Wang Haolan

Holly_cn@163.com

IN the past three weeks, Zhang Zhenlong’s trophy cabinet has been greatly enriched. He finished Shenzhen International Marathon in two hours, 20 minutes and 43 seconds, ranking first among all Chinese runners, and then won Shantou International Marathon just one week later. With eyes fixed on what he has achieved as a sports personality with his impressive winning streak, Zhang managed to master his inner peace and prepare to race in Shenzhen Bao’an International Marathon on Dec. 30. For this bashful young man coming from the vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia, running is as natural as breathing.

Resplendent in a neon yellow headband, Zhang finished the Bao’an marathon in two hours, 27 minutes and 31 seconds, ranking fifth overall. He told Shenzhen Daily during a pre-race interview that he was last year’s domestic champion of the Bao’an marathon and meant to defend the title.

However, after completing two marathons over the past three weeks, he could only promise to give it his best shot in case of injury. “I prefer running with proper form, rather than breaking my boat to win the trophy,” he said. Held on the countdown of the New Year, Bao’an marathon was 2018’s final event of Run China, a marathon series organized by Chinese Athletic Association, and featured Kenyan contestant Kiprugut Douglass Kimeli as the champion, Chinese contestant Duan Dongjie as the runner-up and Kenyan contestant Langat Leonard as the second runner-up.

Zhang secured his best performance in recent years at the Shenzhen marathon, but his personal best was set in 2010 with a time of two hours and 13 minutes. At that time, he was a member of a professional track team. “When I was a boy, sport schools and province teams were the only places where I could receive professional training,” he said. “At first, I learnt middle-distance running, such as the 3,000m, from a very good coach at school. Then, in 2006, I ran my first marathon in Beijing.” Nowadays, he finds that ordinary people can also receive professional training at a gym or even on their phones, which has helped to promote the fitness campaign across the nation.

Since retiring from professional running, Zhang hasn’t slowed his pace. The spirit of the marathon has been incorporated in his blood. “Everything has a beginning and an end. Just like a marathon: If you give up halfway, you will end up with empty hands,” he said. “When I was a middle-distance runner, I challenged myself with the marathon. After becoming a frequent marathon runner, I would like to take on more challenging events, such as trail running and extreme running.” Trail races are well-known for their long distances, often over 50km, and uneven tracks along mountainous terrain, resulting in different racing strategies from road races in terms of supplement and stamina allocation.

Zhang is deeply impressed by the uncertainty of trail races, as well as the beautiful scenery along the way. He has completed a 100km trail race held in Beijing and the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc held in France.

It is widely acknowledged among marathon runners that Shenzhen’s mild winter contributes greatly to the improvement of their personal bests. Twice it has been true for Zhang. However, what appeals to him about the city is far more than its climate. “Shenzhen has a dense atmosphere for the marathon,” he said. “Parks and gyms open their doors to the public for free. Shenzhen Bay Park is a good place for running, where I can enjoy its beautiful sea view.” He also founded a running camp named “predators” with his friends, which is oriented toward high-level runners.

When asked about how to deal with pre-race anxiety and daily training, Zhang Zhenlong opted to keep a humble heart. “I didn’t study my opponents to hatch up any plan to win the match,” he said. “Once we are on the same track, I will know shortly whether they are in good form and whether I can pass them. Also, while being passed by others, I think of how to keep up with their pace in order to run more economically. It’s important for a professional runner to keep a humble heart towards every single race.” He also advised runners on their daily training. For instance, personal security is the prerequisite for all kinds of sports. It is not advised for night owls or heavy drinkers to run too much or too fast in case of injury or illness. Beginners should build up their running incrementally. There is no need to pursue a mileage of 30km per day like a professional runner. “When you find marathon training or a race slightly dull, break the distance down into sections of 5km-10km. You will find it easier to cover those short sections one after another rather than continuing to think of the full distance,” he said.

Murakami Haruka’s memoir of running marathons shed light on runners across the world. As a professional runner himself, Zhang is an ardent reader of various kinds of books. After reading a novel, he usually reviews the plot during training. He is also learning to play the horse-head fiddle, a Mongolian folk instrument.

Covered with a friend’s down coat, Zhang gave a sincere smile to the camera. After a short New Year’s break, he will set out for a 100km trail race held in Hong Kong.