What are the unforgettable moments you have experienced during the running process?

Running Achievements and Coaching Experiences

Experienced many unforgettable moments, and gained happiness from sports, I am very happy!

Specifically speaking, there are three aspects: winning awards and standing on the podium in competitions, serving as a coach, participating in running group activities, and also running media. Let me talk about each of these.

When I was young, I trained in the special event of the 1500-meter race, and started running again in middle age to maintain my health.

I have achieved some running honors, as shown in the picture.

Champion of the middle school sports meet for two years, and third place for one year.

8th place in the 1500-meter race for high school students in the 2006 Xicheng District Sports Meet.

3rd place in the 33-kilometer group of the Youzhou 100 Cross Country Race in 2020.

6th place in the 45th Park Half Marathon Open Race in 2020.

Team third place in the full marathon group of the Buick Running Team Relay Race Beijing Station in 2020.

Champion of the 5-kilometer running group in the 2nd Huitian District Health Run in 2021.

Team champion of the full marathon group in the Buick Running Team Relay Race Beijing Station in 2021.

Men’s champion of the Beijing CBD Mini Ironman Triathlon Challenge in 2021.

Team runner-up in the full marathon group of the Buick Running Team Relay Race Beijing Station in 2022.

3rd place in the 5-kilometer running group in the 2nd Huitian District Health Run in 2022.

Runner-up in the 10-kilometer group of the Badachu Prayer Off-road Race in 2023.

Champion of the men’s D group 3000-meter race in the Beijing Athletics Open Finals in 2023.

Runner-up in the men’s D group 1500-meter race in the Beijing Athletics Open Finals in 2023.

Holder of the record for the 30-year age group in the Beijing Park Half Marathon Open Race.

In addition, in recent years, I have participated in some activities and gained some experience in the social aspects of running groups. It is also a happy thing to share the joy of running with everyone!

Coach for more than ten races such as the Lugou Bridge Lion Awakening Cup Cross Country Warm-up.

Head coach and coach for the Longtan Middle Lake Training Camp of the Beijing Marathon Association.

Head coach for the Huaxia Wealth Health Run and the Guomao Marathon Training Camp.

Running coach for HOKA RUN CLUB.

Official running influencer for lululemon.

Founder of the Nancheng Running Group.

In addition, I have also gained recognition from everyone in the running section of Zhihu. This is the happiest thing.

@Zhihu Sports

Running in Tianjin and Chengdu: Personal experiences of running along the Haihe River and in the high-tech district.

To be honest, compared to other answerers, I’m really a lousy runner. My only experience with marathons was many years ago when I joined a media running group for a 3-kilometer trial run.

As someone who can’t run marathons, whenever I go to a new place, I always go for a run. This strange habit stems from watching TVB dramas since I was young, where there were always scenes of people studying or traveling abroad who insisted on running. Although I didn’t understand what being elite meant back then, I just felt that this “persisting with habits regardless of changes in the outside world” was very elite.

Although I never became elite, this strange habit stuck with me. Whenever the conditions allow, I always bring my running shoes and sports clothes when I travel to other cities, even if it’s just for 30 minutes, just so I can run in a suitable place for running. It’s a way to shallowly experience the local running environment and also a way to immerse myself in the local lifestyle.

Over these years of running like this, among the places I’ve been to, there are two cities that I like the most, and one of them is Tianjin.

I’ve been to Tianjin three times, and each time I stayed in a hotel near the Haihe River. Just to make it convenient to take a stroll along the Haihe River in the morning and evening, and of course, running is even more convenient. I can attest that it’s better to run along the Haihe River in the early morning when there are more people exercising and fewer people sightseeing. One time, I went to Tianjin in July and thought it would be hot to run in the morning, so I decided to go for a walk in the evening. Wow! The Haihe River at night was lively, with all kinds of activities going on. The most memorable was a group singing revolutionary songs, and the brothers and sisters sang with such passion, and it was quite pleasant to listen to. I ended up just standing there and listening to the songs, not even able to take a single step.

In the morning, going for a run along the Haihe River, then buying a jianbing guozi to eat, and going back to the hotel to shower and freshen up. It feels like the rest of the day’s sightseeing will be very exciting. I truly envy the people of Tianjin for having such a beautiful running environment. Of course, there was one time in November when I experienced the pain of being blown by strong winds along the Haihe River in Tianjin, but a little flaw cannot hide the overall perfection, and I still love it.

The other city is Chengdu. I’ve been to Chengdu 4 or 5 times. Overall, I feel that the humidity in Chengdu before June is relatively suitable for running, but that’s just a personal feeling.

Whenever I go to Chengdu, it’s for work, and the area I’m in is not a bustling high-tech district. Fortunately, there is a park along the Fu River where I can take a stroll and go for a run. The evenings there are quiet, with few people, and the scenery is beautiful.

It’s different from traveling and enjoying delicious food. Running in each city feels like assimilating into the lives of the locals, feeling how they find time to exercise amidst work and daily life. The characteristics of the people who exercise, as reflected in their attire, also reveal the temperament of the city. It’s an experience of the city from a different perspective.

A Surprise Pose with a Tattoo

Before the October Run-the-Horse event, I had imagined many poses and actions for photographers to capture my staged appearance. There was one particular pose that I really wanted to do but was afraid it wouldn’t be “captured” in the end. However, at the most challenging moment of the 37km+ distance, when a camera was pointed at me, I instinctively struck a pose and it was captured. This tattoo was a birthday gift I had previously given to my wife.

Strangers Helped Me Finish a 3000m Run

Recovering Slowly After Surgery Amazed by a Classmate’s Running Speed Surprised at My Own Running Ability Elderly Couple Enjoying a Walk Together Touching Scene of a Father and Son Running in the Rain Ran 11000m in College Supportive Teammate in a Mixed Gender Relay Race Running with My Mother’s Love

1. The first time I participated in the 3000-meter assessment, a classmate from the next class whom I didn’t know pushed me and ran with me when I was running out of energy in the last 400 meters. It was full of goodwill from a stranger.

2. After the surgery and the recovery period, I ran nearly 2 kilometers in almost 19 minutes. I didn’t expect my physical strength to be this poor.

3. During university, I tested myself in the 5000-meter run and finished in 23 minutes. I saw a classmate who was the fastest, completing it in 17 minutes. It was simply amazing.

4. After starting work, I went for a run at the university one afternoon and heard a voice among a group of female runners saying, “Damn, we only ran two laps in total. Did we run that slowly?”

I was secretly pleased, realizing that I actually ran so fast. Hahaha.

5. While running in the park, I came across an elderly couple holding hands and taking a walk. They were so full of happiness.

6. While running on the playground, it suddenly started raining. I saw a father with a towel on his head and his son holding an umbrella. It was filled with love.

7. During my university days, I ran 11,000 meters once and never ran that much again.

8. During middle school, we had a mixed-gender 4x100-meter relay race. One of our female classmates fell after receiving the baton, but a male classmate who was passing the baton immediately helped her up, and we ended up winning first place.

9. I remember during elementary school, there was a period of time when I exercised and went for a run in the morning. My mom accompanied me on a bicycle, showing her love.

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I’m counting stars with my phone. Thank you for your support.

跑崩的经历：高温挑战与体力极限 (Collapse during a race: high temperature challenge and physical limit)

Popular runner, without the experience of standing on the platform, now running at a pace of 5-6 minutes per kilometer, it is difficult to improve. The talent and ability have almost reached their limits, so now I am running in a relaxed manner.

However, what is most unforgettable is not how much I improved my personal best in a certain race, but the moment when I hit the wall. The experiences of both success and failure are equally profound.

The weather in the southern region in September and October is still around 30 degrees Celsius, or even higher. It happens to be during the National Day holiday, so I prepared to run a half marathon to celebrate the birthday of our country. I woke up at around 4:50 in the morning, and the race started at around 5:15. At the beginning, I felt good and ran at a normal pace of around 5 minutes and 30 seconds per kilometer. When I reached about 12 kilometers, it was already past 6 o’clock, the sun came out, and the temperature started to rise. I began to feel uncomfortable.

After persisting for 3 kilometers, my lactate threshold reached its peak, making it difficult for my feet to move and my body to bear the weight. I had experienced hitting the wall before, but this time it felt different. I finished the water I brought, and my throat started to feel parched. I drank some water from the water stations along the track, rested, and then continued running. My body reached its limit.

I had never experienced this in a half marathon before. I usually finish in about 2 hours, but this time it will probably take around 2 hours and 30-40 minutes. The last two kilometers were completed by walking. The moment I finished felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders.

The lessons learned from this experience are that I didn’t get enough sleep and nutrition and I shouldn’t push myself too hard. In high-temperature weather, I should run 20-30 seconds slower than my usual pace. I also need to find ways to keep up with hydration, otherwise, excessive sweating will easily lead to hitting the wall.

Unforgettable Journey

Unforgettable Moments…

The most unforgettable moment was actually in 2022, the year when I started seriously practicing running. Every day was challenging and almost every day left a deep impression.

The decision to start running was partly because I loved triathlons, and running was a problem that needed to be solved. But what really motivated me to start taking it seriously and establish a regular running routine was when a girl joined my small group. She said she ran over 200 kilometers a month… I was shocked back then… considering that in 2022, I would barely ride my bike for 200 kilometers in a month, including commuting to and from work. I chatted with her and felt that she was a very serious person, which inspired me. So, I decided to start running as well.

In May, I started training for the first time and could barely run less than 2 kilometers without stopping. It was truly despairing!

Throughout the summer, I gritted my teeth and went for a run during my lunch break… I didn’t care about distance or speed, as long as I ran.

Even during business trips, I brought my running shoes and would run on the inclined driveway outside the hotel. Running uphill brought unexpected surprises; I found it painful but also a great stress reliever… Later on, I would regularly find slopes to run on.

For the rest of July, August, and September, I pushed myself like this.

Even during the lockdown, I didn’t stop… I ran 50 laps around the apartment building, changing direction every 10 laps. After that run, people in the neighborhood would ask if I had been running recently…

The real reward came four months later with the first self-assessment.

The results were just average, but it was my first half marathon, and considering that four months ago I couldn’t even run, I was still very satisfied. The girl who encouraged me to run said I would be pleasantly surprised at this year’s full marathon. At that time, I didn’t really believe her.

But here are the results of the full marathon… still quite satisfying.

From the end of May until early November, I experienced the feeling of making progress bit by bit every day. Each day, I struggled between impatience because I couldn’t see immediate results and encouraging myself to be patient and persevere. Thankfully, it ultimately led to a fairly good outcome.

Looking back, I realize that this period of time was truly filled with unforgettable moments, every single day…

Participation in Marathons: Breaking Misunderstandings

In the past, I did have some “unforgettable moments” while participating in marathons (fitness runs), which were all the result of misunderstandings stemming from the general public’s lack of understanding. So, let’s chat about it casually.

Here, I want to first briefly introduce the current marathon sport.

The marathons held across the country nowadays, although organized by relevant departments, are essentially sports events with strong commercial attributes. They are not just aimed at marathon runners; the proportion of true marathon runners is often not that large. Ordinary people can also participate in activities such as health runs. Even in some city marathons, you can participate in family runs/fun runs with three to five-year-old children.

Because the purpose of marathon running is now more inclined towards promoting the concept of “national fitness” and “national sports,” it naturally encourages the general public to participate without worrying about the high threshold of marathons and being discouraged.

For example, the Suzhou Taihu Lake Marathon not only has a full marathon (42 kilometers), but also a half marathon for more experienced runners (21 kilometers), as well as a mini health run (4.8 kilometers) for the majority of ordinary people. Taking the mini health run of about 5 kilometers as an example, the closing time can even be extended to nearly forty to fifty minutes, which means that even if you walk two steps and run two steps, you can still achieve the goal within the closing time. If you arrive before the closing time, you will almost always receive a commemorative plaque.

Another example is the Zhoushan Marathon, which includes a full marathon (42 kilometers) and a half marathon (21 kilometers). In addition to these, there is also a 5-kilometer fitness run for the general public, and a 3-kilometer family run that even children can participate in.

From the past situation, it is common to see parents bringing their children to participate in these fitness runs. Their main purpose is to let the children experience the atmosphere of this sport and cultivate their love for sports from a young age.

Through my exchange and sharing with everyone, we can find that many participants in marathons are not necessarily professional runners. Their purpose of participation is more about joining in the fun and experiencing the atmosphere of marathons. For example, myself and many of my colleagues also participate with this mindset.

However, many people do not understand this. They think that only professional runners participate in marathons.

So I remember a few years ago when I was participating in a 5-kilometer short run, I saw some people in front of me getting tired and starting to walk for a while. At this time, I could hear some children on the side cheering (thank you, children, no need to cheer anymore, I really can’t run anymore ^_^), so I felt embarrassed to stop and continued running.

The encouragement from children is always positive energy. But some older people started lecturing others, saying things like “You came to run a marathon, not to walk a marathon” or “Run faster!” These kinds of comments were endless… these were the nicer ones, let’s just forget about the not-so-nice ones.

But later on, I gained some experience. When there were fewer spectators, I could take a short break and jog or walk for a while if I couldn’t run anymore. But when there were more spectators, it’s best to keep running instead of walking…

These are some of the unforgettable moments I have experienced during my participation in running sports related to marathons…

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Actually, what I want to say is that in life, there are many people who are not unwilling to run; they simply can’t run anymore. In this situation, as parents or elders, don’t just push them forward relentlessly. Give them some encouragement, some care, and some understanding. I believe that this will make you a respected elder in the hearts of young people.

A kind word warms three winters, but a hurtful word chills six months.

Unforgettable Moment: Mistakenly Ran a Full Marathon

The most unforgettable moment for me was when I went to Suzhou in 2019. I thought I was going to run a half marathon, but when I went to pick up my gear, I unexpectedly received the gear for a full marathon.

I repeatedly confirmed with the staff if there was a mistake. They said there wasn’t, and I should confirm again. So, I hurriedly checked my registration records and searched for a while, only to find out that it was indeed for a full marathon.

What should I do? Since I was already there, I could only go ahead with it, despite my doubts.

The problem was, it had only been about a week since I finished a half marathon in Nanjing, and now I had to run a full marathon. I was really scared that I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Moreover, I had been training for a half marathon all along. The only time I ran 30 kilometers was because Mr. Xiong, who was cycling with me, took a wrong turn and we ended up running in a mountain valley. Before I knew it, I had already covered 30KM+.

Fortunately, 2019 was the most exhilarating year for me. At that time, my child had just turned two, and my blood sugar was well-controlled. I was in high spirits and extremely self-disciplined. I was full of drive in everything I did, and I had been maintaining my morning runs for over two years.

So, even though I reluctantly embarked on the full marathon, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to endure it. After all, I was a bit different from others. What if I had low blood sugar halfway through? It would be a disaster.

Therefore, I made various preparations before the race. I had prepared candies, spare clothes, and various emergency supplies, and I even made an emergency contact card.

Of course, based on my level of exercise at the time, I believed that I wouldn’t have a problem and that I would definitely be able to finish the race.

As soon as the race started, I felt in good shape and even had hopes of achieving a personal best.

Throughout the entire race, I felt very smooth. I ran while admiring the various costumes of my fellow runners and appreciating their positive and optimistic spirit.

I remember there were people dressed as Nezha, Sun Wukong, and even an elderly man in his sixties who maintained a steady pace of 6 minutes per kilometer. There were also those who were there just to participate, running and walking, taking photos everywhere, and interacting with cheerleaders.

At around 30 kilometers, I really started to feel exhausted, so I summoned the spirit of climbing hills from my high school days.

My hometown is a small county town, and my high school was about three or four kilometers away from home. For high school students, that distance was quite far, and the biggest challenge was a long uphill road just before reaching the school gate, and it was quite steep.

At that time, I rode a bicycle to school, and this uphill was the daily challenge. It was really exhausting to ride up, so I had to constantly motivate myself mentally.

Later, I even wrote an essay about this experience, comparing “life” to “climbing hills,” and I received high praise from my teacher.

When I felt like giving up, I silently repeated in my mind, “Persistence is victory,” “You are the best,” and “You can do it.” Then, I encouraged and cheered on my neighboring runners while continuing to run, and I managed to persevere.

I achieved a good result, although I didn’t break the four-hour mark. I finished with a time of 411.5, which was still a commendable result among those who hadn’t prepared.

The most painful part came after the race, because my legs were really worn out. I had to walk sideways when going down the stairs at the subway station, and I was even slower than a crab.

However, I felt comforted when I returned to the hotel because my two-year-old daughter gave me a massage, and then I peacefully “slept like the dead.”

Actually, the happiest thing was that this full marathon was a major breakthrough for me after becoming a mother and being diagnosed with diabetes. Moreover, my whole family participated, accompanied me in running, and supported me, making me feel extremely happy.

At that time, Mr. Xiong even wrote a travelogue to commemorate the emotions of that time.

Mr. Xiong’s Small Happiness—2

Today, I looked back at my previous social media posts and felt a bit inspired to “fight.”

Since 2020, my health has been declining, especially in the past two years when I kept falling sick. I couldn’t neglect running either, so I had to take it easy. I really miss the mental state I had in 2019, where I didn’t procrastinate when it came to writing or exercising, and I had enthusiasm for everything.

I think life is made up of these small happiness and little joys. Now, I’m quite accepting of my current situation. After understanding my own limitations, I just strive to seize these moments of happiness and cherish them.

I also want to say that the so-called “tranquil years” should be about being able to feel the happiness, joy, and beauty of the present moment, and sincerely accepting and treasuring them.

Loss of Pace in Dog Encounter

Being chased and bitten by a dog, anyone with normal intelligence could figure out where I encountered the dog. The key point is that on my way back, carrying a brick to seek revenge, that dog didn’t show up, causing me to lose my pace.

Running for Weight Loss: Unforgettable Moments

The initial purpose of starting to run was actually for weight loss.

The reason for choosing running as the exercise was simply because I couldn’t bear to spend several thousand dollars a year on a gym membership.

So after careful consideration, I chose running, which could achieve the goal of weight loss without spending any money.

As for the so-called unforgettable moments, they may be the changes that occur in the body after running more and more times.

1. The first unforgettable moment

When I first started running, I was gasping for breath after running 1 kilometer, with an average pace of 8 minutes and 30 seconds.

I couldn’t run any further, so I had to run 1 kilometer first and then power walk 2 kilometers.

When I told my colleagues at work, their feedback was that anything below 5 kilometers is considered a walk, not a run.

This was my first unforgettable moment because the blow was quite heavy.

Others could at least run 5 kilometers, but I was gasping for breath after running just 1 kilometer, and it really made me feel inadequate.

2. The second unforgettable moment

After jogging for a week, I gradually found my own breathing rhythm.

Although the pace was still over 8 minutes per kilometer, I was able to jog the entire 3 kilometers.

Compared to before, there was progress, but I didn’t dare to tell my colleagues, fearing that I would be disappointed again.

So I went online to search and see what level I was at.

To my surprise, I found that everyone online starts with a minimum of 5 kilometers, and the average pace is between 5 minutes and 30 seconds to 6 minutes and 30 seconds.

The second blow followed, as someone who jogs 3 kilometers with a pace of 8 minutes, I really felt inadequate.

3. The third unforgettable moment

After three months of jogging and after many attempts and adjustments, I could barely complete a full 5 kilometers.

By chance, my average pace reached 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and I felt a little excited inside because it was a historic improvement for me.

After the first time, I began to have a desire to challenge my limits.

After multiple attempts, I discovered that with the increasing number of jogging sessions, my cardiovascular function had actually improved significantly.

And then I started running faster and faster, with my heart rate hitting the 175 range several times.

And last weekend, I woke up in the morning and ran 5 kilometers with an average pace of around 6 minutes and 10 seconds. Although I was gasping for breath, I felt satisfied in the moment after completing the run.

At this point, running has gradually become a hobby in my heart, with weight loss becoming secondary.

Of course, for friends who want to lose weight through running, I actually don’t recommend paying too much attention to your pace.

If you want to lose weight through running, what we should focus on is our heart rate and the duration of the run. Only when our heart rate reaches 130 to 150 and we run for 30 to 50 minutes can we maximize fat burning and achieve our goal of losing weight.

Oh, by the way, warming up before running is also essential. Otherwise, knee injuries can be irreversible, and you don’t want to leave a chronic problem behind because of running.