I often joke within the running community, saying, 'I'm cow dung, and I'm excited,' firmly believing that a man who can laugh at himself won't have bad luck. On the surface, I seem carefree and humorous, but deep down, I'm very sensitive and care about everyone's opinions and glances around me. Perhaps being silly is the best attitude towards life. Many running friends affectionately call me 'Niu Niu' or 'Fen Fen.' I read all the comments and likes from my running friends and sincerely reply to each one. To those who care about me, I love you too. Heartfelt thanks.    

'Breaking three hours' might be the next goal for all runners who have achieved 3:30 or even 3:10. This 'threshold' might seem insurmountable like a mountain or as fragile as a piece of paper that can be easily pierced.    

Having never run a full marathon before, I spent 1,000 RMB to buy a sponsor's spot for the Nanjing Marathon. My first marathon time of 3:24 immediately placed me among the general elite runners. Although I significantly slowed down in the second half, the result was still decent. Maybe I set the bar too high initially, making the difficulty of achieving a PB a 3.0 in my view. But with a bit more training, it seemed SO EASY!    

With this first marathon result, I became somewhat blindly confident, secretly thinking that achieving 3:10 or 3:00 was just a matter of gritting my teeth. However, it wasn't that simple. In the late stages of laziness, I only relied on races to accumulate mileage, running just over a hundred kilometers each month, making the road to a PB seem endless.    

I never told anyone about my goal to break three hours because I thought maintaining a pace of 4:15 for 42.195 kilometers was extremely difficult. I set the goal to break three hours in my heart and silently competed with myself.    

In races like the Wuxi Marathon, Xiamen Marathon, and Beijing Marathon, I experienced repeated failures. Every time I reached 30 kilometers, I would lose motivation, feeling deflated like a wilted eggplant, and would end up walking to the finish line. As a result, none of my marathon times were worth mentioning.     

</p>
<p style="font-size: 16px;">
    Junzhang, Big Sister, Piao Ge, Big Yellow Dog, Chu, Luoluo, and I formed a small group of seven running enthusiasts along the riverside. Being around excellent people makes you better!

Big Face Cat (my WeChat avatar is a cat named Mike) and Big Yellow Dog (his avatar is a famous internet yellow dog) were evenly matched. Every time we met by the river, we pushed each other, saying we'd run slowly but ending up running faster and faster like rivals. Trying to outpace each other effectively stimulated our weakest points, our cardiovascular systems. I used to hate running in an anaerobic state because it was exhausting and torturous, but it's a necessary path to speed improvement.    

▲Your 10-kilometer time directly determines your half-marathon and full-marathon times.    

The inverted pyramid run, as the name suggests, means running faster and faster, increasing the pace by several seconds per kilometer until reaching a sprint. It starts with a slow warm-up run, accelerates to stimulate the cardiovascular system, sprints to break through limits, and ends with a slow cool-down run.    

I love this running method because it suits me best. For someone like me who only runs about 200 kilometers a month, focusing on quality rather than blindly increasing mileage is key.    

I have many excellent running friends around me whom I respect. I humbly learn from them and try to be their source of joy. Under their influence, I continuously improve and grow.     

With only a little over two months of relatively systematic training, I urgently needed a race to test my summer training results. In the Nanjing local Liuhe Zhuzhen Half Marathon, I finished in 1:22 in a back-to-back situation. Competing for two consecutive days, I was very satisfied with this result, which greatly boosted my confidence. The initial test of my summer training showed promising results.    

Next, I had three consecutive weeks of marathon races. Originally planning to run for fun, I finished the Gaochun Marathon in 2:56.    

'Did I just break three hours?'    

'And I had nearly four minutes to spare?'    

Without meticulous preparation or a specific plan to break three hours, I somehow did it in a daze. I had originally planned to go all out at the Shanghai Marathon to break three hours.    

'Breaking three hours isn't that hard. I didn't even prepare much.' While I was still in a state of confusion, 

'So what if you broke three hours? Big deal.'     

'Oh, you think you're something now?'     

'I haven't seen you break two hours.'    

Such sarcastic remarks, filled with disdain and contempt, showcased the essence of nitpickers. A casual comment from you can undermine the sweat and perseverance someone else has put in. Don't use your narrow-mindedness to belittle anyone's hard-earned achievements. We're all adults; let's not be passive-aggressive. Acknowledging others' accomplishments isn't difficult. Thank you!    

First of all, breaking three hours unexpectedly surprised and delighted me. With a calm and relaxed attitude towards the race, I achieved an unexpectedly good result, which might be attributed to the right time, place, and people. I hardly encountered the so-called 'wall,' except for a slowdown to 4:25 at a big hill, which was the slowest pace for the entire 42 kilometers. After finishing, I felt exhilarated, having had an exhilarating marathon experience.         

The Nanjing Marathon, being the most sincere marathon, and held right at my doorstep, was a must-participate event. Running through famous historical and cultural landmarks and classic Nanjing sites like the Grand Bao'en Temple, Zhonghua Gate, Confucius Temple, Xinjiekou, Presidential Palace, and Xuanwu Lake, the beautiful scenery along the way was mesmerizing. Experiencing the blend of modern architecture and historical landmarks, I felt the innovative cityscape and the beauty of the ancient capital. Running alongside Junzhang, I finished in 3:08, saving energy for the Shanghai Marathon in hopes of breaking three hours.    

</p>
<p style="font-size: 16px;">
    The Shanghai Marathon, a pilgrimage site for all runners, had nearly 160,000 applicants, and as usual, I didn't get a spot. However, the 'fairy' favored me, giving me the only spot from the fruit sponsor 'Jianong,' allowing me to run freely and sweat profusely in Shanghai.<br/><br/>
</p>
<p style="font-size: 16px;">
    <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/runboxapp-web-online.appspot.com/o/public%2F7129%2Fugc_d2f4bc18-33db-472e-94ab-5e1be36b924a_1574155553180_3024_4032_jpeg?generation=1715760624430109&alt=media" data-ratio="1" style="width:100%"/>
</p>
<p style="font-size: 16px;">
    <br/>
</p>
<p style="font-size: 16px;">
    This week, work was extremely hectic. On Saturday, I worked until 5 PM, then rushed to the high-speed train station to head to Shanghai. By the time I arrived at the race kit collection site, it was already past 8 PM. Only the volunteers and the dismantled cold scaffolding remained, making the place feel desolate. Walking on the road in the chilly autumn wind, I felt a sense of melancholy and exhaustion. Finishing the race tomorrow would be enough.

Where is Zone E? What position is it?    

A, B, C, D, E...    

'Oh my gosh!!!The line stretches all the way back to Nanjing.' It was both amusing and frustrating.The crowd ahead wasn't just a flow of people; it was a wall of people, packed tightly.    

Every time the national anthem played, I felt a lump in my throat and tears welled up, filled with solemn pride.At 7 AM sharp, the gun went off. Led by the elite runners, we adopted a train-like formation, moving forward in a single file. It took six minutes to cross the starting arch, and there were still crowds ahead.Using a serpentine S-shaped maneuver, I weaved through the crowd, moving nimbly like a dragonfly skimming the water.    

'This is so tough!' I expended energy without gaining speed, spending the first five kilometers in a forced warm-up.    

As I continued to overtake others, the number of runners around me gradually decreased, and I managed to get quite a few personal photos.    

In the second half, the temperature gradually rose, and under the scorching sun, my skin felt a burning sensation. However, I didn't slow down, maintaining a pace of around 4:10. Along the way, I saw many runners who were exhausted and had given up. It's not shameful to give up when necessary. My stamina was still strong, and I was in good condition, greeting many familiar faces along the way..

For the full marathon distance of 42 kilometers, maintaining a steady pace is key. In previous test runs, I found my optimal pace, kept my rhythm, and finished with a consistent speed. Clearly, in the hot Shanghai Marathon, I did well.    

I finally crossed the finish line in 3:06, with a net time of 2:58, earning the green 'sub-3' T-shirt. Satisfied, I said:

'Breaking three hours is good enough, good enough.'    

I completely conquered this paper tiger. After a busy weekend, everything returned to calm. The excitement, sweat, and passion on the racecourse had mostly faded, leaving only a tired body. The journey home is the right path; home is the ultimate destination.     

Winter is deep, a time to settle down and train hard, waiting for the next breakthrough in the coming year.    

Running isn't my whole life, but my life is incomplete without running.    

Running is a spice of life; it makes my life more colorful.    

Running is my passionate and obsessive love!