Dalian, Liaoning. My first real trail race took me to Dalian's west coast, over the hills, and into a Northeastern story of freedom and weathered beauty.
The flow of people dancing against the back
Towards that barren hill
Waving sleeves
over the hills
Cross-country: The arena in your heart
I was obsessed with martial arts when I was a child. In "The Legend of the Condor Heroes", the little dragon girl dances in the mountains, as light and graceful as a fairy; in "The Swordsman", Ren Yingying, the god of the sun and moon, plays the piano for Linghu Chong in the green bamboo alley. As soon as the song is played, the two can't help but secretly fall in love; During the decisive battle at Guangmingding in "The Legend of the Legend of the Condor Heroes", Zhou Zhiruo looked back with a sword, Wuji was speechless, but as a child, I still couldn't understand this world; I only knew that in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes", the masters competed to dominate the top of Mount Huashan, and the upright hero would have the last laugh. In my childhood memories, the mountains and fields are always full of stories, either about beautiful girls or handsome heroes, or both.
When I was in junior high school, I was obsessed with playing races. During class, I always fantasized about being like the little shrimp in "Wulin Heroes", swimming in the mountains and seas, saving the people from fire and water; after going to college, I became obsessed with horse racing. Although I was exhausted and complained every time, at this time, I would always think of Sedum's "Immortal Wind and Cloud Body" in "Sword and Fairy", and fantasize about dispelling all fatigue in an instant, and then rush to the finish line with the most handsome posture. It's just that this kind of experience often goes through a cycle of singles. When registering, you are eager to try the competition, but then you feel disappointed. Finally, when the marathon was no longer enough to ignite my excitement, I knew it was time to start the cross-country chapter...
As my first real cross-country race, I chose Dalian not only because of my pride as a Northeasterner, but also because I am obsessed with the city of Dalian and the style of Dalian’s west coast.
Dalian: mottled freedom
I have traveled to dozens of cities, so when I decided to go to Dalian, I had already made up my mind, "I won't expect too much, and I won't exaggerate rashly."
To me, Dalian is the south of the Northeast and an exciting place to start new challenges. Before turning into a madman of mountains and seas, I like to read about the city first.
Mr. Lin Yutang once wrote in "The Art of Living": "I often see rich people in Shanghai occupying a small piece of land, with a small pond measuring one foot square in the middle, and a rockery that ants can climb to the top in three minutes. They think it is wonderful. He does not know that poor people living in huts on the mountainside can actually use all the scenery around the mountain and lake as their own private property."
The scenery of Dalian can be traced from the sea, and the art of the sea is the literature, art and romance deeply cultivated in the depths of the city.
The sea seems to be the entrance to this world.
Binhai Road winds along the coast, running through the east and west coasts of Dalian, and is magnificent and beautiful. A castle is located between the mountains and the sea, which makes people fall in love with the cinnabar in their hearts.
Xinghai Square, built out of the reclaimed sea, is Dalian’s city card. The fountain light show at night adds the most dazzling lace to this business card. The cross-sea bridge and lighthouse not far away are swaying under the night light.
Walk with the seagulls on Xiaoping Island and sail from the sailboat dock surrounded by European-style buildings to the vast sea. One of the lovers fed the seagulls, and the other half, who had a tacit understanding, raised their mobile phones to freeze the romantic moment of getting married in Dalian.
There are so many scenic spots here that are civilized because of the sea, such as Haiyun Park, Bangchui Island, and Laotieshan. If you want to hike Dalian, don’t miss it.
The sea is an entry point for me to understand Dalian. Walking in this city in a limited time, I was deeply impressed by the colorful light rail trams; the oyster-flavored Dalian people who don’t speak so Northeastern; and the numerous universities and beauties here. If I have any regrets, it might be that I missed Dalian’s old-fashioned trams and the beautiful mounted police officers.
Not much to say about the food. The seafood in Dalian seems to be quite good, but unfortunately I don’t like it.
West Coast 50km: Climb that mountain before you grow old
I have run too many marathons and always wanted to try something new.
The UTO Dalian West Coast Cross-Country Race was during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, and it was in the gap between my graduation defense and graduation ceremony. Coupled with my Northeast plot and the call of my good buddies in college, I didn’t hesitate much. Even if I missed the early bird price, I decided to sign up for the 50-kilometer challenge.
I participated in the technical meeting before the race and met many cross-country enthusiasts. I was lucky enough to get a 299 tights. The event director Xiao Curry analyzed the track for everyone. I also took photos with the big guys as a winner. Everything was very fresh.
On the race day, I took the organizing committee bus to the Hengshan Scenic Area. The cross-country scene was not as grand as that of the marathon, but looking at everyone’s equipment, I knew it was hardcore enough.
The start of the race was mainly on a flat road, which was not much different from an ordinary road run. The only incident was that there was no guidance at a fork at 4 kilometers. Everyone stopped and was at a loss. I thought it didn't matter and took the opportunity to rest.
The next race finally felt a bit like cross-country, first a mountain, then a large meadow. I really regretted not wearing calf warmers, as I was scratched and sore when I ran through the weeds. However, I still had plenty of energy at this time, and I always felt like I was flying for a second or two when climbing over the hillside, which was very comfortable.
Going down the mountain is CP1. After checking in and filling up on watermelon, the weather changed drastically and a heavy rain came. Although we had prepared for the rain battle before the race, the rain was really exaggerated. In an instant, the mountain road flowed into a small river. Everyone walked together, talking and laughing. Although their bodies were soaked with rain, the air around the mountain climbing team was filled with joy.
After crossing the mountain, the rain stopped, and then there was a strong smell of sea in the wind. The kelp factory at the foot of the mountain was transporting kelp one by one. The workers in the factory also took a leisurely stroll after the rain from time to time, watching the runners passing by.
Passing by the kelp factory, there is a long coastline. I am not in the mood to see the scenery. I just feel that the sandy road on this beach is really difficult to run on. I finally saw the photographer and posed for it. Then there is a small town track, which is relatively easy, and we soon reach CP2.
Feeling that I was in good physical condition, I simply drank a bottle of water and continued on my way. I just didn’t expect that there was a 14-kilometer mountain road below. It was noon and the weather was hot. Continuous climbing and descending consumes a lot of physical energy. This section of the road can only be spent alone, walking slowly among the mountains and forests. Sometimes a simple kilometer can take nearly half an hour. Maybe this is the charm of off-roading. There is no need to make noise and just walk in a hurry. There has never been a moment when I admired those great people who traveled 100 kilometers so much. Their will and physical strength supported them in moving forward day and night. I admired the mountains in front of me, and kept telling myself that beyond the hills, I might be a new me.
Finally, after a steep descent, CP3 appeared. There were instant noodles, water, state-owned canned yellow peaches, and enthusiastic beautiful volunteers. This time I gained experience, filled up the water, and brought two bananas. I rested for a long time before setting off again.
I jogged and walked up to the seaside cliff, but I ran the wrong way out of my mind. However, the wrong road had nice scenery. While I was admiring the sea view, I saw Sister Lili and her little brother in front of me running back from a long way away. They said that the road signs were gone and they were running the wrong way. In this way, we complained about the organizing committee together and turned back to the right road. By the way, we also rescued a few comrades who were about to go the wrong way.
The seaside cliffs have nice views, but they are also very steep, and some sections require both hands and feet to pass. Then came a section of the legendary military control zone and the rolling mountains. My physical strength was okay, but I had a few bruises and it was a bit difficult to run. I was overtaken by a few girls from time to time. I also suddenly chased for 10 meters like a chicken blood, and then I couldn't do it anymore. I just walked slowly. The more times I was overtaken, I became numb.
After going down the mountain and crossing a section of road, we arrived at CP4. We saw the light for the first time and victory was in sight.
The last 8.9 kilometers was not difficult to be honest, but the blisters on my feet didn’t think so. The road and a small mountain with limited ups and downs were extremely difficult for me. After 8 hours, Garmin ran out of power and Huami kept up.
After the boring downhill section, we entered the Hengshan Scenic Area and suddenly became enlightened. The Hengshan Putuo Scenic Area under the setting sun is extremely beautiful, and chatting with the passing monks also made the last section of the road full of Zen.
The finish line was close at hand, and the DJ played my name loudly. For the first time, I felt the ceremonial feeling of crossing the line. The excitement, joy, and salty sweat mixed with it made me instantly feel that everything was worth it. The 50-kilometer cross-country journey is a new milestone.
After the race, I picked up a bag and there was roast chicken, beer, and fried rice at the finish line. What I was particularly happy about was that at the finish line, I added Sister Lili from Changchun and Sister Rongrong, the 50km women’s champion, as my friends. They are both super hardcore masters and my role models. It's a bit regretful that I didn't get the finisher server. I didn't know there was a finisher server!
In short, off-roading is not easy for me, and it is precious to be able to record the scenery along the way in words. Before you turn gray, there may be more milestones to come. In fact, what’s the harm in turning gray? On the way to challenging myself, age has long been blurred. I like the words of the impossible girl Bing: "It's not impossible, it's how much you want to."
The Yellow-Bohai Sea Boundary Line: This is a modern history of the Northeast
One day after the race, I went to Dalian Lushunkou, a pearl embedded between the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea.
Lushun is famous for its military port. From 1880 to 1890, Li Hongzhang prepared to establish the Beiyang Navy and operate Lushun Port. Lushunkou has become a world-renowned military fortress and one of the five largest military ports in the world. It is an excellent outlet for operating in the Northeast. The Manchuria-Mongolia Railway extends from the Yellow and Bohai Sea dividing line to the hinterland of the Northeast.
When Tsarist Russia's Far East plan and Japan's continental plan were intertwined, the Russo-Japanese War broke out. After that, Japan began its 40-year colonial rule over Dalian. Coupled with the management during the Soviet and Tsarist Russia periods, many Japanese and Russian-style buildings still remain here.
The Japanese-Russian prison witnessed China's modern history of humiliation, and the White Jade Pagoda not far away is one of the evidences of the Japanese invasion of China left behind. Today's White Jade Pagoda is filled with doves of peace. From here, looking at the Lushun Military Port in the distance, rows of Chinese warships are getting ready to set sail. When the Soviet Union returned Dalian in 1955, it left behind the Victory Tower and the Friendship Tower. The three towers read the history. Since then, an era has come to an end.
The colonists left Dalian to Northeast China's most complete and advanced industrial system at that time, and Northeast China became the "eldest son of the Republic" with unlimited glory. The ancestors who came from Guandong were industrious and simple, and they cultivated the land of Northeast China deeply. Even many southerners made their first pot of gold in the Northeast.
But for me, born in the 1990s, the black land is not warm. In the past, the import of foreign culture from outside China allowed Northeast China to develop rapidly in the early 20th century. However, after the reform and opening up, Northeast China found it difficult to adapt to the ever-changing external environment, and its development stagnated. Even my hometown of Harbin is becoming increasingly difficult to retain talents. The classmates who once shouted that I love my home are scattered all over the country.
Today's Northeast is like a child looking at the sky in a mountain stream. The child looks at the outside world from the sky surrounded by mountains. He just looks at the sky but does not want to go out of the mountains. The world outside the mountains scares him, but the stability inside the mountains makes him nostalgic.
Maybe he is no longer the eldest son of the Republic, he just desperately needs an opportunity to cross the hills, and he also longs to grow up.
Over the hills, in Dalian, in the northeast...
- End -
Words | Arsenan
Photos | Arsenan
Design | Arsenan