beijing marathon your dedication is truly beautiful

I am Hu Haoran's mother. After accompanying my son Hu Haoran in running for a year, in my second hometown Beijing, where I have lived for 20 years, I welcomed my first full marathon—20years, in my second hometown Beijing, I welcomed my first full marathon—2019Huaxia Happiness Beijing Marathon.

The prestige and ceremonial sense of the Beijing Marathon attract enthusiastic marathon enthusiasts. Three months before the start of the Beijing Marathon, I was determined to train according to the plan. The veterans said: To run faster, either lose weight or improve your ability.

Ideal is full, but reality is bony. I had just gained some autumn weight, and with limited training time, my running ability didn't seem to improve much. In the blink of an eye, it was race time. With insufficient preparation, I could only slow down my pace, grit my teeth, and join this grand celebration with the fearless spirit of taking care of my child. Starting from Tiananmen, I began my first 42.195 kilometers run towards happiness.

One, Starting Gun/Running to Praise the Motherland

I have lived in Beijing for 20 years and passed by Tiananmen countless times. For the first time in my life, I gathered with 30,000 marathon runners at Tiananmen Square to praise the motherland through running. Before the official start, all 30,000 participants sang the national anthem together. I was fortunate to participate, feeling extremely excited and proud. The national flag was bright red, the Beijing Marathon uniform was bright red, and my excited heart was also bright red. The weather was cool, but my heart was warm!

Running on Chang'an Street, I was exhilarated! Extremely exhilarated! Steady! I must stay steady and not start too fast! My marathon strategy today: maintain a slow and steady pace throughout, aiming not to walk. During pre-race long-distance training, I found that maintaining a slow and steady pace was faster than running and stopping intermittently. Starting with a pace a minute slower than usual, the rhythm felt great, the body felt great, and the sustainability was great. I could even chat occasionally while running. This method is very suitable for a novice like me. Whether it's a black cat or a white cat, catching mice is a good cat. Whether fast or slow, completing the race is a victory.

Why do I insist on running with Hu Haoran? To cultivate his exercise habits! Why do I insist on reading iEnglish with Hu Haoran? To cultivate his habit of independent learning and reading! The gap between children is often not due to intelligence but the habits formed from a young age. Why do I insist on accompanying him? Setting an example is the best education for children, and a strong body and mind are the greatest wealth parents can give their children. I have been running with my son for more than a year, looking forward to the day when the whole family can run together on the Beijing Marathon track.

Heading to the race site, we responded to the Beijing Marathon's call for green travel by taking the subway. The subway was crowded early in the morning, and everyone wearing the race uniform was heading to the marathon. At the race site, I went to the restroom four times, each time queuing for about three minutes. No matter how urgent it was on the track, I used the restroom civilly. Losing a few minutes for a better time is a small matter; civilized running is more important. At each supply station, I couldn't bear to stop, drinking water while running, but I always stopped to throw the cup in the designated place. Civilized running starts with me.

Whether in sports or studies, behind every glamorous appearance is monk-like self-discipline. Life is a marathon with an unknown distance, and the champion is not necessarily the one who starts first. The same goes for learning; those who persist to the end are the winners. The more self-disciplined you are, the freer you become. Family companionship adds a bit of sweetness to the process of persistence. Learn to be self-disciplined, learn to persist, and more importantly, learn to enjoy the process.

Whether in sports or studies, don't compare with others, only with yourself, making a little progress every day. In a marathon, whether it's the prize winners, elite runners, serious runners, novice runners, or the last one to cross the finish line, everyone has their own gains and significance, and everyone deserves respect and recognition. If you remain ordinary after trying hard, then accept and enjoy your ordinariness, which is extraordinary in itself. Enjoy the happiness of running on the road of life!

What songs do you listen to while running? Wearing my beloved Plantronics true wireless earphones BackBeat FIT 3200, I listened to various encouraging words recorded by Hu Haoran before the race: Run, Hu Haoran's mom! Mom, you must persist! Mom, you must keep going! I also heard various encouraging messages from friends on WeChat. The open-ear design allowed me to hear the cheers from the staff, volunteers, and enthusiastic spectators on the track. Everyone's encouragement is my motivation to keep going. Thanks to Plantronics for supporting me to the end, and thanks to everyone who accompanied me along the way!

I had agreed with my Codoon friends to pat each other's shoulders when we met on the track, but after running 30 kilometers, I couldn't even recognize who was patting my shoulder. Facing both psychological and physiological pressure during my first marathon and my period, my brain was almost in a shutdown state, and I could only focus entirely on running. I only remembered what the photographer told me before the race: If you don't want to see photos of yourself looking miserable after the race, remember to smile sweetly when you see the camera!

It is said that after a woman gives birth, there is no pain she cannot endure in life. It is said that after running a marathon, there is no problem in life that cannot be solved. Keep going! Persist! Every step brings me closer to victory and happiness. Just keep running!

Before the race, I imagined many scenarios of myself finishing the race. Perhaps I would cry and laugh with excitement, perhaps I would hug everyone passionately, or perhaps I would have an epiphany. In reality, I was moving slowly and sideways (my legs couldn't bend), found a bottle of Yibao mineral water, and drank it in one go. When I opened my phone's camera, I realized my pre-race makeup was smudged, my lips were purple from the cold, my face was covered in salt stains, and my hair was messy. Oh my! How disheveled I looked!

You may look disheveled while running, but your serious persistence is truly beautiful!

Written by | Hu Haoran's Mom
Photos by | Qi Tian / Hu Haoran's Mom