My First Half Marathon Experience – The Easy And The Difficult – Ch.11

Sunday, 18th of November

Training in Qufu Shaolin Kung Fu School has many surprises, including a half marathon competition. On Sunday, eleven students and our headmaster decided to try their best and run, for most of us, the longest distance we had ever run.

Was I prepared? Probably better than if I wouldn’t train Shaolin kung fu. But Kung Fu training is definitely not designed for running long distances. Yes, we run every day – mornings and afternoons, a lap which has around 1.6 km. Yes, we have Power Training, where we run-up to the mountain, which is pretty exhausting. No, we never run longer than 10-15 km.

I am very happy that unexpectedly I checked Half Marathon off the List of Things I Always Wanted To Try. It turned out to be easy and very difficult at the same time.

• The support from the audience and runners was amazing. I could hear “Jia you!” everywhere. Its literal translation would be [add oil], it’s kind of like saying, “You can do it! Go for it!”.
• Another enjoyable thing during the half marathon was drinks. After every few kilometers, there were stations with medical support and beverages. Sometimes they were giving just cold water, sometimes warm, sometimes water with some minerals, and my favorite tea with sugar. I would never expect that this simple drink could make such a big difference in my energy level.
• They were also handing out cookies after 17km. I didn’t try them, though. I never like to eat when I exercise. No difference here.
• When the run finished, I received hot tea, cookies, and a reward for 40th place between the women, a big 1,75l thermos.