despite being 13 minutes late im really crazy happy

I enjoy the focus that comes with running seriously: no eating and drinking along the way, no listening to explosive high-energy music, no stopping to take deliberate photos; no thinking about how to allocate energy or studying race strategies; and no giving up halfway when feeling uncomfortable.

Even if there are no scenic views or race packs, it doesn't matter much to me. As long as there's a track and many interesting fellow runners to run with, that's enough.

I take every race seriously; it's my requirement for my own race demeanor.

However, the Chengdu Shuangyi Marathon on March 19 was really the most unlike a race I've ever experienced. Before writing this article, I thought of countless titles.

"A Laughable and Cryable Shuangyi Performance?"

"A Race That Made Me Want to Swear?"

Or something sentimental:

"Running to Meet You All."

Or:

"Two Hours Before the Race, I Was Still Seventy Miles Away from Shuangyi?"

Or:

"It Rained, Poor Shen Squid's Hair Wax, A Whole Race Duration?"

01.

March 25 is the Chongqing Marathon.

I prepared for this race near my home for a long time, from peak training in January, running 10KM in 40 minutes and 41 seconds, to a half marathon in 1:36. In February, I was still mocking the injury outbreak period, and then I got hit myself.

February was basically spent recovering from injuries, going through a tough time to the slow jogging recovery phase. My heart rate endurance regressed significantly. I had no hopes for the Chongqing Marathon, so I didn't think much about it. Knowing that Squid would go to Shuangyi and come to Chongqing before heading to Chengdu, I thought I might as well run a half marathon too.

"Although I don't eat hotpot, if you come, I'll definitely eat it. As long as you don't mind that this Chongqing person doesn't eat chili or oil dip, clear broth is fine for me."

Then on the night of March 16, three locals from Chongqing and one Squid from Hangzhou (a seafood) sat around a pot of "Yuan Yang" hotpot in "awkwardness."

A few minutes earlier, someone had posted a picture in the group saying, "We don't sell Yuan Yang pots, mildly spicy is our final compromise."

(I have stories and wine, do you want to swap your clear broth for red oil?)

In the end, I sat alone with a pot of clear broth, saying, "I haven't eaten hotpot in years, breaking the rule, breaking the rule~" until I couldn't even roll my eyes anymore.

On the 17th, I met up with Squid at Chengdu East Station.

"Wow~ It's Shen Squid!"

Walking among the crowd,We were constantly getting looks from many young girls, aunties, and kids.

"How much did you spend to buy these fans?"They joked later.

The two of us, both directionally challenged, wandered around the East Station, finally got on the subway, and reached our destination a little after one.

We finally saw the legendary "Pickled Chicken." Normally, I would rinse it clean with water, but I thought, breaking the rule once in a while isn't a big deal.

So, we ate until after three o'clock...

In less than three hours, we ate another pot of Thai-style spicy and sour seafood...

Finally, after several trips to the bathroom, I thought, Shuangyi is really just for fun, not for performance. Enjoy the track and run happily.

It seems I was indeed "crazy" happy.

02.

Woke up at five, went to the bathroom, and left at six-thirty. On the way from Chengdu to Dujiangyan, I ate an energy bar.

I remembered last year when I came to Chengdu for a marathon, I also forgot to buy breakfast and ate an energy bar. Since it was only a half marathon and I usually run on an empty stomach in the morning, even 30KM+ is no problem, so I wasn't too worried.

"Are you nervous?"

"Hey, are you nervous? Let me tell you, don't be nervous..."

"Hey, it's raining."

"Oh no! My hair wax! It's really going to mess up my face!" someone wailed beside me.

At that moment, I suddenly felt a warm surge of excitement and happiness.

Arriving at the track, I parted ways with my friends and went to the half marathon assembly point.

The rain seemed to be getting heavier.

I took off my windbreaker, wearing only a vest and shorts. It wasn't too cold, but my foot injury hadn't healed and still felt uncomfortable.

"You're here to have fun, don't push yourself," I kept telling myself, so I didn't bring my racing shoes this time.

I started in the third zone of the half marathon start area, starting about 14 minutes after the gun went off.

As my friend said, from the moment I started running, I felt a sense of powerlessness, keeping my pace in check the whole way.

Especially after 5 or 6KM, entering the scenic area, my legs were warmed up and feeling good, but then came the narrow stone paths crowded with people.

There were people squatting down to tie their shoelaces suddenly; people standing in the middle of the road taking selfies, photos of the sky, the ground, and the scenery; andThree or four people standing side by side, with gaps just small enough that no one could pass through; people chatting leisurely, carrying big flags that flapped around and hit people in the face; and sudden "gusts of wind" with people lifting their legs high, doing interval runs, and other "obstruction creators."

"Oh come on!..."

Countless curses were omitted here. I could only roll my eyes hard. This was the only race where I couldn't run freely because of the crowd and ended up swearing...

"Looks like I'll have to look forward to the uphill."

Countless thoughts flashed through my mind.

The Shuangyi track, although not as tough as some of the grueling races I've participated in, had a fair number of gentle slopes. But this became an opportunity for me to speed up. When I encountered an uphill, I would speed up a bit, then ease off on the downhill, and I ran happily.

From "Oh no, my blue Saucony shoes are going to get wet and dirty from the puddles" to "Splashing in puddles is actually quite fun," I gradually got used to the crowd and spent the whole way thinking about how to "break through."

"This is the fun of racing."

This is the true feeling of running that I love,and the charm of marathon races that attracts me the most.

"I might run a marathon in a city because of one person, or feel sad and never go back to a place because of one person, but I won't stop running or racing because of anyone."

There was a section of the track with rapeseed flowers, bright yellow, standing out in the overcast weather. My mood became lighter, enjoying the feeling of my legs lifting and moving forward.

Along the way, there were enthusiastic uncles and aunties, kids, and volunteers cheering us on with lively and touching voices. Because of my severe photophobia, in the overcast weather, I could only see blurry faces, but I could hear their voices.

Like the feeling after the rain clears, slowly, the sun came out.

Although there were no supplies along the way, the cool weather didn't affect me much. But my injured leg felt uncomfortable, and later on, I started to feel slightly fatigued. So, the last few slopes weren't as exciting, and I felt tired, lacking the usual adrenaline rush to speed up in the second half.

"Running this slow, I really doubt my life." I wanted to laugh but felt a bit bitter.

After passing the 19K mark, which was a refreshing turnaround, I saw the finish line timer from a distance.

"Finished in 1:49," similar to last year's half marathon in Chengdu, slower than last year's Chongqing women's half marathon by over 6 minutes, and 13 minutes slower than January's 1:36...

"Don't be sad, getting old is just getting old," a certain Squid consoled me after the race.

03.

   

Suddenly, I felt like this trip to Chengdu was like a dream.

A dream of meeting friends as planned.

The visit was brief, but seeing these friends made me so happy that it felt unreal, making me want to cherish and preserve it.

I met new friends, thanks to Ge Xiao for hosting me, Dong Ge for the hospitality, and YOYO, Xiao Lianzi, and my first editor on Codoon, Wu Si.

And of course, the legendary Bucktooth Zhao, Teacher Zhao.

And of course, the excellent, humorous, interesting, hardworking, warm-hearted, passionate, and silly peak Shen Squid.

How should I put it, I like running because it constantly brings new encounters and farewells.

With myself, with others, and with the surroundings.

Then setting off again, starting anew.

Even if most of the time it's a solo journey,

I often find unexpected surprises along the way.

Every encounter is a stroke of luck.

Every marathon is a brand new experience.

Every coincidence might just be inevitable.

Every expectation is worth treating with care.

Shuangyi Marathon, a temporary farewell, but not a goodbye, we will meet again.

Back home, listening to ghost stories, running a fever, and finishing this article.

"Damn, the Chongqing Marathon is doomed."

...

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