How I started running and never wanted to stop

I am a runner.

I completed the 2016 spring Atlanta half-marathon on March 20th. Reflecting upon my intense training over the past year and the improvement of my running record step by step, I am thankful that three years ago, I made the decision to start running.

The completion of this half-marathon is one of my proudest things in my life.

Long-distance running like this marathon is hard, sometimes even unbearable. It was a trial for both my body and my mind. Before it started, I was both excited and nervous. I knew it was time to test myself after training myself for such a long time.

After eight miles during my half-marathon, I was exhausted. I opened my right hand and made a fist, gaining a sense of control.

At eleven miles, my body screamed and cried, asking for rest and energy. What’s worse, a painful side stitch easily crushed my will and my legs were so numb that they could easily trip me over if I had slacked even for one second. I begged myself to stop. Though as much as I wanted to keep running, I did stop. The wind resistance and up hills greatly slowed and tired me out.

However, I did not give up and walk all the way to the destination. I excluded any thought of giving up because I knew that I could do much better than quit. Quickly, I went back to the track and resumed running.

Despite pains in my body, the feeling of loneliness in running was also torturous. During the two hours and thirty minutes of running, solitude bit my heart and weakened my volition.

Nonetheless, I overcame it. Instead of complaining how endless the racetrack seemed to be, I suppressed all malcontent thoughts and only focused on the way in front of me. I used my previous experience to alleviate ailments and quickly adjusted my body to acclimate the course. I endured and persisted, expecting the great happiness and satisfaction at the moment of crossing the finishing line.

Running was challenging not only in the final half-marathon but also in my daily exercises. In order to complete my half marathon, I had to continuously improve, running farther and farther each time. Sometimes, I would even imagine how tiring my goal might be, but I refused to stop because even a small increase in mileage meant a lot to me.

After practicing running for months, I fell in love with the unprecedented confidence that running had given me. While I was running, I could feel the support from every cell in my body. I was light, energetic and unstoppable. I became a part of the world.

Even though I still had a long way to run, I was certain that I could accomplish it.

Running has refreshed and redefined my life. Rather than simply focusing on how far I can run today, I am now concerned about how far I will be able to run in a week, a month and in the future. Through the baptism of running, I am stronger, more persistent and confident and every aspect of my life is more colorful and energetic.

As a runner and student, I have my limits, but I will never stop because of them.