Why do people like running marathons more and more nowadays?

I don’t know how others experience it. I’m just talking about how I went from being a sports idiot to liking running marathons.

For me, marathon was just a sport that I occasionally saw on TV, and it was a very boring sport. Because the game lasted for several hours and kept almost the same movements, it didn't arouse my interest in appreciation at all.

And I have been a sports idiot since I was a child. I have no athletic talent at all, and I have never failed in physical education during school.

Until one day in my 30s, I suddenly wanted to change, and I wanted to change the bloated figure that had remained unchanged.

Of course running is the most effective way to lose weight. But I had never run, so I started by walking.

In the beginning, I walked for half an hour to an hour after dinner every day. After a while, I felt it was too relaxing, so I started running and walking for half an hour to an hour.

Then I ran longer and longer. In order to know how far I can run in one trip, I use a car odometer to measure the approximate distance of a trip and then run back and forth. Because there was no running app at the time, I could be said to be running blindly without any purpose.

Soon some running apps came online, and then I started to measure my pace, distance, time and other running data. At the same time, I also have requirements for myself, to be able to run more and faster.

At this time, I also realized that running cannot rely on brute force. Running requires a combination of physical and mental strength and requires learning. So I searched online for plans and methods to improve performance in the early stages of running.

It must be noted that scientific plans and methods are very important and meaningful for running safety and improving performance. The more you run, the more scientific training and careful planning you need.

When you have not developed the habit of running, you need to overcome inertia to keep running. I joined an online running group, and the strength of the team encouraged me to persevere and see a bigger goal: I want to participate in an official competition. Although it was only 10 kilometers, it was already a breakthrough in my life.

Every competition is an inspiration to myself. When I was running 10 kilometers, I looked at the people who continued to move forward. I felt envious and jealous in my heart, and then I secretly set a goal for myself. I will run further next time.

The further one is the marathon.

As I ran down the half marathon and full marathon, I gained a greater understanding of life. Marathon is not just a physical challenge, it will have a huge impact on all aspects of a person.

Marathon is not about brute force. Completing the race safely is a challenge to the limits of human beings. It is about physical strength, willpower, pre-race training, scientific diet, and even a change in the outlook on life.

I have run six or seven marathons now. Every time I start to run, I will have doubts about myself. This is simply a kind of torture. Why should I torture myself again and again. But every time I see the finish line, I burst into tears without any surprise. I defeated myself again and became a new me again.

I think this is the charm of marathon running and the reason why more and more people like to run marathons. Marathon has nothing to do with whether you are middle class or healthy, it is only related to people's hearts!

Why do people nowadays like running marathons more and more? Because "you run through it and that's the answer"!

Jiang Fangzhou once said, "Marathon is the silent square dance of the middle class." Is that right? As a horse racing enthusiast, I think I am still qualified to talk about it.

First of all, one thing is certain: running a marathon is related to hobbies! There is absolutely no distinction between classes when it comes to running!

What is the middle class? The regional definition method defines the middle class as: the annual income reaches the local average price of 20 square meters.

This means that based on the average house price of 50,000/square meter in Beijing, only those with an annual income of 1 million in Beijing are considered middle class; even in provincial capital cities, based on the average house price of 10,000/square meter, the annual income must reach Only 200,000 people can be considered middle class. According to the actual situation, such "middle class" runners are really rare.

I am also an office worker. I am really embarrassed to mention my salary income. Anyway, it is not enough to pay taxes... I also run more than 10 marathons a year. I basically don’t care which city I run. The cost of accommodation does not exceed 100 yuan, and I have met many runners. It cannot be ruled out that some runners have successful careers, have money and leisure, and travel by the way. But the vast majority of runners are like this:

They participate in marathons in other cities, and choose hard sleepers on trains instead of business class on airplanes to save money;

They want to buy a new pair When it comes to running shoes, in the group of runners, we are constantly comparing the cost-effectiveness of several running shoes to choose the most cost-effective one;

They hold low-level positions at work, and some are senior runners and even college students. ..

People who really love running are by no means the "middle class" who choose to study hard because of excess. Whether they are business bosses or school students, they may have different reasons for starting running. But the reason for persisting is purely because of "love".

Previously, JD.com had a poster at the Taima Expo, which said:

Some people also say that running a marathon is for show, for vanity, and to show off in the circle of friends?

To clarify two points: First, this has a sequence, and this sequence is because I ran a marathon and posted it on Moments to show off. I think few people do it just to show off. If you run a marathon without any exercise or long-distance training, are you kidding your life?

Secondly, running a marathon can be a show-off or vanity thing. If you don’t run a marathon, have you never done anything show-off or vanity thing? So why not use this way that can challenge yourself and show yourself?

Just now JD.com mentioned exercising not for the sake of exercise, but what exactly is it for? I would like to share my three opinions:

First, marathon is an answer, and running it is the answer!

Marathon is an answer, which is what I found in the Wenchuan Marathon. Marathon is a spirit, which is what I saw in the Lanzhou Marathon. Marathon is a belief, which is what I find in every marathon. felt in.

The first time the Wenchuan Marathon was held was on the 10th anniversary of the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2018, the date was May 13, 2018. I had never heard of this Wenchuan Marathon, and I regretted not being able to go. When I first heard that the 2019 Wenchuan Marathon was going to be held, the first word that came to my mind was "tribute to the power of life", and I signed up without hesitation.

It is a little unfortunate that I had a small car accident at the end of 2018. It was not particularly serious, but due to the special position, I lay at home for 3 months. However, due to the special and sensitive position, after a hundred days It has not fully recovered. In addition, the distance from Shanxi to Sichuan is long and the cost is relatively high. I originally planned to give up the Wenchuan Marathon.

Until I saw the Wenchuan Marathon medal that said, "You will be the answer if you run it", I decided to go regardless of everything.

During this period, my parents didn't understand. They were worried about my health. My friends warned me. They thought that such a long distance would hurt my knees. Others would think you were pursuing a kind of vanity. I just wanted to show off in the circle of friends...

I still went. Although it was my first time to run in 2019 and it took me the longest time to run, the reason why I went was to get that The purpose of getting a medal is to find an answer, and the answer is not just about running. After finishing the race, I wrote this paragraph in the circle of friends:

This is the answer

If you run it, this is the answer!

In the same way, you have done it, you have experienced it, it is the answer in itself, it has nothing to do with belief, and there is no reason!

Only at this moment, all the pain, doubts, confusions and admonitions can be thrown away, just keep going, keep running!

This medal will also be my favorite and most worth collecting, bar none!

Watch the next marathon!

Second, marathon allows you to encounter various possibilities and emotions!

In the 2019 Lanzhou Marathon, due to timer problems, many runners had no results or had incorrect results. For this reason, many runners, including me, were full of complaints about the Lanzhou Marathon Organizing Committee!

Although the compensation measures taken by the Lanzhou Marathon Organizing Committee after the game were very sincere, and the enthusiasm of the people of Lanzhou was also very touching and considerate, we were still able to get some benefits despite the high temperature and a little high reaction. The best results have not been recorded and recognized, and every runner who has missing results is dissatisfied and complains.

Measuring the city with your feet, meeting and personally participating in the beauty and excitement of this world. This kind of opportunity, I think is the reason why every runner likes to run marathons!

Third, marathons can increasingly reflect the competitiveness of a city!

Beijing Marathon and Shangma Marathon are the top urban marathon events in China, so their service and reputation are naturally good. There are also marathons such as Lanzhou Marathon and Taima Marathon that were held earlier, have more experience, and have won double gold events (domestic gold medal, international gold label). However, the Xi'an Marathon has only been held twice, and its service, reputation, influence, and appeal far exceed that of Lanzhou Marathon and Taima. The Wuhan Marathon has only been held four times, and it is indeed the city marathon with "zero negative reviews" in China. The lottery rate is even lower than that of Beijing and Shangma. The Chengdu Marathon is also the second edition, but it took the lead to apply for the "World Marathon Grand Slam". As a result, it is the first candidate event for the World Marathon Grand Slam in China. Even though it has not officially become a candidate event, its influence has been greatly improved. In 2019 The Chengdu Marathon route has also been re-planned, making it a dream destination for countless runners.

Marathons are increasingly not just a way for a city to enhance its influence and drive tourism consumption, but have become a reflection of a city’s comprehensive competitiveness. The organization and execution of the event reflect this to a certain extent. It reflects the efficiency of a city's work, and runners' feelings and comments about the city also reflect the city's customs and humanistic qualities to a certain extent.

When I went horse racing in Hangzhou, I could clearly feel the civilization, attentiveness and kindness of Hangzhou people. After leaving Hangzhou, I couldn't help but ask a few questions:

Why can cars in Hangzhou be so courteous to pedestrians?

· Why do cars in Hangzhou rarely sound their horns?

· Why can Hangzhou people queue up consciously?

· Why do most pedestrians coming to Hangzhou avoid running red lights?

· Why are most Hangzhou people so enthusiastic and sincere, and why are their directions so detailed and clear?

· Why can Hangzhou people still be slow and leisurely despite the fast pace of Hangzhou?

· Why can Alibaba and Jack Ma be born in this land, soil and business environment?

The liberation of the body is the first condition!

With the development of the economy and the improvement of science and technology, mechanization and intelligence are continuously and gradually replacing manual operations. Industrial workers are being liberated in large numbers, and mental work begins to outnumber physical work! Long-distance running and marathon are sports that consume a lot of physical energy. Without physical liberation, how can you have the time and energy to engage in this sport!

Per capita GDP of US$5,000 is the motivation for running!

Running has always been considered to be a patent for the middle class, but it is not! According to statistics from marathon organizations, economic level is a sufficient guarantee for the existence of this sport! When a country's per capita GDP crosses the threshold of US$5,000, long-distance running and marathon sports will explode!

In 2011, China’s per capita GDP exceeded the US$5,000 mark, and marathon sports continued to heat up! In 2017, the number of marathons in China was 1,102, which surged to 1,581 in 2018, a year-on-year increase of 43.46/100!

If you have money, you must have leisure!

To expand domestic demand and stimulate consumption! There are more and more holidays, and it is a collective feeling that they are getting longer and longer! Plenty of time becomes the guarantee for long-distance marathon running!

The improvement of living standards and the decline of physical functions allow people to spontaneously and consciously go out and go outdoors to consume excess energy!

High blood pressure, high blood lipids, high blood sugar, neck, shoulder, waist and leg diseases... people cannot enjoy a high level of material life with high quality! The disease of affluence gave birth to the affluence movement! Let’s all live a middle-class life together! Haha