Running on the spot

Being a runner in Shanghai demands special qualities. You must be fit, be variable and be ready for surprises. For most of the time running, especially in Shanghai, is a solitary occupation but groups of like-minded athletes do get together to share their passions, pains and problems.

Probably the first international organized running group was the famous Hash House Harriers which started in 1938 in Kuala Lumpur in the former Federated Malay States when British military officers and expats began running regularly on Monday evenings, adopting an old British game where one runner raced ahead leaving a trail marked by bits of paper which the others followed.

The Hash House Harriers have thrived internationally ever since and in Shanghai there are no fewer than six chapters of the group running regularly throughout the city.

But they are not the only group that enjoys hotfooting it around the town. As well as avoiding costly gym charges and struggling to find a gym in the first place, there is a real enjoyment about running with a group, getting fit and socializing.

To discover more about the joys and delights of running, the Global Times talked to some of the enthusiasts from the Donghua Track Runners Club.

Not to be missed

Wen Jianming is not a professional long-distance runner but he trains constantly and travels to cities throughout China to run in as many marathons as he can find.

"There are four important marathons in China every year and I wouldn't miss one of them," Wen said. He also runs in plenty of other events.

The four important marathons in China are the Beijing Marathon (which is usually held in October), the Xiamen Marathon (January), the Shanghai Marathon (December), and the Dalian Marathon (spring or autumn).

Wen has been running for nearly a decade. "I first came to Shanghai and was living with a relative nine years ago. I liked playing football back in my hometown in Anhui Province, but when I first came here there was never a good time or a good place to play football. So I started running, which has few restrictions on place or time," the 42-year-old said.

Wen usually runs between five and 10 kilometers a day except when it rains. On Saturdays and Sundays, he runs more than 10 km.

"Runners have several favorite spots and routes. Possibly the best-known is Century Park in Pudong New Area. Members of the club go there on weekends when we have more time and can run for longer distances. We usually run around the outside of the park. A lap is about 5 km so it is easy to measure the distance you are running. The environment there is great with plenty of trees around," he said.

As well as Century Park, the club runs on the track and field ground in Donghua University in Changning district, and occasionally in the Sheshan Mountain area.

"My wife supports me if I just run in the city, but she is not so happy when I have to fly or catch a train to another part of the country to run," he said. "My running sometimes puts a financial burden on my family because I need to pay for travel and accommodations when I take part in marathons in other cities," Wen said.

Fortunately Wen has runner friends in other cities who sympathize with his enthusiasm for the sport. "I have a friend in Beijing who offers me a place to stay in during the Beijing Marathon and for my last marathon there my company paid for my air tickets to help me," he said.

Wen has a sponsorship arrangement so that he gets his footwear and running gear supplied by a major sportswear company.

As one of the best runners of the Donghua Track Runners Club, Wen acts as a "rabbit" in the Shanghai Marathon. "I am the rabbit (pacemaker) for the four-hour mark, which means I am supposed to reach the finishing line at exactly the fourth hour after the start. I need to run at a very constant speed so that it is easy for the other runners who follow me to control their speeds and complete the race in the time they need to," he said.

Although being appointed as a pacemaker is a special honor and only achieved after tests and a long time practising, Wen, as a rabbit, knows he will never be able to run that marathon for himself and strive for a placing.

He does have freedom to this in other marathons. Wen said his best time ever was in a Beijing Marathon when he finished the 42.19 km in about three hours.

His personal favorite marathon is none of those set in the major cities. "I like Yangzhou Marathon the best. The city's streets are lined with lots of trees and the spectators are really passionate," he said.

Self-motivating

Another veteran with the Donghua Track Runners Club, Zuo Jianxiang, is also a "rabbit" for the Shanghai Marathon. "I agreed to become a 'rabbit' only because I had injured my knees and was not at my peak," Zuo said. He prefers running for himself without restrictions.

"By taking part in a marathon you learn where you are and what you have achieved after each daily training session. It is the best way to test your ability and to motivate yourself."

His next target is the Yangzhou Marathon later this month. "I am going to run a half-marathon, and I hope to finish within 1 hour and 28 minutes," he said.

Zuo used to be on the running team in college and now applies theories he has picked up from websites like Runners' World.com when he trains. He takes care with his diet and when he travels on business trips he makes sure his hotels are near facilities where he can train and run.