annual summary of a runner part one

Editor's Note: Previously, I received an 8,000-word 'year-end summary.' After reading it carefully, I was not only impressed by the author's year of sports experiences but also felt a lot of 'envy'—envy for her excitement and richness. Therefore, I decided to divide this article into three parts and publish them all. On one hand, it's to thank the author for her trust; on the other hand, it's to provide some reference for other Codoon friends. Sometimes, what sports can bring us far exceeds our expectations.

This is the first part: January to April.

Preface

Looking back at 2016, I participated in many events, big and small. Not writing something about it wouldn't be my style. Just kidding. Seriously, I thought about writing this 8,000-word journal and posting it on my social media, maybe to show off a bit and confuse some innocent people, making them think, 'This girl is not just all brawn and no brain; she can write a journal too.'

But as soon as I started writing, I got a bit scared. If I don't write, you won't know who I am. If I do write, you might find out that I'm not only simple-minded but also simple-brained. Wouldn't that be counterproductive?

Oh well, it's too late to regret now, and giving up halfway is not my style. Let it be exposed; there's nothing to hide about being simple-minded. Crying and shouting on the track, silently swearing never to run again, only to sign up for the next race a few days after posting on social media. Calling me simple-minded is actually quite polite.

This journal is purely to record my feelings over the year. No one but yourself will understand how much joy or sorrow you've experienced in your story because it's ultimately just your own feeling. The story may not be touching, but the storyteller always ends up in tears.

Here are the medals I earned throughout 2016.

Everyone has their own sentiments about the 42.195 kilometers. Every race tells its own story, and every step taken in running shoes is backed by an unshakable force. This is the deep affection of a runner.

Marathons have given me so much joy and emotion.

Measuring a new city with your own feet is the best confession to that city. During this year's marathon journey, I ran through the gentle and quiet Suzhou, the fiery Chongqing, the culturally rich Wuhan, the picturesque Yangzhou, and the lush mountains of West Lake. A pair of running shoes and a marathon opened up a different journey. The decision was simple, but persistence required more willpower.

I've been running marathons for over 14 months. I remember making a race plan for 2016 at the end of 2015. I planned to travel under the guise of running marathons, so I could travel without missing out on running. Perfect! At that time, I could only run half marathons, and my courage was small, compounded by ITBS.troubles.(Editor's Note:Iliotibial Band Syndrome is one of the more severe common injuries among runners.),so I planned the full marathon for November in the latter half of the year.

At that time, the full marathon seemed like a dream, desirable but unattainable. Rationality told me to put away my wolfish gaze, swallow a few times, and practice hard.

Throughout December, I was troubled by ITBS. On December 27, I ran the Taihu Half Marathon with an injury, and on New Year's Day, I dragged my injured leg to finish 21.6K (four laps) on the track. I could run normally for the first few kilometers, but after 10 kilometers, the iliotibial band pain was excruciating. I had to walk the second half. You can imagine, on such a cool track, surrounded by exciting music and cheers from the stands, in the biting cold wind, a girl in thin clothes, dragging an injured leg, looking utterly hopeless, walking two full laps...

Stopping to walk made my body temperature drop rapidly. The cold wind was unbearable, and my period came early due to the cold, causing excruciating stomach pain and knee pain. That feeling of helplessness, wanting to cry but having no tears, is something I'll never forget. I made a firm decision to conquer ITBS; otherwise, how could I continue in the races?

I walked to the finish line at a snail's pace and found Mr. Hu waiting quietly for me. The sense of helplessness gradually faded. After changing clothes, I saw my friend Huanghun, and the three of us went home together, chatting and laughing, leaving the frustration behind.

Speaking of injuries, my year started with injuries and ended with a sprain. First, I encountered ITBS, then constant period troubles, followed by incidents of losing toenails and bleeding. After the New Year's race, I formed a running group at my company, leading colleagues in training. When my leg hurt, I would ride a bike behind them. I also started focusing on glute training and soon got rid of ITBS. During the New Year at home, I couldn't resist running a little.

Soon after the New Year, it was March. The early morning platform was sparsely populated, and the soy milk shop was steaming.

I led a group of eight from the running team to participate in the Suzhou Jinji Lake Marathon. Everyone achieved good results. I was fortunate to witness their first marathon. Their excitement and nervousness before the race seemed to infect me. This feeling was both unfamiliar and familiar, usually only felt during the first marathon. As the number of races increases, the feeling fades until the heart is as calm as water. Unexpectedly, I experienced it again six months later. I thought about how I had led a group of people into this pit, and once in, there's no turning back. One pit after another awaits you. As the saying goes, 'Entering the marquis's gate is as deep as the sea.' I couldn't hide the evil smile on my face while writing this. The Jinji Lake Marathon medal was beautifully designed, with a strong Suzhou flavor, reminiscent of a shy girl in a cheongsam, half-hidden behind a pipa.

Next, my friend Huanghun and I participated in the Chongqing Marathon.

I met this friend during the Chongming Marathon. At that time, I thought, how could someone be so sarcastic? It was quite amusing. I didn't expect our interactions to increase. I was confident about achieving a personal best in the Chongqing Half Marathon. How did I start? I don't get my period unless I run a marathon, and it always comes during the marathon... Too early by a day, too late by a day, and it arrived precisely two hours before the race. Imagine my resentful expression.

Enduring stomach pain, I didn't dare drink a sip of beverage on the track and finished the race in agony. At that time, I didn't care about the results; I was just grateful I didn't have a hemorrhage. But I couldn't help but praise the people of Chongqing. The track was crowded with layers of people, many bringing their own supplies, and continuous cheers in their charming dialect. It was adorable. An uncle saw my conflicted expression (I was considering giving up) and came up to me, giving me a thumbs-up and saying in Chongqing dialect, 'You go, girl!'I was stunned, paused for a few seconds, nodded heavily at him, and continued running.

Most of the time, it's not the fancy words that touch people's hearts; simple encouragement can warm the heart. The Chongqing Marathon track runs along the Yangtze River, offering endless river views and a flat course, perfect for personal bests. The enthusiasm of the hotpot-loving Chongqing people was evident in their self-prepared supplies and heartfelt cheers. The night view of Chongqing, known as 'Little Hong Kong,' is truly beautiful. Standing by the river, with the night breeze blowing, the picturesque night view unfolds before your eyes.

Time passed neither too fast nor too slow, and soon it was April. This season is when the cherry blossoms at Wuhan University are in full bloom. The Wuhan Marathon takes place at this time. Mr. Hu signed up for the full marathon and asked me to run the half marathon. He also told me that the Wuhan full marathon medal is gold-plated, and that only four marathons in China have gold-plated full marathon medals (Wuhan, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong). Upon hearing this, I was not happy and immediately had the idea that if I collected all four, I might summon a dragon or something. I insisted on running the full marathon, and Mr. Hu couldn't persuade me otherwise. At that time, my mind was full of dragons...

Later, with the help of a friend, I finally got a spot. On one side, I was beaming with pride, and on the other, Mr. Hu was worried. Everyone knew I was crazy—a person who hadn't even run 30K insisting on running a full marathon must have a problem. When I arrived in Wuhan, I eagerly toured the entire Wuhan University. In the vast campus, I only found a few fallen cherry blossoms on the ground. Due to several heavy rains the previous week, the cherry blossoms had been knocked down, leaving only regret.

On race day, it was scorching hot. The sun was roasting my skin, living up to Wuhan's reputation as one of the 'Four Furnaces.' Despite being my first full marathon, the perfect race experience made me not care about the heat. What I remembered was the beautiful scenery of East Lake, the magnificent Yellow Crane Tower, the grand Yangtze River Bridge, the serious demeanor of the double rows of police officers, and the sweet smiles of the volunteers. This was the most beautiful track I had ever run, with the best race support and the most dedicated organization. If there's any race to surpass, it would be the 2017 Wuhan Marathon. I highly recommend it with five stars. This was the first time I felt I wasn't running alone, the first time I found a sense of belonging through a marathon.

I had imagined that after finishing my first full marathon, I would hug a stranger at the finish line and cry, moved by my own achievement. However, when I actually achieved my goal, I felt incredibly calm. The marathon made me discover another side of myself. Mr. Hu was still waiting at the finish line, which had become a kind of tacit understanding. That day, time passed quietly, with only the gentle wind blowing through.

Author: @DongfangXX Editor: @Codoon People