a rural teachers sports dream
In 2003, I left my beloved sports, bid farewell to the track and field, and became an ordinary physical education teacher.I no longer tread on the footprints of the past; everything from before has become a thing of the past, all has dissipated like smoke.
From 2003 to 2014, for these 11 years, I remained obscure and unaccomplished, merely a physical education teacher at a rural middle school.
Apart from work, I spent most of my time on unnecessary social engagements and interactions, thus forgetting my original intention and persistence, drifting further and further away from my original world.
Over the years, although I occasionally appeared on the sports field, the passion and struggle of the past were long gone, and the habits I developed as an athlete had been thrown to the winds. Truly, 'live for today, worry about tomorrow when it comes.'
The sport that once occupied my entire life was no longer the most important thing in my life.
Sometimes I felt fearful, lost, and empty.
September 2014, Shangri-La.
In the championship match of the flower cannon competition at the 10th Traditional Ethnic Minority Sports Games of Yunnan Province, although we won the championship, I paid a heavy price—a fracture of the right acromioclavicular joint. (Flower cannon: a traditional sport invented by the Zhuang ethnic group, similar to American football, known as Oriental football)
For nearly a year, I was healing, decadent, and indulging myself.
During this period, I guaranteed a loan for a friend, and it turned out to be true: 'You would take a knife for a friend, but the friend would stab you twice.'
In a stroke of bad luck, the friend disappeared without a trace.
Hundreds of thousands in debt fell entirely on me. As a man, I had to bear it.
But who understands the pain in my heart? Because of the mental pressure, I remained depressed. In the blink of an eye, it was September 2015. One day, while sorting through old items, I saw a photo from more than ten years ago and realized that the boy fighting on the field was so far, far away from me.
One day, I saw a quote: 'Either run or read, the body and soul must be on the road.' (In fact, when running, both the body and soul are on the road)
I suddenly realized that not only had my weight increased dramatically, but I had also confined myself for too long. My life had already deviated from myself, becoming tasteless and lacking vitality.So, I decided to pick up what I had lost for so long and get myself back on the road.
However, some things had been lost for more than ten years, and dragging my heavy body back to the track was really, really difficult. From taking the first step, to 3 kilometers, 5 kilometers, 10 kilometers... all the way to a half marathon, then a full marathon.Each time, I exhausted myself like a dog, my whole body aching.The next morning, I didn't want to get up, but whenever I thought about what I had been through, I forced myself to get up and continue on the road.
Running is a boring, lonely sport, a process of one person using loneliness to fight loneliness.Only when we willingly accept it can we persist.
Running is to see oneself clearly through hardship and persistence, to have a serious force pushing you forward when you have nothing to rely on or nothing to do.Thus, I required myself to appear on the track every day.No matter how busy I was, no matter the weather.Even if I didn't run, I would walk a few kilometers. I firmly believed that only by moving forward step by step could I run farther. Only by refreshing again and again could I run faster.And only oneself can make oneself stronger.
So, I started trying to sign up for online half marathons. The first time I ran 16 kilometers, my feet were no longer my own.
I finished in 2 hours and 12 minutes. Although my toes were blistered and bled, staining my running shoes red, I was still very happy. I didn't expect I could actually run it.
As I kept running, I found that although running is lonely, with only the sound of the wind whistling past my ears, the competition and struggles at work, the trivialities of life, and the chaos of the world were no longer heard. From another perspective: 'All things are observed in silence.' You will find that the things you didn't notice before, like the cool breeze, bird songs, and floral scents, have always been by your side, and you are not really alone.
I really liked one of Tengchong Marathon's promotional slogans:
'If you haven't traveled, you don't know how big the world is.
If you haven't been to Tengchong, you don't know how the ginkgo leaves fall in November.
If you haven't run, you don't know that you were born to run.
If you haven't participated in the Tengchong Marathon, you don't know that a marathon can be as beautiful as a non-competition.'
Come to Tengchong to run, let 'if' no longer be 'if.'
On November 6th, a sunny autumn day, I came to Tengchong with a heart full of anxiety and anticipation, arriving at Heshun Ancient Town.
In this beautiful and sacred place, I started my first marathon. Running in the picturesque Heshun Ancient Town, feeling the charm of intellectual and classical intertwining, embraced by Laifeng Mountain, with the breeze blowing, the light clouds and gentle wind seemed to tell the glory and dreams of the expeditionary force seventy years ago. The speed and the leisurely small-town life blended so wonderfully, the breeze whispering in my ears, the sun leaving warmth on my face, the rustling of leaves conveying determination, and I ran happily on the golden road, all the way brilliant.
Originally, I was just satisfied to finish in the top 100, but I ended up finishing 37th with a time of 1 hour and 54 minutes (the actual distance of the Tengchong Marathon is 1 kilometer longer than a half marathon).
Running on the beautiful track in Tengchong, enthusiastic spectators cheered for every runner, and fellow runners encouraged each other. After the race, whether we knew each other or not, we hugged, took photos together, and even planned to visit the most yellow ginkgo village in Tengchong, soak in the hot springs at Rehai, boil eggs, see the active volcano, and taste all kinds of snacks in Tengchong together...
It truly achieved the perfect combination of time, place, and people.On the marathon track, runners transcended nationalities, ages, and genders. I saw the purest people; there was no scheming, no deceit, only the concept of health and vitality.
This deeply touched me. At that moment, I fell in love with marathons, I fell in love with running, and from that moment on, I called myself:
I am a runner. Later, I signed up for many online half marathons on various running apps and even tried running a full marathon.
Now, after running for 4 months, I have lost 7 kilograms, and my personal best keeps improving. Those achievements I once dared not imagine are now becoming mine.
Regarding running, I don't envy how fast or how far you can run; I only admire how long you can persist.
—Isn't it the same for a life of struggle and hard work?
Running has become an indispensable part of my life, a part of my life's composition.In fact, running is a belief, because with belief, you can persevere and resolutely keep running.
Some say life is a marathon.Life should always be moving forward in running. Sometimes it feels tiring, sometimes it feels difficult, but don't fall behind. When you fall, don't cry, because our road is still long, and we must chase our goals.
Whenever I run, the cool breeze hits me, seeping into every cell of my body, even cleansing my chaotic mind. When in a bad mood, you can ride the wind and leave your troubles behind; when in a good mood, you can ride the wind and carry your happiness, speeding through the tranquil dawn and dusk. Running is not just exercise, not just enjoyment, but a moving experience.
Running is not just a workout; running is a process, a discovery, a process of self-discovery. True running lets us face ourselves. Running not only lets us see the world but also lets us see our place in it.
Life itself is a long run. Along the way, we pass through many beautiful sceneries to see the true meaning of life.
Life is endless, and so is exercise.
Running on the road, the knots in my heart are untied.
Running on the road, I found direction. In life, there is no most successful person, but there are richer people; there is no final destination, but there are newer journeys; there is no perfect ending, but there are more vivid stories.
Enjoying the excitement while moving forward, the journey of life will be richer.
2016, I am a runner, I am on the road. Running, just to meet the best and the original self.