost crashed, is single and available. Photo by @Jian Ning from iYundong

Ahead is the mountain, behind is the Yellow River

The cold north wind blows in my face

        —— Zhao Muyang, 'The Way of the Knight'

After the 27-kilometer turnaround point, the weather suddenly changed, and I saw yellow sand rising in Yinchuan.

In my mind, I was humming 'Even ifthe heavy rainand yellow sand turn this city upside down,' but the background music was 'The wind stirs up the dust,' creating a sense of discord.

My steps and pace were also disrupted. My shoes weren't broken in enough, and my knees started to feel sore and weak, showing signs of collapse. The pace balloon was a bit deflated, and I didn't know which direction the wind was blowing. No matter how I turned, the half-deflated balloon kept sticking to my face. Around the 35-kilometer mark, when I was feeling the worst, I saw Lao Zhao enthusiastically coming from the opposite direction to give me a high-five, which made me feel even more down until I popped the deflated pace balloon.

After popping the deflated pace balloon, I regained my form. Photo by @Peanut from iYundong

With the remaining balloon and the rabbit ears tied to the strap, I humorously made it to the final straight before the finish line. The five 4:00 pacers held hands and crossed the finish line together.

The 4:00 pacers successfully completed the task. Photo by @Ma Jun from iYundong

On the way to the baggage truck, I was a bit upset about the slightly chaotic pace in the second half. Then a text message came in: net time — 4:00:00! Just like the Chongqing Marathon in March, I was immediately cured. I might really be a Virgo in a Leo's clothing...

Finally, I'll use this lyric and this song

This road seems endless

I can't see the end

                  —— Su Yang, 'Under Helan Mountain'

To send off you and me on the marathon road.

See you at the next race.