celebrity show white to leader marukos monster battling path to leveling up

With a height of 165 cm and a weight of 45 kg, I look thin and frail. It's hard for people who first meet me to associate me with marathons.Even my old friends marvel at how I manage to keep going.

Beginner's Village - Stumbling into the Running Game

When I ask myself why I run, I think for a long time and realize that I simply like it. In high school, I participated in the women's 1500 meters twice. In college, I would go to the track to run laps when I had free time. I didn't have a deep understanding of running; I just purely enjoyed the feeling of sweating profusely after a run. I didn't have any big goals, but perhaps a small seed of running had already been planted inside me, waiting to be nurtured and grow.

One day, I saw a friend using Codoon to log daily workouts, so I downloaded Codoon. The first time I used it, I participated in a 5-kilometer virtual run and was incredibly happy when I received a medal I liked. With Codoon's companionship, running became more enjoyable. Although I ran alone, each time I recorded and broke my records, I felt a great sense of achievement.

Until last year's Singles' Day, I signed up for an event on Codoon to run a rose pattern. This was my first experience running with 20 to 30 people in a park. Everyone was chatting and laughing, and they didn't treat me like a newbie even though it was my first time participating in a group activity. I met a group of friends who loved running. From that day on, I joined the Morning Red Group and started taking running seriously. Running with friends in Chaoyang Park every week became a must-do in my life.

Half-Marathon Instance - The World of Marathon is Beautiful

One lap around Chaoyang Park is 7k. Occasionally, I would run up to 12k, with a daily pace of 6:30 per kilometer. This was my limit. Getting a spot in the Long Run Festival was a pleasant surprise. A week before the race, I ran 15k in Honglingjin Park with my teammates, which was my first time running 15k. Like many others, I went into the race without much preparation, feeling like a 'newborn calf unafraid of tigers.' My plan was to maintain the pace from the 15k training, running the first 15 kilometers at a pace of 6:00-6:30 per kilometer, and if I couldn't run anymore, I would walk the rest.

Once I got on the track, I realized everything was different from what I had imagined. When 20,000 people stood at the starting line and sang the national anthem together, I felt a surge of pride. At that moment, I felt 'addicted.' The excitement of participating in my first race, the thrill of crossing the starting line, made it hard to control my pace. From the start to 10k, I maintained a pace of under 6 minutes per kilometer, and I felt more energized as I ran. Around 12k, a young man and I naturally fell into the same pace. We ran side by side, occasionally passing other runners. To save energy, I didn't look at him, but having someone running alongside me, matching my arm swings and breathing, kept me from slowing down. As I approached my planned 15k mark, the thought of slowing down vanished. I focused on steadying my breath and maintaining a consistent pace. At the 17 or 18k water station, we went to different tables for water. When I got back on the track, I couldn't find him anymore. After drinking water, I regained my strength and finished my first half-marathon at a pace of around 5:50 per kilometer.

At the finish line, we took photos together, regardless of whether we knew each other before. For the first time, I felt that a marathon was like a battle. Even if it was just a half-marathon, the runners who sweated and cried with you on the track felt like comrades, sharing the joy and pride of finishing the race.

As a first-time participant with zero experience, I had a little mishap. I didn't know I needed to collect a finisher's bag after the race. I walked out of the crowd at the finish line, wondering why everyone's bags were blue. I finally asked my teammates where to get the medal and realized I hadn't collected my finisher's bag.

Full Marathon Boss - Walk to the Finish Line if Necessary

With the experience of a half-marathon, it felt like leveling up in a game. I had a vague desire to tackle a bigger challenge and see where my limits were.

Thus began my journey to the Qinhuangdao Marathon. Running with the sea breeze, this time I focused more on enjoying the run rather than treating it as a competition. However, after 30 kilometers, I started to slow down significantly due to exhaustion. In the final stretch, I kept telling myself to walk to the finish line if necessary. When the staff hung the medal around my neck after I barely finished the race, I was moved to tears.

After the race, I told my teammates that I would never run a full marathon again because it was too painful. But after a night's sleep, the next morning, I was excitedly looking at when to sign up for the Beijing and Guangzhou marathons. This full marathon made me deeply understand the spirit of perseverance in marathons and showed me more of my potential. Moving forward, I might become unstoppable on the marathon path.

Leading the Team - Taking on the Responsibility of a Small Leader

Due to my stable pace and some race experience, I was promoted to the leader of the Morning Red Group. I led the pace at 6:00-6:30 per kilometer, and on good days, I would try leading at 5:30. I remember the first time I led at a 6:30 pace. A few senior runners and new members followed me. They asked questions about their running routines, and I shared my experiences with them. For the first time, I felt a sense of responsibility, knowing that I could encourage and help others with my own strength. Running alone might lead to confusion, but having a group of friends to discuss pace and personal bests, share encouragement, and motivate each other makes running more enjoyable!

Running is a process of leveling up, and with each level, I can't help but want to unlock the next challenge. I enjoy the sweaty release each time and love the version of myself that breaks new challenges.

Next, Maruko is aiming for the Grand Slam!

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