Reposted from the official WeChat account of Suizhou Daily on Tencent: Suizhou-born entrepreneur Shen Xianli: My first full-marathon experience.
Release time：2024-06-12
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[Reprint Notice] This article is reprinted from the official account of “Suizhou Daily” on Tencent News. The original title is “Suizhou-born Entrepreneur Shen Xianli: My First Full-Marathon Experience,” published on March 14, 2024. The original article can be found at: https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20240314A066A200
The original text is as follows:
My first full-marathon experience
— The Centennial Horse-Riding Journey of Shen Xianli, Chairman of Wansongtang Health Group
Whether it’s the weight of work pressure or the inexplicable sense of gloom brought on by three years of the pandemic, I’ve unexpectedly fallen in love with running. Before I knew it, this dopamine‑boosting activity has become woven into my daily routine, an indispensable part of my life. As dawn breaks and most people are still fast asleep, I’m already out there, letting my spirit soar freely with every step.
2023 was the year I traveled most frequently: four trips to Guangzhou, three to Shanghai, two to Xi’an, three to Beijing, one to Kaifeng, one to Dongguan, one to Hainan, one to Hong Kong, and also journeys to Kenya and Ghana in Africa. Each time, my suitcase always contained a pair of running shoes. I’ve measured Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower, Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, the storied legacy of Liu Bang and the Chu–Han Contention in Kaifeng, and the splendor of the Tang Dynasty in Xi’an—all with my own footsteps. Every leg of the journey, every run, has become a cherished memory in my life.
There’s no problem in life that a marathon can’t solve—and if there is, then run two. In 2023, I was fortunate enough to take part in five marathons, but the one that left the deepest impression on me was the Nanchang Marathon on November 12. I vividly recall that 15 people signed up for the race, and only two were selected—luckily, I was one of them. That evening, when I picked up my race packet in Nanchang, I was horrified to discover I’d accidentally registered for the full marathon! What did this mean for someone like me, who had always stuck to half‑marathons? My personal limit was 21 kilometers, while the full marathon stretched to 42.195 kilometers. Overcome with anxiety, I couldn’t even enjoy dinner that night, endlessly debating whether to show up the next day. Yet giving up felt unthinkable. Left with no other choice, I called three friends for advice. The first two, knowing my modest mileage and pace, offered perfunctory reassurances: “You’ve been drawn—just run it; if you can’t keep going, hop on the support vehicle.” But the third friend struck a different chord and gave me tremendous confidence. He said, “General Manager Shen, you’ve led Wansongtang through more than twenty years of trials and tribulations—what haven’t you faced? And you’ve done so well. As the leader, aren’t you eager to push yourself this time?” Perhaps those words touched something deep inside me, igniting my fighting spirit. To challenge oneself, to transcend limits, to persevere tenaciously, and to never give up—aren’t these precisely the marathon spirit and the entrepreneurial ethos I hold dear? Even if I ultimately fell short of crossing the finish line, compared with the alternative of backing down out of fear, I would already have won. And so, I resolved to face the challenge head‑on and push beyond my own boundaries.
The essence of running lies not in competing with others for victory, but in staying focused and pushing beyond one’s limits. With a steady pace, a well‑calibrated rhythm, and an unwavering determination to see it through, I got off to a smooth start. By the 21‑kilometer mark of the half marathon, I found my energy holding up nicely; by 30 kilometers, I felt I could keep going. And as I reached the final two miles, I realized that the dawn of my first full marathon was just ahead. The cut‑off time for a full marathon is typically 6 hours and 15 minutes. When I crossed the finish line and turned to glance at the big screen—“5 hours, 2 minutes”—my heart swelled with joy and pride. Then, pulling out my phone, I saw a message from a friend: “Happy Birthday!” It struck me then that today was my birthday. Whether from tears or sweat, my vision blurred.
Completing my very first full marathon on my birthday was a truly special experience. It not only let me savor the joy of running but also helped me discover inner strength. Once we’ve endured the grueling demands of a marathon and felt the weight of pushing forward with every step, we no longer fear life’s challenges and can face its hardships with composure. In the days ahead, whenever I encounter setbacks at work or in life, I’ll think back to that first five-hour marathon—and suddenly, nothing seems insurmountable. As long as life goes on, our striving never stops. Life is like a marathon: victory hinges not on a burst of speed at the start, but on perseverance along the way. Some may run faster than you, and others may run slower—but as long as we keep moving forward, follow our hearts, and carry light within us, there will always be a distant horizon waiting.
Think about it—over the years, running has been just that for me: the joy it brings comes from those moments of solitude, the serene contentment of a leisurely jog, the all‑out effort of a fast run, the blissful mental blankness that sets in as I move, and, after it’s over, that deep, soothing sense of relaxation, as if I were walking on clouds.
My personal goal is to run a hundred marathons in my lifetime. By logging five to six races each year for twenty years, a “hundred-marathon life” should be well within reach.
One person can run fast, but only a group can go far.
Inspired by me, all three brothers in my family have fallen in love with marathon running. At the Jingzhou Marathon, our trio’s joint run even made it onto Hubei TV. Meanwhile, at our workplace, Wansongtang, more than thirty employees have taken up the sport, and running together and competing has become a shared passion outside of work. Through countless long-distance runs, the rewards go far beyond changes in physique—they’re about transforming your outlook on life and learning to connect more deeply with yourself through consistent perseverance.
Don’t let time go to waste, and don’t squander the years. The most beautiful life is one spent running alongside like-minded companions on the path of our dreams. When we look back, there’s a story on every step; when we bow our heads, we find steady, resolute strides; and when we lift our eyes, we see a clear horizon ahead. The most romantic thing I can imagine is, in our silver‑haired days, taking part in a leisurely marathon with my colleagues at Wansongtang—laughing as we take in the ever‑changing scenery along the way!
Marathon—traveling thousands of miles to reach you, all in pursuit of becoming a better version of myself!
