Realising the Olympic Dream
‘I was very excited when I knew I was going to participate in the Olympics, because Olympics represents the highest level of competition for athletes, and being able to participate in it is already like winning a medal,’ Yue says, barely able to contain her excitement even though the Rio Olympics was long over. ‘I did poorly in the
Olympics. I could have done better.’ The ‘poor’ performance she refers to was finishing the Marathon in 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 9 seconds, which is a record many Marathon runners from Macao could only dream of achieving. Despite her less than ideal performance, Yue feels the experience of participating in the Olympics, where she had the opportunity to learn from other world-class runners, was priceless and far more important than the final score.
Yue recalls running in the scorching heat in the Rio Olympics and feeling her willpower running out towards the end. ‘I saw some runners pricking their legs with a needle, hoping the pain would keep them going,’ she says. Yue did the same, but the scars made her regret it deeply and she has decided never to do it again. ‘Running a marathon is like travelling the journey of life,’ she says. ‘It won’t always be smooth sailing. There will be regrets along the way, but as long as you adjust your attitude, and keep on going despite the regrets, you may do better in the next part of the journey.’
The Lonely Road of Training
According to Yue, Marathon is a lonely sport. She often needs to train by herself. ‘There is no miracle in long-distance running. You can only make progress little by little, through intensive daily training,’ she says. ‘On days leading up to a competition, it’s not unusual for an athlete to complete a 30-kilometre run and do other trainings every day. Everyone runs at a different pace, so you can only train by yourself. Long-distance running is actually very boring, and nobody will force you to do it.
You can sleep if you want, but slack for a moment, and you will see your performance slipping. That’s why in order to be a marathon runner, you must have an iron will and be stronger than regular people physically and mentally.’
Not Cut Out for Marathon
Yue’s coach once told her that she was actually not cut out for marathon because of her restless streak, for marathon requires an even pace, which can only be achieved when one is in a calm state of mind. Restlessness, her coach explained, consumes physical and mental energy and leaves one unfit to complete the race. But the years of training has changed Yue. She is now a humble, even-tempered person, with the ability to adjust her attitude at will and the courage to face difficulties. Yue is grateful to her coach and her team for their unwavering support on the lonely road of marathon training, saying that their support has allowed her to concentrate on running.
A regular on the athletic field, Yue jokes that nowadays she doesn’t want to run anymore, because marathon training is really boring. But every morning, you will still find her lone, agile figure running lap after lap on the field. Perhaps running has already become an indispensable part of her life.
Back to School
‘I didn’t have much of a life in college because of marathon training. That’s why about seven to eight years ago I started planning going back to school to make up for lost time,’ she says. ‘This is another dream of mine besides running.’ She is happy to be able to study at UM where she can meet people from different backgrounds, unlike in the past, when she had a small social circle, which mostly consisted of athletes. ‘Now I have the opportunity to meet people from different fields, in class and through extracurricular activities, and these are all completely new experiences for me,’ she says.
Yue also hopes that life as a college student can help relax her mind and body, which have been in a tense state from many years of training, so that she can surpass herself and do better in future competitions, including Asian Games, World Marathon Championships, and Olympics.
Becoming a Physical Education Teacher
Going back to school has helped Yue understand herself better and reaffirmed her dream of becoming a physical education teacher. Yue also encourages UM members to do sports regularly instead of focusing exclusively on studies.
‘I hope to discover students with potential for long-distance running,’ she says. ‘I also want to help more students fall in love with sports so they can experience the joy of sports.’
