a tale of getting lucky at the helong marathon
Helong City, under the jurisdiction of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province, is located in the southeastern part of Jilin Province, facing North Korea across the Tumen River. Helong City has distinct seasons, with a forest coverage rate of 82.2%, and temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius in September. The unique ethnic characteristics, enthusiastic locals, and suitable weather make it an ideal place for a marathon. The Helong International Half Marathon, certified as a gold event by the Chinese Athletics Association, is definitely worth running.
The names of North Korean girls are very pleasant. The beautiful Huaxiang opened a bar locally. At the request of a mutual friend, she booked a hotel for me in advance and personally took me to pick up the race pack and visit the market. On the way back, an older sister asked us about running shoes, saying our gear looked very professional. I seriously compared several running shoes and their suitable users for her. Then I asked her how long it took her to run the last half marathon. She said it wasn't fast, only 144 minutes, and although she was 60 years old, she still wanted to strive for a better time. Huaxiang, the beautiful lady, chimed in, saying she ran 142 minutes last time. I was embarrassed and didn't know whether to be relieved when I learned that they wouldn't be participating in this year's Helong Marathon for various reasons.
The weather was initially good, but due to the impact of Typhoon Lingling, it rained all night and showed no signs of stopping before the race. We decided to 'run naked,' without glasses, headphones, phones, or waist packs, relying on neither music nor pace reminders. This meant we had to depend on our usual training experience and current physical condition to decide how to distribute our energy and run. This control ability in such races is what runners call 'running power.'
Running in the rain, firstly, you fear slipping, so wear shoes with excellent anti-slip performance. Secondly, wear quick-drying clothes and shoes with good drainage performance. Avoid cotton clothes as they become heavy and cold when soaked. Wear shorts instead of long pants, as wet long pants can cling to your legs and hinder your steps. Lastly, wear a hat with a brim to prevent rain from directly hitting your eyes and obstructing your vision.
Singing the national anthem before each race is always a stimulant, so the first kilometer usually goes faster than planned. This time, I started with the experienced Brother Guo, with his fellow runners (Master Yin and his two apprentices) occasionally reminding us to 'slow down a bit, don't go too fast.' The first five kilometers took 25 minutes, slightly faster but still controllable for the planned half marathon time of 150 minutes.
Since there were also 10-kilometer runners participating, following the crowd without your own plan could easily lead you into an uncontrollable pace. After five kilometers, the 10-kilometer runners would start accelerating. Being in the crowd, you feel the urge to catch up as people pass you, and your pace quickens. Brother Guo kept reminding us to 'hold back, slow down,' and Master Yin loudly reminded us to 'control the pace, watch your breathing, and conserve energy.' The first ten kilometers took 51 minutes, with a pace mostly between 5:10 and 5:15, which was well controlled.
After ten kilometers, it was time to prepare for the uphill. Before the uphill, I usually adjust my breathing: quickly exhale twice, then slowly inhale once, slowly exhale again, and then deeply inhale. This breathing adjustment combination is something I use throughout the race. During the uphill, Brother Guo reminded me to 'watch your posture, lean slightly forward, shorten your stride, and increase your cadence, trying not to slow down.' My running posture is relatively upright, so I adjusted according to Brother Guo's guidance, feeling more efficient and quickly overtaking several male runners.
During the uphill, one of the fellow runners started to breathe heavily and lose her rhythm. Brother Guo slowed down to help her, letting me continue at my pace. By this time, some female runners had already started to turn back, and Master Yin counted them to determine our current position. When we started to turn back, Master Yin's apprentice and I were in ninth and tenth place among the women. This ranking was encouraging for me, as I had expected to be around 20th to 25th based on my previous times.
After the turn, we entered the first lactic acid accumulation zone of the half marathon, between 13 and 15 kilometers. Many athletes experience thigh soreness and the first thoughts of giving up at this point. Shortly after the turn, Brother Guo caught up and told us that the runner who had lost her rhythm earlier had to slow down to a jog. Master Yin pointed to a female runner with a distorted posture ahead and said, 'Maintain your speed, and we'll overtake her soon.' Brother Guo, worried about us burning out, quickly reminded us, 'No need to speed up suddenly, just maintain our pace, and we'll pass her.' Before reaching 14 kilometers, we overtook the female runner ahead.
Approaching 15 kilometers, they entered the supply station while Brother Guo and I continued forward, quickly overtaking another female runner. As we passed, she exclaimed, 'You're pushing so hard? Even with your period?' I was startled, realizing she was referring to me, and it must have already seeped through my pants. I instinctively tightened my legs. The pace chart later showed that my pace indeed slowed down from that point.
On rainy days, having a few wet wipes handy is useful. You can use them to wipe off the rain accumulating on your hat brim, and if your makeup smudges, you can also use them to touch up and squeeze out the water for repeated use. Approaching 18 kilometers, Brother Guo saw a female runner ahead who seemed to be running out of energy and preparing to stop. He told me, 'I'll go to the supply station to get water; you just keep running at a steady pace.' Throughout the race, Brother Guo would go ahead to get water and drinks at supply stations and then catch up to hand them to me. This is the importance of a personal pacer; I only needed to run at my own pace while he adjusted his speed to fetch supplies and then find my rhythm again.
Brother Guo tentatively increased the pace and asked if I could keep up. My legs hadn't fully recovered from the cramps during the Harbin Marathon, and I felt a slight pull. After thinking for a moment, I told Brother Guo, 'Let's stick to the previous pace. We're in seventh place now, which is much better than expected. If we can finish in 150 minutes, great; if not, we'll aim for the next race.' I didn't dare tell Brother Guo about the signs of cramping, fearing it would affect him. Also, considering our current ranking was already very good, it wasn't worth risking an injury. In the last few hundred meters to the finish line, men and women ran in separate lanes. Seeing the female runner ahead, I kept reminding myself not to speed up unnecessarily and to maintain my rhythm. When the volunteer placed the seventh-place medal around my neck, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
No one can become someone else by luck. In terms of results, finishing the half marathon in 151 minutes and placing seventh might have some element of luck, but not everyone can turn opportunities into results. Continuous running, daily accumulation, and years of persistence, reflecting and summarizing when running poorly, and setting higher goals when running smoothly. Running is like life; opportunities always favor those who are prepared. If you work hard enough, the goddess of luck will eventually smile upon you. See you next time.