bear and cat love running every day is a blessing

"You don't dare to take a photo without a hat (smile.jpg)."

This is not the first time Clumsy Cat has received such a private message.

"I had surgery on my head, and I have scars." Every time, Cat patiently explains. "Every time I answer such questions from Codoon friends, my nose feels a bit sour, but it's okay, it doesn't affect me from continuing to be a positive, healthy, and happy running cat."

Cranial osteoma is not as scary as imagined.

April 16, 2011, early morning.

Cat woke up early as usual. After getting up, she suddenly felt dizzy and fell to the ground. She thought it was due to overexertion from renovating her house and didn't pay much attention to it.

However, this situation occurred several more times. When she went to the hospital for a thorough check-up, the result was: cranial osteoma, requiring surgery.

"When I heard this news, it felt like the sky was falling." During those days, she cried almost all the time except when she was sleeping.

Perhaps adversity reveals true feelings. The man she had been dating for two years, who had always been indifferent, often worked overtime due to his job (soldier), never gave her any gifts, and never said a sweet word to her, on April 18, 2011, asked her to dress up nicely and took her to the Civil Affairs Bureau. In a daze, she got a marriage certificate with him. Holding the two red booklets, he smiled at her and said, "Now you can go for the surgery with peace of mind."

With the company of her husband and family, she successfully defeated the illness.

Due to this head surgery, the doctor advised her not to exercise for more than half an hour at a time. So, she, who loved sports, usually only ran at home and never thought she could run a marathon on the track.

The hard-won first marathon, finished easily.

Maybe because she ran a lot at home and got faster, her competitive spirit from childhood emerged. The desire to run a marathon grew in her heart. Once the idea of challenging the track was triggered, it never stopped. So, she secretly signed up for the Ordos Half Marathon.

To prepare for her first marathon, Cat trained secretly at home, running five kilometers every day, rain or shine.

As the race was about to start, Cat was going to participate, but her family unanimously opposed it. Even her always supportive husband firmly disagreed.

After repeatedly assuring her family that she would prioritize her health, she finally arrived at the Ordos Marathon track on August 19, 2017.

Shortly after the start, she met a knight arranged by the event organizers (mainly to protect and encourage female runners). She thought it would be a good idea to follow an experienced runner since she had never run a marathon before.

Unexpectedly, after just 5 kilometers, the knight's old knee injury flared up, and he couldn't continue.

"You go ahead, don't let me affect your performance," the knight waved and said to her.

"No way, I'll help you stretch first, and we'll run together."

Cat didn't give up. Instead, she quietly helped the knight stretch. At every medical station, she ran ahead to get spray to relieve his pain. Several times, the knight felt guilty and asked her to go ahead, but she insisted on stopping every kilometer to rest before continuing.

With Cat's persistence and help, the knight completed the 21 kilometers, and Cat finished her first marathon. Because of her regular training at home and slowing down her pace, she surprisingly finished her first marathon easily.

The next day, the knight and his family came to Cat's hotel to invite her to dinner, thanking her for helping him finish the race and agreeing to run the Ordos Marathon together in 2018 to set a new personal best!

The marathon I signed up for, I'll finish even if I have to crawl.

With the experience of the Ordos Marathon, Cat became more confident. So, while in good condition, she signed up for the Luyang Lake Half Marathon in September. Unexpectedly, two days before the race, her lumbar disc herniation flared up.

On the morning of the race, she was in so much pain that she couldn't even bend down to put on her socks and shoes.

This time, her husband sternly advised her to withdraw from the race, but she was still unwilling to give up.

"The marathon I signed up for, I'll finish even if I have to crawl!"

In the end, he had no choice but to run with her. Unexpectedly, after the start, he couldn't keep up and kept shouting for her to slow down.

Along the way, to keep her from slowing down, he sped up to get supplies for her and then caught up with her again.

With 2 kilometers to go, he said, "Honey, I think we can make it into the top 100. There's a 100 yuan prize for the top 100. If we make it, I'll give you 2000 yuan."

At the finish line, Cat ranked 50th in the women's group (including African runners), and he jokingly said,

"We lost, we lost big time!"

After that, Cat signed up for the Xi'an Half Marathon and was fortunate to participate in the Xiao Wei River Half Marathon as a 2:15 pacer. It was her first time as a pacer, and she led the runners to the finish line with a professional attitude, finishing in 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 58 seconds.

When she reached the finish line, she was stunned.

Her husband was holding a bouquet of roses, kneeling on one knee. At that moment, she remembered it was her birthday.

In front of the track she loved and her beloved, Cat suddenly understood the meaning of the phrase "tough guy with a tender heart."

Every day I can run is a happy day.

In 2017, Cat ran a total of 5 half marathons, from her first Ordos Marathon half marathon finished in 2:30,to the Xi'an International Marathon finished in 2:00, and then to the Luyang Lake Half Marathon with a personal best of 1:51. Cat has been continuously overcoming herself and refreshing her results. But Cat says that the results are not that important; she runs for fun.

From initially thinking that running a marathon was all about speed and results, she later realized that what mattered most to her were the interesting people and events she encountered on the road and the different experiences of each city and track.

Cat says, "Every day I can run is a happy day, and I am very happy."

Now, she still insists on running four times a week and doing simple strength training at the gym in her spare time. When she sees a marathon event in a city she likes, she signs up without hesitation. This is her pursuit of marathons.

In life, Cat is also a super mom and a great cook, making exquisite and delicious children's meals. Don't believe it? See for yourself ↓

"Running has given my life meaning and made it more positive and uplifting. I will keep running!" she said, with two deep dimples on her face.

Editor's interview notes:

I believe everyone, like me, would define Cat as a "peaceful runner" through her sports circle, never imagining that she also has a story full of twists and turns behind her.

I am very grateful for this exchange with Cat, which allowed me to get to know a different Cat and made me like this very optimistic and carefree "big girl" even more. She has courage and perseverance that most people don't have. She lives her life with heart, making it colorful and enviable. She sticks to her interests and hobbies and works hard for them. She is as charming as the dimples on her face, the deeper you go, the more enchanting she becomes.

Finally, I strongly recommend these two optimistic and serious runners to everyone@Clumsy Bear ♥ Cat@Bear DaddyIf you like them too, remember to follow them~