Personalized Running Success: AI Plans for Every Performance [21c2]

Opening ramblings:

"Old Niu, write a review of your 2019. What did you gain, how did you grow?" Lao Zou, as usual, assigned homework as soon as he arrived. As an excellent model student, I naturally took it seriously.

In a daze, I wondered, what day is it today? I glanced at my luxurious iPhone and realized that tomorrow we would step into 2020.

Looking back at the whole of 2019, work was still orderly. I remained low-key and pragmatic, silent and steady, as quiet as a dark winter night.

Speaking of running, perhaps it activated another version of me, a completely new me.

Look, this is the kingdom I built in 2019, a competition fanatic. I took the concept of training through races to the extreme. Wait for me at the race tracks on weekends.

Looking back at 2019

I've been running for five years, always steady but not improving. My laid-back attitude meant I had no strong desire for achievements or personal bests.

However, the marathon events have surged in the past two years, and athletes' levels have skyrocketed. Friends who were once on par with me have improved rapidly, leaving me far behind. I realized that running is like rowing upstream; if you don't advance, you retreat. While I stayed in place, others worked hard and surpassed me.

In the first half of the year, I withdrew from several running groups, isolated myself, and got closer to excellent people to learn from them and improve together. I wanted to run purely for the sake of running.

Smart people often don't have extensive social circles. Instead of casting a wide net, it's better to focus energy on maintaining a few close friends.

Just like "Squid Brother" crazily deleting "friends" from his WeChat Moments, leaving a pure space for himself.

I have a habit of not easily adding people on WeChat. Some say I'm arrogant, that I act superior. However, becoming friends after just one meeting or chatting in a group feels forced and meaningless. Moreover, my Moments are full of my selfies, which most running friends probably can't stand. Not adding them is for the best. (Exception: pretty girls can add me!)

Annual running mileage

I started my first marathon in 2015, though it was just a half marathon. Without much training, I participated in the Jiangning Chun Niushou Half Marathon and finished in 1:46, which seemed pretty good.

From 2015 to 2018 running mileageYou can see I was really lazy, running slowly, and deservedly so.

In the first half of 2019, I almost coasted through, supported by various small races, maintaining a monthly mileage of over 100 km. Since I used races as training, the quality wasn't too bad.

This summer was a time of quantitative accumulation, eventually leading to qualitative change.

They say you should train in the harshest conditions: the coldest winter and the hottest summer. In the scorching 40-degree summer, I met the most passionate and excellent running partners. We motivated and pushed each other.

Commander: An old soldier's stubbornness, the inherent resilience of a military man. Nearing 60, he achieved excellent results this year, entering the hall of nine-star runners.

Big Yellow Dog: My affectionate nickname for him. We are evenly matched and mutual rivals. Come on, push me to my limits.

Brother Piao: A speedster and running enthusiast, with exceptional skills.

Big Sister: A little less beautiful than my family's beauty, but kind-hearted. Eating the watermelon she cut in summer was delightful.

Me: That's all.

Excellent running partners helped me improve, achieving my highest monthly mileage of 333.33 km, breaking the 300 km mark for the second time in five years.

Although my mileage didn't increase significantly, the quality of my runs was high. I strengthened my cardiovascular function. I used to hate sprinting and anaerobic states, but this summer's effective stimulation led to significant progress.

Autumn's qualitative change brought gratifying results.

At the Liuhe Zhuzhen Half Marathon, I achieved a time of 1:22 in a back-to-back race, unexpectedly boosting my confidence.

At the Gaochun Marathon, during crab-eating season, I casually broke the 3-hour barrier, finishing in 2:56. Breaking 3? Done...

At the Shanghai Marathon, starting from Zone E, I navigated through the crowd and still broke the 3-hour mark, confirming that it wasn't just luck.

The "Sub-3 Strong" title at the Shanghai Marathon.

It looks dark,I won't wear it.

Moreover, breaking 3 hours is like breaking a thin paper window; it doesn't seem that hard. Being a strong runner is even more elusive. There are countless inspiring people in the running community to learn from.

2019, I gave up

In spring, when catkins were flying, the city was full of fluff, causing coughs. I didn't run.

In summer, under the scorching sun, fearing sunburn, I didn't run.

In autumn, feeling lazy and melancholic, with falling sycamore leaves, I didn't run.

In winter, with the biting north wind and freezing cold, fearing frostbite, I didn't run.

In 2019, we persisted! 

Saying we wouldn't run, we spent money on shoes and got fully equipped.

Saying we wouldn't run, we called friends to run together.

Saying we wouldn't run, we crazily signed up for races and paid the fees.

Saying we wouldn't run, we opened Codoon to claim medals.

Saying we wouldn't run, saying we'd quit, we still checked in and posted on social media.

2020, love you, love you.

Everyone sets a flag and works hard for it.

Without rapids, there's no bravery; without peaks, there's no climbing.

That's running. Like any good habit, we struggle and find joy, give up and continue.

But there's one thing we never doubt: running is worth it!