Tan Yifan

    cicitan2011@gmail.com

    YE WEN, a local businessperson in his 40s, told Shenzhen Daily that he has to make scores of phone calls every morning before putting on his sportswear and hitting the road. He tries to wake up everyone who has joined his marathon club so he can encourage them to finish their morning exercise — running.

    Ye said he has become used to being a human alarm clock since he took over the position nearly a year ago from his predecessor Li Zhong, who first started Paomahui, a marathon running club.

    Paomahui, a nonprofit organization, has become a professional and diversified club thanks to the efforts of Ye and his co-workers.

    “We have over 120 members now. Many students and migrant workers have joined us and formed their own WeChat group,” Ye said.

    “I was very proud that so many members participated in the Shenzhen International Marathon on Dec. 7, which drew 15,000 runners from 27 countries and regions.”

    Ye claims that Paomahui is one of the most influential running groups in the city. “There are five local grass-roots running clubs and two enterprises clubs,” he said. “Only Paomahui focuses on marathons. Although our runners are diverse, we all believe the same thing: marathon running makes a positive person.”

    Marathon addict

    Ye has been running marathons for four years. He said it has become an integral part of his daily life. He has run in a few international marathons, but his dream is to run in the Boston Marathon, which is the most famous marathon event in the world.

    “Runners tend to regard marathons as carnivals or big parties,” Ye said. “We enjoy running in such a cheerful atmosphere, where we encourage each other to overcome hardships and care about each participant. You feel safe and inspired,” he added.

    Ye said people can easily become addicted to marathons, not only because of the company of others, but also because of the changes a person will see in him or herself.

    “I was overweight four years ago, and my health was bad,” Ye recalled. “I tried cycling, but was not satisfied with the amount of exercise I was getting.”

    He said he used to be a night owl who regularly went to bars, but with the help of his friend, Ye decided to join a group of runners who ran along the Shenzhen Bay track. He was soon addicted.

    “I can assure you that if you run every day for three weeks, you will miss the exercise if you stop. It is an amazing sport that will change you from head to toe,” Ye said.

    “You may fail in many aspects of life, but running never fails you. It challenges you and pushes your limits,” he explained.

    The last 10 kilometers

    As a veteran marathon runner, Ye said the most fascinating part of a full marathon is the last 10km, which tests a runner’s overall ability.

    “Many runners who can finish a half-marathon dare not to challenge the last 10km [of a full marathon]; At 32km [of the 42km full marathon], they begin to feel tired and their body starts to dehydrate badly,” Ye said.

    But Ye treats it as a start to a new life.

    “It is then that you begin to evaluate your pace and tactics and make adjustments. You begin to cheer yourself up and convince yourself that you can run to the 35km mark. Then when you hit 36km, you may think of giving up, but then you might remember all the difficulties you have overcome in your life. Then you feel extremely tired when you reach 38km, but thanks to encouragement from volunteers and cheerleaders you know, you cannot quit. You focus and finish those last four kilometers,” Ye said.

    “When you finally finish the total 42km, you’ll feel completely different — you are a hero to yourself and others, and you know you can conquer more than you have ever imagined.”

    Ye said his experiences running the last 10km have made him more professional. He learned more about running in order to protect himself and shorten his running time. He made a training schedule and perfected it with help from others.

    A professional team

    Ye found that many beginners waste time and energy by self-learning. He talked with the original team members of Paomahui and invited many enthusiasts to join so members could receive free professional training.

    “We decided to rule out those whose purpose in joining a sports club was to socialize. Instead, we accepted runners who showed us that they run a total of 100km each month and have participated in at least one marathon within the past three months,” he said.

    Once a runner joins Paomahui, he or she receives a personal training scheme, a morning call from Ye and can attend Ye’s “class” three time a week.

    About 60 members are active in Ye’s club, and they share their running records on their WeChat group each morning.

    In addition to daily training, Ye is also in charge of helping members plan and meet their personal goals.

    “I work with trainers in my club. We try to dissuade people from setting unrealistic goals and urge those who underestimate themselves to set harder goals,” Ye said. “Also, we tell them to act as a group, with each person helping all the others reach their individual finish lines.”

    By doing so, all the members who participated in the most recent Shenzhen marathon finished the game.

    Ye said the success made him dream bigger.

    “We want to find a place to put fitness equipment in and build a coffee house-like place for runners to chill out,” he said. “Also, I am planning to create an app for club members so they can better communicate and track their progress.”

    “Many Shenzheners have turned into marathoners thanks to social networking and media reports, but marathon running is a serious sport, and many participants need more education, which is exactly what we all need,” Ye said.

    “When you finally finish the total 42km, you’ll feel completely different - you are a hero to yourself and others, and you know you can conquer more than you have ever imagined.”

    — Ye Wen, head of Paomahui, a Marathon Running Club