beijing tnf50km the brightest star in the dead of night
It turns out that life from beginning to end is a waste, and you only need to judge whether this waste is 'beautiful.' Later, whenever I did something, I would ask myself, do you think it is beautiful? If so, then go ahead and do it. From here, we resist fate and enjoy life.
—Wu Xiaobo, 'Waste Life on Beautiful Things'
Life is full of complaints, followed by face-slapping moments.
Last year, I participated in the Dalian 50km trail run for the first time, taking 11 hours and 26 minutes. The hardships, fatigue, and pain along the way are still vivid in my mind. The first trail run felt like a farewell.
But on the night of Double Eleven, I stayed up all night, buying shoes, bags, trekking poles... Well, the equipment is so expensive, I can't waste it. Life is indeed a series of face-slapping moments. I stubbornly refuse to admit that it was the 799 yuan registration fee that made me decide to go, insisting it was purely out of 'passion.' Yes, 'passion!' (Cursing myself countless times, wishing I could chop off the hand that registered.)
The stubbornness of 3848
Before the race, the organizing committee sent a message: race number '3848.' 3848, 3848... Repeating it, I felt an instant urge to give up. Starting at midnight, crossing mountains and ridges, I came to seek hardship but not to kill myself. The most special race number for the craziest you. The number is annoying, but I can't be. My wish for this race is not to reach the finish line but to return home safely.
Pre-race smokescreen
I usually enjoy morning runs, running from dark to dawn, witnessing countless beautiful mornings and the first rays of sunlight bathing the earth. Now, for the first time, I'm setting off at midnight, terrified of the night, with too many unknowns, changes, and unpredictabilities in the next dozen hours. Before the race, I felt leg pain, headache, stomachache—everything seemed to hurt, and I felt exhausted and powerless. I felt I couldn't run, and even if I did, I might quit halfway. They said this was a common pre-race tactic, a smokescreen, and wouldn't earn sympathy. If it weren't for a few 'sick friends' accompanying me, I wouldn't have participated alone, no matter how much I loved it.
In the deep night, we shine on our own
Yes, you heard it right. TNF50 group, starting at midnight. Our brains must be broken. Is the phone not fun, or are we tired of games? Let's find a new way to stay up all night. Put on a mask, apply night cream, and let's fight till dawn...
We don't have mines at home, but we have mountains behind us and people beside us. Originally scheduled to start at midnight, we waited a few minutes at the starting line for the first-place finisher of the 100km race to cross the line, cheering him on together. That moment was heartwarming.
The finish line for the experts is our starting line. We set off together in the deep night, starting uphill. The crowd was dense, and the headlamps formed a long, winding dragon, far more spectacular than I imagined. The headlamps gathered together, adding a touch of life to the silent mountains.
If you don't trail run at night, how can you witness such a breathtaking scene?
The first part was mostly roads and small slopes, and we were in good condition. In the first half, everyone agreed that we should run wherever possible to save time for the unknown later. But after 10 kilometers, the uphill was severely congested, and we moved slowly, feeling like we could fall asleep. That kilometer took over 40 minutes to move. If you haven't experienced traffic jams in Jinan, how can you endure the human congestion in Beijing?
One advantage of night climbing is that you can only see the two or three meters ahead illuminated by your headlamp, avoiding fatigue from seeing the mountain's height. Xiaopeng's headlamp was extremely bright, clearing the way for us at the front. I joked, 'Tonight, you're the brightest guy on this mountain.' I wanted to say, you're a bit inflated, running so fast. Brother Tao was the last, ensuring no one was left behind and guaranteeing our safety.
We were immersed in the increasing numbers and the rising altitude, but our stamina gradually waned. Along the way, we saw several 100km runners resting by the roadside, looking exhausted, covered in mud, and curled up. I felt a bit sorry for them. At that moment, I was also drowsy, with a headache, and feared the face I'd see the next day after staying up all night.
Pretending to be on a trip—running so slowly, blaming the beautiful scenery for making me linger.
'Hero Slope' difficulty level: five stars, technical index: eight stars, danger index: full of stars.
'Hero Slope' is the last climb and the most challenging one. At the end of the race, it is a significant test of stamina. Indeed, the mountain lives up to its name. With a 700+ meter climb, the steepness drives people crazy, leaving no place to start or step.
Risking my phone falling off the mountain to take a photo to prove I climbed it. Handsome guy, I don't know you.
AZ, do you still have hands to send WeChat?
Using both hands and feet, I was almost disabled.
Midway, we met a few local climbers who were surprised and asked, 'Have you been running all night? Did someone force you to run?' Haha... Who forced us to seek hardship? Isn't living well good enough?
A local runner from Beijing said that our current altitude has surpassed the Xianglu Peak of Xiangshan. I don't care if it's Xiangshan or Taishan; now, I'm surrounded by mountains and can't see any scenery. The runner said, 'When you reach the top, you will be the most beautiful scenery.' Hmm, I won't argue with that.
The mountain was high and steep, so our feet kept moving, consuming a lot of energy, but the kilometers didn't seem to increase. At one point, I thought my watch was broken, with my face full of despair and helplessness. We cheered each other on and constantly reminded each other to be safe. We climbed up in one go, using both hands and feet, pushing and pulling each other. There was no choice but to move forward.
Proud face at the mountain top, conquering Hero Mountain, becoming a hero.
TNF, 'The Nice Food'
Dragging my heavy body forward slowly, my heart, which had been longing for the finish line all night, had already flown away. After consuming a lot of energy, I was very hungry. We reached the last CP point, where the steeper the uphill, the more wonderful the supplies. This night run made my stomach uncomfortable, and I ate much less than in Dalian. It felt like I didn't get my money's worth, haha...
The beef soup was the best I've ever had, with every piece of beef full and plump. The young man gave me a lot of meat. With my sharp eyes, I noticed cashews and grabbed a handful. The braised food mixed with rainwater had a unique flavor... I won't say more, lest you get hungry!
The harder the climb up, the more crippled the descent.
It's easier to climb up than down. The next section was a long descent, starting with a dirt road. At this point, we overlapped with the 25km runners. We were exhausted, while they were energetic, moving like the wind. Their downhill looked like street dancing. Are your knees made of iron? The road was narrow, with various rocks and tree roots, and it had just rained, making the ground very slippery and dangerous. They kept squeezing through gaps or rudely cutting in, constantly overtaking us 50km and 100km old, weak, sick, and disabled. Organizing committee, where did you hire a group of bear kids to perform?
After the downhill, we reached the Baijiatuan fire prevention road.
A trail run without rain is incomplete.
The Dalian trail run felt a bit regretful because there was no rain. Beijing TNF not only had rain but also thunder. Several thunderstorms and two heavy rains. This rain played us badly. When it started raining, we hurriedly put on clothes. Once dressed, it stopped, and it was hot, so we took them off. Then it rained again... The showers really came in bursts. Roughly calculating, we probably wasted an hour. Brother Tao sighed, 'Women, really troublesome.'
Finish line, crossing together
After several twists and turns, we finally descended the mountain, getting closer to the finish line. We agreed to cross the finish line together, jogging at a 7-minute pace. Everyone was surprised and relieved that we weren't crippled and could still run. After more than 13 hours, the five of us safely crossed the finish line. What supported us to the end was not only our persistence but also the friends beside us. Grateful, it's good to be alive.
Some things, if not done now, may never be done in a lifetime.
The medal is really beautiful. So tired, I want to cry.
TNF finish line 'canteen,' so spectacular.
Professional pit digging, welcome to jump in.
After running, I wanted to curse and beat the person who recommended trail running to me.
'Whose idea was TNF?'
All eyes turned to me...
'Me...?'
'Yes, it's you!'
'Uh... okay, friends, how about the next race at Mogan Mountain?'
An extra picture, look at the cup, not at me. The paper cup is so lovely. The Americano is the best coffee I've ever had!