2019 Jingzhou Marathon Memoir    

——My First Experience as a Marathon Pacer    

Editor's Note:At the annual news conference of the Chinese Athletics Association Marathon at the beginning of this year, the 2018 China Marathon Annual Report revealed that the Jingzhou International Marathon won two prestigious awards from the Chinese Athletics Association: the 'Silver Medal Event' and the 'Most Beautiful Course' for its unique track. This marks another step forward for the Jingzhou Marathon, which has successfully hosted two editions, progressing from a 'Bronze Medal Event' to a 'Silver Medal Event,' and is a result of the widespread love and praise from the participants.     

On This Day in History:October 20th was the race day for the 2019 Jingzhou International Marathon. On this day, I donned my 'full regalia'—the exclusive pacer gear. I led all the runners in the 4:30 pace group to complete a high-quality race. Throughout this journey, there was joy, sharing, encouragement, hardship, and above all, the indomitable marathon spirit. This day marked my first time participating in a race as a marathon pacer.     

The Jingzhou International Marathon has been successfully held for three editions, and I have participated in all three. In the first year, I achieved a personal best (PB) time of 4 hours and 1 minute, thanks to the meticulous organization by the event committee. It was an exceptional performance. In the second year, due to back-to-back marathons, my stamina was somewhat diminished, and coupled with the rain, my time dropped to nearly 5 hours. In the third year, I finished steadily at 4 hours, 29 minutes, and 56 seconds. My story with the Jingzhou Marathon pacers had just begun.    

On July 15th, the official WeChat account of the Jingzhou International Marathon released the recruitment information for Jingzhou Marathon pacers.    

On July 24th, I received official notification that I had successfully qualified for the interview for the 2019 Jingzhou International Marathon official pacer.    

On July 27th, I traveled to Jingzhou to participate in the pacer selection physical test and interview.    

On August 9th, the official WeChat account of the Jingzhou International Marathon officially announced the list of pacers for the 2019 event, and I was successfully selected.    

From then on, I embarked on a new journey as an official pacer. Over the next two months, I set a strict training plan for myself, incorporating guidance from veterans in the official WeChat group. I followed a scientific training regimen that included blind pace training, watch training, and interval runs of varying distances. My only goal was to maintain a pace of 6 minutes and 23 seconds per kilometer. Through training, I aimed to control my pace between 6 minutes and 6 minutes 23 seconds per kilometer, which was a significant test of my pacing ability. In the early stages of training, I often 'oversped.' The challenge was to maintain a steady rhythm on the racecourse, moving almost at a constant speed, and helping more runners follow my pace to achieve the 4:30 finish time. After all, we were the moving pace clocks.    

Stay true to the original aspiration, persist in clocking in.Two months of training allowed me to masterthe basic qualities that a 4:30 pacer should possess. Reflecting on the days of clocking in, they were exciting and fulfilling. From summer to autumn, the scenery changed, but my fighting spirit remained high, and my pacing became more stable! Scientific training, long-term persistence, and practical experience made me more determined in my original aspiration and filled me with confidence for the race.    

Run for you to see, keep moving forward.Wearing the official pacer gear, I felt a greater sense of responsibility on my shoulders, and the shining'4:30' numbers carried a significant meaning of mission and responsibility, showcasing a high standard of leading style. Along the way, I warmly greeted everyone. I grew to love Jingzhou, a city full of warmth and affection, even more. I was grateful for the strong support and cooperation from fellow runners and the enthusiastic encouragement from the citizens. The trophy for successfully leading the race was filled with everyone's encouragement and cheers.    

Looking back at the race, there were more moments of emotion.At the moment when I crossed the finish line hand in hand with the other three pacers, I clearly felt a surge of strength in my heart. It was the most liberating moment on the track. We raised our hands above our heads, enjoying the glory as the photographers focused their lenses on us. We had successfully and excellently completedthe official pacer task for the 2019 Jingzhou International Marathon.

Finally, I would like to thank the event committeefor their meticulous organization and arrangements, which allowed me to experience thefeeling of being an 'official pacer' for the first time. Thanks to all my colleagues for their concerted efforts and protection along the way.         

The cheers along the way were endless, and a moving scenery line on the track made us the headline of the Jingzhou Marathon at that moment.    

The glorious mission of the 2019 Jingzhou Marathon pacers has been completed. Thank you, Jingzhou Marathon!    

The Yangtze River stretches for thousands of miles, and its beauty lies in Jingzhou. In 2020, we will continue to meet on the 'most beautiful course.'