did one year as a rabbit pb thanks to more professional him

You watch your favorite movie several times, knowing the next line with your eyes closed, but still get moved; you run marathon after marathon, thinking about giving up many times, but in the end, you still stumble forward, muttering 'I will never run again,' yet deep down, you miss the moments of struggle while running.

——Without writing a preface, I don't know how to start.

1.

How many people start running for health or weight loss, telling themselves it's for their well-being? Absolutely not a few. But as time goes by and the distance accumulates, along with the continuous improvement of physical fitness, the inner desire to push oneself starts to stir, wanting to go all out for a crazy PB (personal best), like me.

Is this contradictory? No, it's not.

When it comes to sports, perhaps this is a very normal thing. Rationality always walks side by side with sensibility. Moreover, in the sports circle, there are many shining and warm real people who share their warm truths with you without reservation, and constantly inspire you with their 'blockbuster' charm: Look at me, then look at yourself!

Their attitude towards the world is clear and straightforward, uncompromising, sincere, and unpretentious. They don't hide their intolerance and don't conceal their thoughts, which are as hard to hide as the sweat after a run.

Their attitude towards friends is attentive and warm, without evasion, reservation, or unnecessary words. Promises made casually are remembered in their hearts, and once given, they are hard to retract, harder than catching up with their running pace.

For example, this time at the Nanjing Marathon, I was fortunate to meet 'private pacer' Shi Daodong. (Yes, all the above was to lead to this sentence.)

It's him, it's him, it's really him, this private pacer is incredibly cool.

2.

I know many people, like me, are easily influenced by those around them, harboring at least one crazy little thing in their hearts:

For example, seeing a master runner being a pacer in a marathon, feeling envious, and wanting to try it;

For example, seeing friends running ahead on the marathon track, feeling envious, and wanting to try it.

I also know that many people, like me, can't hide their thoughts once they have them and start asking people around like headless chickens.

For example, wanting a PB, the first thing they do is not train hard but lazily seek answers from those around them:

'If I want to run a 3:30 marathon, how should I train, what pace should I keep, do I have any hope?'

People around you, the attentive ones will share public account links, the professional ones will tell you that there are marathon pace calculators on Baidu, and another type will ask: 'Where are you planning to run?'

'Nanjing, I guess.'

'Okay, I'll be your private pacer and run with you.'

For example, this time at the Nanjing Marathon, I was fortunate to meet 'private pacer' Shi Daodong. (The long paragraph above was also to lead to this sentence, after all, 'a drop of water shall be returned with a burst of spring'~)

3.

At the beginning of 2017, I set a small goal to be a pacer, so I was a pacer for a whole year in Wuxi, Shanghai, Yangzhou, and Sydney. But it was at this Nanjing Marathon that I first experienced the touching feeling of being paced and realized that I still have a long way to go to be a qualified pacer.

For example, the encouragement along the race route;

For example, the warm words at the supply point: 'You keep running, I'll get the supplies';

For example, when I wanted to give up, the Tang Monk (attentive) style nagging: 'Our current pace is 5:10, but we have accumulated a 5-minute time buffer, slow down and adjust your rhythm.'

For example, after the race, when I lay in the hotel like a fool, receiving marathon photos taken by the private pacer along the way...

These are all things I need to learn.

A true pacer is always observant.

For example, at the supply point, seeing salt pills, the private pacer took a handful. I laughed at him for being too cunning, he laughed at me for being too ignorant.

But at 36 kilometers, a runner was talking to the medical team, and we vaguely heard the word 'cramp.' The private pacer left a sentence 'You go ahead,' and then stopped.

Then, we heard a conversation behind us: 'Where are you cramping, where does it hurt?'

...

Less than 2 minutes later, the runner huffed and puffed past, communicating with him:

'Thank you, after taking the salt pills and stretching, I feel better.'

Having run 36 kilometers and being half-dead, I could only give him a thumbs-up in my heart.

The first lesson taught: On the road of running, besides your own pace, noticing others' abnormalities and asking a question is not superfluous, on the contrary, it's quite heartwarming.

The private pacer is very professional, knowing that my verbal goal is 3:40, but my actual goal is 3:30. When I started to slow down and tried to push myself, he began to teach rationally:

'You have a cold today, keep this pace, there is more than one marathon, control your speed, health is more important than pace.'

The second lesson taught: On the road of running, don't just urge those around you to move forward, but stay calm and tell them to slow down, which is actually faster.

The private pacer is very determined. Countless times I waved him off, saying: 'You go ahead, I'll stay and deal with the monsters.'

The private pacer said, 'It's okay, I said I'd accompany you, so I'll run with you all the way.'

I said 'Hmm' with my mouth, but in my heart, I was thinking: Please go ahead, I really don't want to run anymore! If you leave, I can stop!

The third lesson taught: On the road of running, if you choose to accompany, then stay till the end. On the road of companionship, the pacer will trick you, saying the corner is the finish line, but the accompanied person will also trick you, saying 'You go ahead, I'll catch (not) up (run) soon (anymore).'

With such a cunning, professional, and determined private pacer, I successfully achieved my goal of 3:35 for the full marathon.

From not being able to complete 3 kilometers in March 2016 to finishing a full marathon in 3 hours and 35 minutes in October 2017. Confused yet excited.

Confused: I didn't expect to really finish it.

Excited: I didn't expect to touch a 3:30 result.

4.

Verbal goal 3:40, actual goal 3:30, finally finished in 3:35, with sore legs, back, and waist after the run.Regret it?

No, never.

All these steps have made me who I am today. Regrets still remain beautiful in memories, and I thank the brave self who took that step.

The world is too noisy, running gives me more time to listen to my inner self.

Finally, after writing this scatteredly, let me say something off-topic: Both the private pacer and I have a goddess named Wuxiang, whom we call Sister Xiang.

Sister Xiang says she has no special traits or skills. But we all like her, like her attitude of constantly resetting herself.

Sister Xiang says every time she reaches the finish line, it's not the end but a new beginning.

Sister Xiang says to review your running process, know your shortcomings, and then correct them.

Actually, after this Nanjing Marathon, I am also summarizing.

The 19-kilometer uphill in Nanjing, my thigh muscles couldn't keep up, not enough uphill practice, so I need to run more in Hangzhou's Longjing. Serious slowdown in the second half, not enough long-distance training, so more practice is needed in the future.

The slowdown throughout the race caused my running posture to deform. I thought of Brother Dong's forward-leaning posture, but my body couldn't follow my mind. A good running posture can save a lot of energy, so I need to improve.

You ask, why review, why continue training? Why torture yourself?

You say, there will definitely be a day when you won't run anymore, or can't run anymore. Once you stop running, won't you reset to zero again?

Yes, you're right.

But that's for the future. At least for now, I still want to challenge myself, torture myself. I hope that one day, when I see you doing things I envy, I can scoff in my heart: Haha, I am also that kind of person, I can do it too.

Rather than saying dimly: Actually, I could have done it too.

The Nanjing Marathon is over, it's the end of a marathon, but also a new beginning.

We are all running, running against our previous selves. We may not hope to surpass too many people, but we hope to surpass our previous selves.

Finally, once again, thank you to private pacer Shi Daodong.

After running around for a year, I had an initial intention, for health, to become better, and gradually my heart shifted from companionship to pace.

Thank you, Nanjing Marathon, for the companionship along the way, letting me understand:Running is not just about PB, but also about companionship (P) and pace (B).

Finally, following international convention, I'll end with two sentences.

'Thank you for the companionship.'

'Don't wait, it's unnecessary.'

I am @Shen Wuzei, Monkey's husband, Little Monkey's dad. Next time you see me at a marathon, remember to say hello.