My First Half Marathon

This may be one of the few evening marathons in China—starting just before sunset, turning crimson halfway through, and finishing under a starlit sky.

On Saturday at 5 p.m., I ran a half marathon along Jingsha Beach in Yantai. Ten thousand runners moved in unison along the coastline—an impressive sight.

I finished the full 21.1 km in 2 hours and 27 minutes, nonstop. Especially after the 10-km mark, as dusk fell and sea breezes met the setting sun, my rhythm improved steadily.

  1. Two months earlier, after signing up—my first-ever long-distance race—I began formal preparation. With zero prior running experience, my sole objective was safe completion.
  2. Having a concrete goal changed everything: it shaped my pacing, guided my reading (training theory, injury prevention), and anchored my weekly plan—blending running drills with strength work.
  3. After over a month of consistent training, I ran 18 km nonstop on a mountain trail. My heart rate and speed weren’t yet optimal—but I knew I could safely finish the half marathon.
  4. Total prep time was under three months. In the final month, work demands cut my training volume by more than half. Still, what mattered most wasn’t peak fitness—it was discovering my sustainable, safe rhythm through sustained practice.
  5. Post-race, I collected my medal, race kit (running shirt, energy gels), post-run snacks, a bottle of red wine—and unlimited beer. For the entry fee, this trip to Yantai delivered exceptional value.
  6. Now that I’ve crossed this threshold, the next target is the full marathon.

I recently heard a vivid analogy: for many middle-aged people, marathon training functions like square dancing—a deliberate, joyful challenge that counters physical decline while adding meaning and fun to daily life.

Changing Behavior Matters More Than Sharing Knowledge

Changing behavior is more impactful than transferring knowledge.

Take pre-recorded courses: recently, I shared with a partner the core logic behind effective course design:

  • Each lesson should focus on solving one core problem.
  • That problem usually stems from flawed thinking and flawed action—so merely delivering knowledge isn’t enough. To drive real change, we must shift learners’ cognition and activate new behaviors.
  • Great courses do both:
    • Cognitive shift formula: Content = Real-world challenge + Ineffective approach + New solution + Tangible outcome. This makes learning stick.
    • Behavior activation model: Behavior = Motivation × Ability × Prompt (B = MAP). Design prompts that lower friction and make action feel effortless.
  • When both strategies are embedded, learning impact multiplies.

A senior medical expert shared a telling story. During the early post-pandemic wave, many elderly family members suffered severe illness—and some passed away. He advised his own parents: “Crank up the heating, run the humidifier full blast.” Why? Because viruses struggle in hot, humid conditions—just like summer. So he turned their home into a “summer environment.” Result? Fewer infections, milder symptoms, less suffering.

We often know the big ideas—but what moves the needle is actionable guidance. Even one simple, executable instruction—something that delivers visible results immediately—builds trust and deepens understanding of the underlying principle.

The Real Bottleneck Is Business Logic

  1. A friend’s company wants to pivot to consumer-facing products using AI—and has started building AI-powered applications. In several planning sessions, I noticed recurring roadblocks.
  2. Early on, leadership fixated on AI’s capabilities—and spent disproportionate time debating technical limitations.
  3. When demo versions revealed flaws, they over-indexed on those issues. But in my view, such gaps are normal at the start; AI excels first at solving narrow, well-defined problems—not broad, fuzzy ones.
  4. The deeper, more dangerous issue? Unclear use cases and ill-defined problems. Without specificity, discussions drift into abstract, ungrounded debates—no shared standard for success.
  5. That’s where the real bottleneck lies: What exact pain point does this product solve? How will it solve it—and to what measurable degree? Often, “standard” just means having one clear reference example. Once you have that, replicating it with AI becomes straightforward—and so does designing the product.
  6. Perfectionism is another trap. A breakthrough technology paired with a 60-point implementation can still astonish users—and reveal whether your design intuition is sound. Better to ship a “rough but working” version fast, then iterate rapidly.

Writing Memoirs for the Elderly—with AI

Among all current AI-related funding rounds, very few target older adults. But one recent case stood out: an AI-powered service that helps seniors write personalized memoirs—for ¥50,000 per project.

Here’s what struck me:

Recent AI tools can now draft high-quality memoirs far exceeding traditional expectations—dramatically cutting writing labor costs.

That ¥50,000 margin is exceptionally high. So the true competitive edge no longer lies in AI itself—but in service design and AI orchestration.

Service is likely the largest cost driver: deep, empathetic conversations with elders take time. The key is delivering emotional value—making them feel seen, honored, and emotionally safe.

AI orchestration means having a rigorous methodology: structured interview frameworks, proven content structuring principles, and light-touch personalization. That system—not raw AI power—determines output quality. That’s what “mastering AI” really means here.

Don’t Waste Energy Hating Someone

I read a line I deeply agree with:
“Disliking someone harms them not at all—but costs you dearly. Hatred leaks your energy.
The more you vent, the more you obsess over their actions. Every time you replay that moment of irritation, you drain yourself.”

It’s okay to feel anger. It’s okay to speak up—even sharply. But sustained hatred? That’s a slow leak in your own reservoir.

The idea is simple. Practicing it? Hard.

One of the best remedies is attention redirection: pour energy into your craft, your fitness, your skill-building—anything that builds momentum and self-efficacy.

Humans are forgetful by nature. When you redirect attention and achieve tangible progress, old grievances fade—not because they vanish, but because they lose gravitational pull.

The core rule: don’t reinforce negativity in your mind. Don’t let dislike become a loop—because loops consume energy, not create it.