beijing marathon丨commemorating my 50th marathon

Tickets for the 2018 Beijing Marathon were hard to come by, continuing the explosive growth of marathon runners in China. From registration to the announcement of the participants, social media was flooded multiple times.

Starting with the Beijing Marathon in September, the number of races across the country gradually increases, sometimes even leading to a shortage of runners, until the Xiamen Marathon the following year marks the end of the peak marathon season.

The charm of the Beijing Marathon is not just about running in the capital.

I was fortunate to be one of the 30,000 participants in the Beijing Marathon. With a heart full of reverence, I left Shenzhen right after work on Friday without even having dinner, willingly taking a 10-hour high-speed train ride overnight to the capital. (Nothing can stop my longing for the Beijing Marathon)

I often team up with my pacer partner, the 'Kenyan Fairy.' Every time we meet, we take a photo to see how much darker her skin has become. (Secretly telling you, she cares a lot about her dark skin. Before the race, I offered her my treasured PA+++110 sunscreen, but she refused, saying it would make her face look white.) I was totally impressed, haha.

Arriving at Beijing West Railway Station at 7 a.m. on Saturday, I felt the autumn chill of the North, perfect for running! I quickly took out a long-sleeve shirt from my backpack. From the shoes and backpacks of the people at the station, it was clear that most were runners from all over the country.

Although the package pickup and marathon expo started at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, a long line had already formed at 8:30 a.m. at the Agricultural Exhibition Center. We were all anxiously waiting to collect our race bibs.

Recalling my first Beijing Marathon in 2016, the sponsors remained the same, and the race bibs were very similar. The only regret this year was that the bibs did not have Chinese names.

The package pickup for the Beijing Marathon was orderly. From identity verification to security checks, wristband distribution, bib collection, and receiving the corresponding size of clothing, there was almost no chance of getting lost or taking a wrong turn. Kudos to the organizing committee!

I chose my usual Adidas size for the clothing, which fit perfectly. The red vest was very eye-catching! The words '2018 Beijing Marathon' on the chest added a touch of class. Wearing it for future runs will surely turn heads.

After collecting my gear, I visited the expo. As someone with limited experience in large-scale events, I found the Beijing Marathon expo to be spectacular (though later, fellow runners told me that last year's expo was much larger).

At the AfterShokz bone conduction headphones booth, I ran into a well-known photographer and sharp-tongued blogger from the running community, 'Dai Wu Yan.' Music is essential on the running path.

I personally use AfterShokz headphones. The biggest advantage is that they don't need to be inserted into the ear canal, which helps prevent missing important sounds like horns and shouts, reducing the risk of accidents. (Especially suitable for night runs)

It is said that the most beautiful official pacer in the history of the Beijing Marathon, 'Little Circle,' is from Shenzhen like me. We both got injured a month before the race but encouraged each other to persist, earn our medals, wear our finisher shirts, and celebrate with a meal!

Every marathon is like a large-scale meetup for online friends. Tomorrow, let's all do our best!

Good sleep is essential for running a marathon. Having suffered from insomnia for over two years, I only slept about 3 hours before recent marathons. So, I lay down at 8 p.m., put away my phone, and tried to sleep, as I had a goal for the Beijing Marathon!

Breaking 4 hours is one of my goals this year. Due to frequently running as a pacer, I had to look back to the 2017 Xiamen Marathon to find a finisher certificate.

Here's a customary pre-race photo. Posting it on social media, trying to show off, as they say, the more likes you get, the better your personal best (PB) will be.

Top: 2XU compression long-sleeve, K2 quick-dry vest

Bottom: Nike 3-inch racing shorts

Watch: Garmin VA3

Headphones: AfterShokz bone conduction

Shoes: Adidas Adizero

Socks: Salomon

Waist pack: Decathlon basic model

Nutrition: Gu energy gel x3

Staying near Qianmen, very close to the starting point at Tiananmen Square, I woke up at 5:45 a.m., washed up, ate instant noodles, and checked out at 6:45 a.m. After crossing a tunnel, I reached the security checkpoint. The security check included manual verification of race bibs to prevent the use of photocopied bibs. I also saw an elderly man without a bib trying to enter the race area, claiming to have been a runner for over ten years. He was eventually escorted away by security. It's important not to take advantage of one's age.

The Beijing Marathon does not allow balloons or flags. The second security check involved bag inspection, with staff being very diligent. The bag storage trucks were clearly marked with left and right medals, but with so many runners, it was hard to find each other after storing bags.

Following the signs for zones ABCDEF, I accidentally entered zone F due to the crowd's influence. I then moved forward to zone E but couldn't get into zone D. This is what locals call a 'dead end.' Guided by volunteers, I had to cross zones EF again and return to the starting area, where I realized there were three paths: AB on the left, CD on the right, and EF straight ahead.

Arriving at the C zone assembly area, the blue sky and white cloud arch of Beijing was just 500 meters ahead. Everything was ready for the 7:30 a.m. start.

At this moment, the host announced: 'Play the national anthem of the People's Republic of China!'

Arise! All who refuse to be slaves!

With our flesh and blood, let us build a new Great Wall!

Amid the stirring national anthem, at Tiananmen Square, I believe every runner felt a surge of passion. This is the charm of the Beijing Marathon!

I was so excited that I almost shed tears!

I opened the Codoon app to search for my location, set up my running shoes, and activated my watch to search for satellites.At 7:30 a.m., I faintly heard the starting gun, and runners began to move forward. Many runners quickly took selfies under the arch.

The course through the arch was very spacious, but no one rushed ahead. The most sacred moment of the Beijing Marathon is running on Chang'an Avenue, in front of Tiananmen! The course turned into a selfie zone.

I think this photo should be kept for a lifetime! So perfect, so proud!

After passing Tiananmen, I started to follow my plan to break 4 hours. Since I started 6 minutes late, I caught up with the 4:30 pacer at the 5 km mark, maintaining a good pace.

At the 10 km mark, I successfully passed the 4:00 pacer, taking 56 minutes. I also consumed my first energy gel. The kinesiology tape on my feet started to peel off during the run. Still immersed in the joy of passing Tiananmen, I pushed on, clocking 1 hour and 23 minutes at the 15 km mark.

The Beijing Marathon excels in two areas.

1. Extra-long spray stations ensure that if you need a spray, you won't be missed.

2. Mobile restroom vehicles. After using the restroom, I saw the 4:00 pacer pass me, so I gritted my teeth and caught up to the 20 km mark.

At the halfway timing point, my thighs started cramping, shattering my dream of breaking 4 hours. I took a photo to commemorate the moment and switched from a serious runner to a sightseeing runner.

The charm of the Beijing Marathon lies in the fact that no matter how much you want to give up, there are always runners around you who refuse to quit. Watching people pass me, I silently consumed my second chocolate-flavored energy gel. It was so sweet, sweeter than first love.

The aid stations were well-stocked with energy gels and bananas, a significant improvement from the empty stations I encountered during the 2016 Beijing Marathon.

I use sunglasses to adjust my mood while running. For example, when the sun is very strong, I take off my sunglasses to boost my morale. I don't like wearing sunglasses through spray stations as the lenses can get blurry.

The same goes for headphones. When I get tired during a marathon, I listen to a song to adjust my state of mind.

At the 36 km mark, this was the most challenging stretch in 2016. The memory is still vivid. I recalled what kept me running to the finish line back then and what has kept me running to this day, two years later.If I weren't running, where would I be now, doing what, and with whom...

With 1 km left, my thighs were cramping badly. I saw photographer Xiaopang and Sister Dai, gritted my teeth, and forced a smile.

Getting lost in thought is the fastest way to pass the time. Just one more turn, and I would finish. After finishing, I would drink beer, eat hotpot, and take photos with my medals! Everything would be achieved with my steps!

I had thought of many celebratory moves for the final sprint, but in the last 100 meters to the finish line, I couldn't remember any of them. I just calmly raised my fists to encourage myself, completing the Beijing Marathon for the second time!

[Zhi Hua An Fang] Congratulations to Chen Mu for completing the 2018 Beijing Marathon men's full marathon, bib number: C2058, gun time: 4:47:18, net time: 4:41:44. This result is for reference only, and the organizing committee reserves the right to interpret it.

I firmly support races that give finisher shirts for likes. So considerate!

It's time to show off the Beijing Marathon finisher medal.

Holding the medal, sitting on the ground, basking in the sun, looking at the National Stadium Bird's Nest, I rested for a long time before getting up to leave. The national-level Beijing Marathon experience was fantastic! The hours of hard work were worth it!

Post-race hotpot celebration, our finisher photos once again flooded social media.

Thanks to all the volunteers at the Beijing Marathon for providing such excellent service.

Thanks to all the photographers at the Beijing Marathon for capturing classic images for the runners.

Thanks to all the runners at the Beijing Marathon for letting me feel the charm of running!

Thanks to all my friends who were happy for my finish.

Wishing us all the best for 2019, may we all get selected for the Beijing Marathon and finish it again!

—My 50th marathon race.