Every runner surely has their own story about running. Whether it's mundane or full of ups and downs, it's the most precious experience for each runner.

I was supposed to achieve my next personal best (PB) on the Qingdao Marathon track with runners from all over the world, but due to a business trip, I found myself on a train leaving Qingdao. It's somewhat regrettable not to participate in the marathon of the city where I live, but for a runner, it doesn't matter where you are; running is enough, isn't it?

The reason I care so much about this Qingdao Marathon is that it was at last year's Qingdao Marathon that I officially started my marathon journey. Since then, I have been unstoppable on the marathon path—completing 5 full marathons, 4 half marathons, 1088 kilometers of running, and 1308 kilometers of cycling in Codoon in this first year. My full marathon time improved from 5:49 to my current PB of 3:50.

I still remember the pain of my first marathon. Before participating in my first full marathon, the farthest I had run was through Codoon's online runs. Although I ran sporadically, I never trained systematically. To qualify for the Qingdao full marathon, I endured foot pain to earn a half marathon online completion certificate.

Even then, I had no concept of running a full marathon. For my first marathon, I was unprepared and didn't know how to prepare; I just wanted to do something I had never done before.

So, on November 5, 2017, I started my first marathon.

As expected, it was a mess. The first half was fine, but after that, my knees started to ache. I alternated between running and walking, using up a lot of Yunnan Baiyao spray. Eventually, I was just walking. I had many moments of wanting to give up, but I kept telling myself not to quit, to bite the bullet and reach the finish line—as long as others don't close the door on you, don't close it on yourself first.

The struggle along the way can't be described in a few words; perhaps only those who have run a marathon can truly understand. In the end, I barely made it to the finish line with less than ten minutes before the cutoff. However, I didn't feel the excitement or joy I had imagined; my legs felt like they weren't mine, and I just wanted to lie down somewhere. I wondered why so many people liked running marathons.

Nevertheless, holding my first full marathon medal, I felt happy. For someone with no running experience, completing a full marathon isn't just about willpower. Thinking about those who run sub-3 or sub-4 marathons, I realized how much silent effort they put in. The saying 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step' is not just empty words.

Sometimes, things are just magical. Once the pain is gone, people tend to forget it. Talking to friends about the feeling of completing a marathon made me believe I could run faster. After achieving PBs repeatedly, I realized I wanted to keep challenging and surpassing myself, breaking through what I previously thought was impossible.

Some say running is addictive, and I don't deny it. It was after this that my marathon journey truly began.

At first, I learned from others' running experiences through Codoon and consciously made running plans. If I couldn't run a full marathon, I started with half marathons.

On December 17, 2017, I ran the Qingdao-Huangdao East-West Island Marathon half marathon in 2:11.

On December 24, 2017, I ran the Jimo Hot Spring Town half marathon in 1:55.

On May 6, 2018, I ran my first marathon of 2018—the Yellow River Estuary Dongying International Marathon. Although I hoped to run under 5 hours, my 5:20 finish was still a significant PB.

While celebrating Children's Day with my child, I suddenly realized that at over thirty years old, I wanted to live a more exciting life. At that moment, I saw inspiring runner stories in the Codoon running community. Each story was so exciting, motivational, and positive, making me realize that this was the life I should pursue. From then on, I decided to change my lifestyle.

I started getting up early every day, setting running goals, and aiming for a combined monthly running and cycling distance of over 300 kilometers. I chose morning runs because my work often disrupted evening runs.

After a month of purposeful exercise, I achieved a PB of 4:04 in the full marathon at the Haiyang International Marathon on July 1, 2018, without the previous post-race fatigue. This was the best encouragement for me; breaking 4 hours was no longer a problem.

On September 16, 2018, I achieved a PB of 1:47 in the half marathon at the Penglai Wine International Marathon, and on October 1, National Day, I achieved a PB of 1:44 in the Jimo half marathon, missing the top 200 reward by just two minutes. This was a significant motivation for me.

In less than a year since my first marathon, I achieved a PB of 3:50 in the Jinan Marathon, proving to myself that I could run under 4 hours.

Of course, the road of marathons is long, and once you start, there's no stopping. Improving my times will become more challenging, but I firmly believe that there are no insurmountable difficulties in life. Believing in yourself is already half the battle won.

I feel that I should leave something as a memento of my first year of marathons. Sitting in the train, listening to the rumbling sounds, thinking about the missed Qingdao Marathon, and recalling my marathon journey over the past year, I typed out my reflections and insights.

Upon reflection, the greatest gain from running becoming a habit is not running faster or farther, but feeling the positive energy and influence that running brings, and the changes it brings to me.

Life is like a series of marathons; the end of one marathon also signifies the beginning of the next. Only by giving your all can life be more brilliant and splendid.

To be continued...

See you on the track...

From now on...

The finish line is just the starting point...