a runners annual summary (part 2)

Editor's Note: Previously, I received an 8000-word 'year-end summary.' After reading it carefully, I couldn't help but admire the author's year of sports experiences. I was also quite envious of her exciting and rich journey. Therefore, I decided to split the article into three parts and publish them all. On one hand, it's to thank the author for her trust, and on the other, to provide some reference for other Codoon friends. Sometimes, what sports can bring us far exceeds our expectations.

This is the third and final part.

If a marathon is like having a fierce tiger in your heart, a process of surpassing and recognizing yourself, then trail running is like smelling the roses, a sensory experience that emphasizes the journey through the mountains and forests, feeling every inch of land underfoot, the wind whistling past your ears, the whispers of the forest and streams, and enjoying the wild fun amidst the green mountains and waters.

I didn't deeply understand this sentence until the Alice Trail Run at the end of October.

Drizzling rain, misty fog, this is called a fairyland; moss-covered stone steps, continuous butt slides, this is called trail running!

Alice truly lives up to its name as the most sentimental trail run.

This was an all-female event with nearly 300 participants. Beautiful girls, a charismatic boss lady, a shy 'Little Life Chaser,' handsome male pacers, and dedicated photographers all added endless joy to the event. There were bumps and falls along the mountain paths; I had a bad fall at one point, but compared to the joy of traversing mountains and rivers, these injuries were nothing.

Times are changing, and people's perceptions are subtly shifting. Trail running is no longer about blindly pushing forward and ending up in a mess. Passing through a fresh tea garden after the rain, wading through clear streams, stepping onto misty forest paths, treading on soft pine needles, and having your purple dress sway rhythmically with your steps—being wild but also beautiful. Near the finish line, you can even touch up your lipstick. In fact, ordinary life is not without beauty; just open your eyes and feel it with your heart.

Because of Alice, I met Sister Juan and her son, the little prodigy. The little prodigy is quick-witted and often makes you forget his actual age. After the race, he saw me drink three bottles of RIO, and at that moment, he looked like a little kid craving a drink.

From sunrise to noon, the charm of the Shanghai Marathon captivates many. The dazzling neon lights highlight the splendor of the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Western-style buildings on the Bund make one feel lost in the city, and the dazzling light on the Huangpu River evokes a sense of modern history. Starting from the Bund, passing through the glamorous Nanjing Road, running into the historical Huaihai Road, heading south all the way, and finally entering the 80,000-seat stadium.

Along the way, the encouragement from my companions, a greeting from Tony when I was tired, and the last 10 kilometers with my classmate Shanshan running alongside me made my 'hitting the wall' not too severe. But I still felt a bit tired of running, always feeling that the long journey ahead was filled with loneliness.

Just after finishing the run, Mr. Hu grabbed me for a photo. It turned out everyone was waiting here to go home together.

Mr. Hu had planned to complete a 100-kilometer run this year. When he told me he had just signed up, I felt conflicted. At that time, I was in a 'running fatigue' transition period, especially during the latter half of road runs, where every step felt increasingly lonely. But I didn't want him to run alone, so I gritted my teeth and signed up for a 50-kilometer run. If I couldn't accompany him the whole way, at least I could join him for half. Thinking back to the Suzhou Walk100, from Dongshan around Taihu Lake heading west, the sun was so bright that I couldn't open my eyes, and my skin was steaming.My body felt like it was in hell, but my heart was happy.

We chatted and laughed along the way. By dusk, we reached the halfway point. The sunset hid behind the mountains, and the twilight lingered only for a moment. As soon as we turned around, night had fallen, and the streetlights began to light up sporadically. Everything merged into the night in mutual indifference, and thus began the loneliness and solitude of the earth.

After settling me down, Mr. Hu set off alone. The long street was dark and deserted. It's hard to imagine how strong one must be internally to have the courage to plunge into the night and push forward. My admiration for him was mixed with more worry.

I took the committee's car to deliver dinner to the volunteers. Watching these seventeen or eighteen-year-old students huddling in the cold wind, one girl didn't even bring a thick coat. Thinking about her guarding the whole night in the cold wind, I gritted my teeth and gave her my only thermal blanket, reminding them to be fully prepared in the future. After all, a race requires a lot of energy and resources, and we can't rely entirely on the committee to think of everything. Volunteers need to take care of themselves.

The car slowly drove along the race route, and I saw one strong runner after another. I counted about 20, including two girls. After delivering the meals and returning to the hotel to freshen up, it was almost midnight. I figured Mr. Hu should be nearing the finish line. Without a coat, I wrapped myself in a bath towel and went out.

As soon as I stepped out, I shivered. Fxxk, this weather is freezing. I wandered around the finish line for an hour, welcoming a dozen heroes back. Some complained about the lack of hot water, shuttle buses, and bag storage services, and there wasn't even lighting at the finish line wall, making it hard to take a post-race photo. But I also saw more heroes smiling as they received their finisher medals, eating cake with laughter, and using their phone flashlights to take makeshift finish photos.

I silently gave them a thumbs up in my heart.

To be honest, the finish line was quite shabby. Dim streetlights, a few volunteers standing guard, no finish line tape, no photographers, and the quietness was heart-wrenching.

I decided to wait for Mr. Hu further up the road so he would see me first.Instead of such a bleak environment, I walked along the race route, my breath turning to mist instantly, my toes already numb from the cold. Looking at the endless race route, I eagerly awaited Mr. Hu's figure. The darker the night and the colder the weather, the more I admired those who attempt a 100-kilometer run. The hardships involved are beyond the understanding of ordinary people. I haven't run it, but I can feel it.

In the distance, a light was flashing, getting closer and closer—it was his headlamp.

Thank goodness, he finally arrived. Watching his slightly staggering steps from afar, I suppressed my strange feelings and joked, 'This road is mine. If you want to pass, leave a toll.' He seemed calm. I wanted to help him, but he gently said, 'No need to help me, I'm about to cross the finish line.' Hearing this made my heart ache. I quickly supported him and told him, 'This time it's a bit different. There's no finish line tape, no photos, but there's cake to celebrate.'

He said, 'Oh, I want something salty...'

In early December, I ran the full Taihu Marathon alone again. Unexpectedly, this year's course was a bit tough, with half of the first 10 kilometers being uphill. After the uphill, there was a bridge, and I strictly controlled my heart rate. Unexpectedly, I achieved a personal best.

The guy in the wheelchair behind me, I've met him at the Wuhan Marathon and the Beijing Marathon. He's truly amazing. Ordinary people also have extraordinary journeys. Everyone's life is uniquely wonderful. Just be your own star. Seeing them work so hard, what reason do you have to complain?

I started cheering on every tired runner I met. Some smiled at me, some started running again because of my encouragement, and some replied with a cheer.

That's life. A casual greeting, a word of encouragement, a smile, a bit of fate—these things, when kept in your heart, become real. Over time, they become profound.

I originally planned to make the Taihu Marathon my final race of the year, but half a month later, I went to Dayang Mountain for another trail run.

Unsurprisingly, my period came again.

After a year, I've become quite calm... It's been over three months since I last came to Dayang Mountain, and I miss it a lot. It seems that Little Su Rou misses me too. As soon as I got off the car, he ran over to greet me affectionately.

This time, Tony and I, Shanshan and Milanda formed two small teams to run laps together. Instructor Lu, being a prize-winning runner, naturally disappeared early. Dayang Mountain was under construction, with several sections of the road collapsed and impassable. One downhill section was too slippery, and I was too scared to take a step. Tony returned in time to help me, teaching me anti-slip techniques, which touched me a lot.

Time leaves no trace. When we look back and flip through our hearts, there are always memories that leave deep marks on our lives. Whenever we think of them, a long-lost sense of emotion surges in our hearts, and that's enough.

As I write this, it's nearing the end. Who knows what I'll experience in the coming year? Anyway, I'm not afraid. As long as the little universe in my heart doesn't extinguish, who cares? As long as my feet can still move, I'll go wild. I hope my future self can become my own idol, no longer needing to envy others, because the hardworking me will be more charming.

In life, you must be cautious a hundred times, but there must be one time when you slam the table and rise; you must be carefree a hundred times, but you must love seriously once; you must never cross the line a hundred times, but you must walk gracefully once!

Stay true to your original intention, and you will achieve your goal. For me, running is something that makes me happy. A marathon, 42.195 kilometers, has no shortcuts every 100 meters, cannot be replaced every 100 meters, and requires every step to be taken one at a time, like stamping a seal on your life's journey.

Regarding my lover, every marathon run is accompanied by you. I don't need to worry about the itinerary because you are there.

When I hit the wall on the racecourse, thinking of your waiting at the finish line makes the long racecourse not seem so hard. A smile inadvertently appears on my lips, and a small sweetness rises in my heart. Your full companionship during my first trail run gave me infinite confidence and courage. It made me want to try even the toughest mountain runs. Before the race, you carefully prepared salt pills for me, reminded me of some details, and alternated hot and cold water to massage my legs. When you took me for a blind massage, I thought, 'Hmm, this man is actually quite good.' If love is like a journey, seeing all the scenery is satisfying.

I think my biggest decision in the future is that wherever I go, you must be with me.

Regarding my classmate Shanshan, I brought her into this, so I am responsible for her. Before the race, she would thoughtfully bring me breakfast. We have run together many times on the racecourse. This friendship will not be forgotten. Thank you. I really want to help you find a boyfriend. In the future, the racecourse will be handed over to him, and he will accompany you to run. So you know, here's a matchmaking ad. If you're interested, contact me, and I'll give you her contact information.

Regarding friends, some people you don't contact often, but when you need their help, they really help you as if it's their own matter, even though they often tease you verbally. For example, my friend Huang Hun, I still remember him as a young boy with yellow hair. People are sincere with each other. Saying one thing means one thing. Thank you for letting me find this feeling again. I think we will become lifelong friends.

Regarding running friends, when I first met Little Bread, I was attracted by her long legs and perfect running posture. I witnessed her step by step becoming a senior pacer with unlimited potential. How to describe Nana? You hear her before you see her. Her cheerful and lively personality instantly infects you. She's very nice, and her laughter makes you forget the fatigue of running mountains, perfectly interpreting the camaraderie among running friends. Xingyun, also known as Brother Huang, has a beautiful singing voice like a yellow warbler in the green willows. He excels at night training. No matter how late he works, he runs every day. He's good at photography, especially trail running videos. Running with him, you can rest assured that your race video will be ready after the race. A person willing to give up personal PB to record the team's race details shows how high his personal charm is.

Tony, a reserved man, can give you help when you need it most, as if he's always watching over you. He truly lives up to his name as the first responder. I won't forget your greeting when I was tired at the Shanghai Marathon, and your support when I was scared of the slippery downhill on the Yangshu Line.

Bear God, with a gentle personality, is different from ordinary people. He has been a vegetarian for years but can run a marathon every day for over a hundred days in a row. He's simply a god-like existence. He has many stories. Do you have enough wine? Instructor Lu, a beast in the mountain running world and a frequent podium finisher. After knowing him, you realize that all your training isn't really hard training. He has almost worn out the Yangshu Line with his training. He can run it with his eyes closed. If you want hard training and improvement, look for him.

Running through the scenery and past you, there will always be someone who brings sunshine to us, dispelling all previous gloom.

Thank you for the encounter, allowing me to meet you all.

Author: @Orientalxx Editor: @Codoon People