beyond teaching and educating running to change more lives

Many runners enter the running community because their bodies have sounded the alarm, indicating it's time to exercise; some do it to enjoy the thrill of sweating profusely; others are inspired by reading Haruki Murakami's book 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running'.

Professor Lu (@Yuanzhu) had a different and heavier reason for joining the running community. His graduate advisor suddenly passed away due to illness, which was a shock he found hard to accept. Around the same time, work pressures were also overwhelming him, leading to various degrees of mental and emotional fatigue.

"People inevitably encounter various problems and negative emotions. Running became a channel for release, preventing negative emotions from accumulating," Professor Lu decided to start running to change his low spirits and rid himself of negative energy. However, he had always been more accustomed to immersing himself in books, making him a novice in sports. "Although I was academically excellent during my school years, I never excelled in sports," Professor Lu candidly admitted that he was a beginner in athletics.

When he first started running, he faced the same issues as other newcomers: he hadn't found the correct running technique, making it very challenging. It seemed as if the pressure was slowly seeping into his feet, and the heaviness of his thoughts translated into the heaviness of his steps.

To address this, Professor Lu's method was to run more. In the first two weeks, he would be out of breath after just a few kilometers. Despite the discomfort, he kept running—before morning classes, after classes—until he noticed he could run longer distances. After just five weeks, he felt confident enough to participate in the first Bird's Nest Half Marathon, finishing with an impressive time of 2 hours and 1 minute. "Six months later, I started running full marathons." This was a stark contrast to his self-proclaimed novice status, as running a full marathon in such a short time is a testament to his innate talent. Perhaps from the moment he started running, his dormant athletic cells were activated, allowing him to enjoy the long-lost pleasure of exercise. On the expansive marathon track, his past frustrations transformed into a driving force.

On his continuous journey towards the future, Professor Lu never thought of stopping. He even met a running group from Peking University on the marathon track. "Since I also graduated from Peking University, I felt a strong connection with them." He later joined the group, where mutual encouragement made the once monotonous exercise enjoyable. "We train together, encourage each other during marathons, and have more interactions in daily life." They would team up to run in parks, by lakes, and in marathons, enjoying the scenery and new experiences along the way. They also held themed running events during various holidays, adding fun to the exercise and motivating each other to keep running.

The encouragement from his running friends helped him achieve a time of 1 hour and 57 minutes in the 2018 Beijing International Long-Distance Running Festival Half Marathon. Although it seemed like a modest improvement of 4 minutes from his previous half marathon time, he felt much more at ease. Professor Lu was grateful, saying, "I couldn't have done it without the encouragement and support of the running group. It's very different from running alone; it's fantastic."

Reflecting on the changes running has brought, Professor Lu said, "It has had many positive effects on my life, making my lifestyle healthier. No matter what problems I encounter, my confidence in solving them has increased." The magical effect of running on him has been to awaken a relaxed mindset and add flavor to his life. By following the allure of running, both his body and mind remain youthful and energetic. This influence extends beyond Professor Lu himself; as a teacher, his running also has a subtle positive impact on his students.

He often meets his students on the marathon track. "When students see me, they talk about running, ask questions, and share experiences." This has inspired some of his more reclusive students to develop a love for running, creating a positive cycle of healthy living. He believes everyone benefits from running, and "the entire society will also be positively influenced."

When discussing his future running plans, Professor Lu didn't mention specific goals for race times. Instead, he hopes to keep running continuously. "I often see people in their 60s on the marathon track. When I see them, I wonder if I will still be able to run like that at their age. So, looking back at myself, I need to keep exercising to maintain a good body into old age."

Compared to the dark times following his advisor's sudden passing, Professor Lu is now more optimistic, positive, and passionate about work and life. "Some things in life are tough at first, but once you start running, you feel like the problems gradually get solved." His bond with running is not just a means to improve his physical and mental well-being but also a platform for making friends and sharing hearts, a spice of life, and a journey to discover his own brilliance.