In 2018, the Guangzhou Marathon course was reopened ahead of schedule. As an official 6-hour-15-minute pacer, a small hiccup couldn't stop me from completing my task. Every experience on the journey of exploration is invaluable.

Before heading to Guangzhou, I wrote 'Break 4' on my arm sleeve.

In the 2019 Guangzhou Marathon, I broke four hours. I knew that if I didn't run well, it would be 2020 before I knew it.

As the runner who has been the 'sweeper' pacer the most in Chinese marathons, I planned to run 15 marathons in 2019, with 6 of them being one per week, 13 as an official pacer, leaving only 3 opportunities to run for myself: the 2019 Taiyuan Marathon, the Finland Marathon, and the Guangzhou Marathon.

Yes, I hit the wall at the 20-kilometer mark in the Taiyuan Marathon, and it was a complete collapse.

In the Finland Marathon, unexpectedly, I set a half-marathon personal best of 1 hour 51 minutes, but cramped up after 30 kilometers, losing the chance for a PB in a helpless overseas race.

Entering the 'Guangdong Marathon Season,' from November 24, 2019, to January 1, 2020, I had six consecutive weeks of full marathons, with five as the sweeper pacer. The Guangzhou Marathon was my only chance to break through.

I once doubted myself, as others described, thinking that being used to the sweeper pace meant I couldn't set a personal best anymore.

'Break the strongest version of yourself' was the belief I established for myself before the Guangzhou Marathon, and it was this belief that carried me through to the end.

Let's get straight to the point and talk about how I broke four hours.

1. Lose weight.

For this race, I reduced my weight from 68kg to 63kg. The method was simple and crude: not eating.

2. Don't look at the watch, just follow the pace.

This time, I had a strong team with me: Squid, Thirteen, Brother Xi, and Lin'er, all very capable runners. I didn't even check the pace and heart rate per kilometer because I was running comfortably.

3. Accumulate mileage.

I ran 200 kilometers in November, basically running 10 kilometers every other day, focusing on aerobic endurance, breathing through my nose, and sprinting the last kilometer with mouth breathing.

4. Continuously build confidence during the race.

I kept reminding myself during the race not to let the training go to waste.

5. Good weather, which is a rare and fortunate occurrence.

6. Don't go to the bathroom!

7. Get a good night's sleep.

As for gear, it varies from person to person. This time, I wore Adidas Boston 6 running shoes, my current favorite.

Despite the pre-race agreement not to drink, once my running friends and I met, that went out the window. Not being a heavy drinker, I passed out early and woke up with a hangover, even considering dropping out of the race. After all, six marathons in six weeks sounded terrifying.

Old Yu sat on the bed and leisurely said to me, 'Why not run? You're already here.'

At the start, I was in Zone C. It took about 5 minutes to gather in Zone A and cross the arch, marking the beginning of proving myself in this race! There were many participants in the Guangzhou Marathon, and we kept weaving through the crowd, which left a deep impression on me as we kept overtaking others.

I knew everyone's goal was to run in 3 hours and 30 minutes. After following for 5 kilometers, I started to struggle. I didn't greet familiar runners on the road, focusing instead on wearing my sunglasses and following the team like an emotionless killer.

After 10 kilometers, Bei Ye from Shenzhen Bay started to fall behind. I ruthlessly put away the excuse of 'I'll slow down and run with you' and left her behind, as the sub-3:30 group had already distanced themselves from me.

The only lifeline was Lin'er, the 2019 Dali 100-kilometer women's champion, who was beside me. She told me, 'Run along the edge, and I'll get you water.'

If it weren't for her constantly handing me water along the way, I don't think I could have made it to the end. The accumulated experience showed that running with a small-stride female runner was particularly easy.

(Lin'er was the person I was most grateful for in this Guangzhou Marathon)

At the 18-kilometer turnaround, I saw the 4-hour pacer not too far ahead. I started to adjust, using mouth breathing to increase my pace.

I set a half-marathon PB of 1 hour and 47 minutes, building confidence and telling myself, 'Don't give up on this half of the journey.'

At the 25-kilometer mark, I bravely looked at my watch. The pace was 5 minutes per kilometer. With this speed, I had a bold idea: to chase two more minutes. The goal was 3:30!

Because I was focused on running, I gave up the opportunity for photos at the photography points. By the end of the race, I didn't have many pictures.

At the 39-kilometer uphill, I hit the wall. I could clearly feel my thighs cramping, followed by my calves. I started to walk...

The last 3 kilometers felt longer than the previous 30 kilometers.

Lin'er asked if I needed her to pull or push me while running. I refused, telling her I wanted to finish the race on my own.

Every few steps, I would cramp severely, unable to stand steadily. With a combination of running and walking, I reached the flower sea opposite the Canton Tower. The finish line was just ahead on the road. At this point, many runners were overtaking me, and it felt terrible!

In the last 300 meters, everyone was sprinting. My leg muscles were in pain, my mind was sprinting, but my body was honest.

In the final 100 meters, Li Jinli from the Guangzhou 3R Running Club caught up with me. 'Don't lose to Jinli' had been a running joke in my mind for half a year. It started during a relay race at an Asics event, where we were opponents for about 800 meters. Before the race, Sese worriedly asked, 'Brother Dao, will you lose to Jinli? She's a girl, after all.'

I gave it my all to cross the finish line, almost collapsing the moment I stopped.

PB achieved! Finally broke 4 hours!

[Extreme Timing] Dear Chen Mudao: Congratulations on completing the 2019 Guangzhou Marathon. Your bib number is C0760, gun time 03:48:09, net time 03:42:41. This result is for reference only; the final result will be announced on the official website.

Xijia's feet were badly blistered, and it was heart-wrenching to see. Congratulations to her for achieving a PB; after all, every effort pays off.

Thank you to everyone who has always supported and encouraged me.

The last time I completed a marathon this seriously was in 2017 in Xiamen, because my ex was waiting for me at the finish line.

A marathon is not about distance; it's about time.

Next up:

2019 Shenzhen International Marathon

2019 Guangzhou Huangpu Marathon

2020 Dapeng Marathon