My First 15 km Run
Since finishing my first 5 km on September 15, 2018, I’ve fallen in love with running. Exercise can be addictive: I go out once or twice a week; otherwise I feel drained. Yet for all this time I only ever ran 5 km — never longer or shorter. Each time I had to talk myself into enduring to the end, convinced that 5 km was my limit.
Last Monday, a PhD friend sent me a running record: 13 km. I was shocked. Over Spring Festival this year he saw me run 5 km and shouted that he’d join me, yet he would cut corners or stop halfway to cheer me on and never finished a full 5 km. How did he suddenly do 13? Was he fooling me? I checked the GPS track again: average pace 6’30” — perfectly normal. I asked how he managed it. He said the first 5 km were tough, but by 7–8 km heart rate and cadence felt natural, the brain cleared, and it got easier. I didn’t take it too seriously.
On Wednesday he sent a 15 km run, saying 13 km hadn’t been satisfying — not perfect — so he went again and did 15. Despite the extra distance, he felt even better.
That lit a fire under me. I decided to go for fifteen. I dug up coach Hong Ping’s talk on how athletes tap their potential and challenge limits on behalf of humankind. Physics says no acceleration without force; to run fast, build strength. I did planks and arm work in spare time; cut high‑fat foods like burgers, hot dogs, whole eggs, sweets, butter, bacon, fried foods, ice cream; and gave myself some pre‑race mental prep… then set out to challenge my limit.
Saturday, March 24, 2019: sunny, 15 °C — perfect for a fifteen‑kilometer attempt. Starting at breakfast I followed coach Hong’s advice: carbs as the base with a bit of quality protein, and keep the mind calm all day. At 4 pm I reached the track and warmed up. During warm‑up I was still wrestling with doubt: jumping from 5 km to 15 km felt too big, likely to fail. Then I thought: the PhD already did it twice — so can I. Back and forth in my head… warm‑up done.
I used to rarely warm up. Later I learned that muscles demand oxygen instantly, while the respiratory muscles are smooth muscle and lag in ramping up supply. If you start running hard without a warm‑up, muscle demand spikes while respiration hasn’t awakened — you go short of breath. It’s most obvious for me in 5‑km runs: the first kilometer feels fine; in the second I hit a second breathing peak and want to quit. Push through, supply and demand balance, breathing smooths, and the body relaxes. So now I thoroughly warm up first to mobilize heart and lungs.
4:30 pm — start. Kilometer 1 at 4’53”, a bit faster than usual — a good start. At 25:45 I hit 5 km and even set a personal best. Despite the quicker pace, I didn’t feel the old 5‑km agony — no doubt thanks to the warm‑up. I passed 6 km, 7 km, 7.5 km — the app announced halfway. At that point my body truly shifted into a light state; breath and cadence were in deep harmony.
Over the back 7.5 km my pace gradually eased but the state stabilized. Lap by lap my heartbeat stayed steady; my head felt clear. Immersed in the rhythm of my steps, I heard the app: 1:22:51 — fifteen kilometers, challenge complete.
Before the try I had no confidence I could finish fifteen; during the run I wasn’t sure I had the will to persist. Afterward I felt satisfied at having challenged myself. My calves were sore, but my heart was joyful. We may not chase world records like elite athletes, but we can always challenge our own limits — and cheer for ourselves.
Published at: Mar 24, 2019 · Modified at: Oct 26, 2025
