Zhang Shaoxi, Class 4, Junior 3, Shenzhen Yadi School Instucted by Shi Junxia 深圳亞迪學校 初三（4）班 張紹熙 指導老師：史俊霞 It’s universally acknowledged that a marathon is an important running race of about 42 kilometers. Almost every big city holds an annual marathon. For instance, the Shenzhen International Marathon will be held on December 15. The number of participants has already exploded, and this time the track may be crowded as there will be more participants compared with last year. As we all know, people suffer from exhaustion, high temperatures and sweat during the race if they want to finish it. But why are marathons so popular and so many people so fond of joining them, even though they’re really tiring? It’s because it can help them become stonger both physically and mentally. Finishing the race not only means their bodies are strong and healthy, but it stands for an unbreakable spirit of never giving up, and this kind of spirit is definitely essential in our daily lives. People will also get a sense of achievement after reaching the red line at the end of the race. Additionally, they can enjoy the lovely view along the route, which can make completing the race a little easier. As a junior high school student, I experienced a lot of hard training in order to get full marks on a PE test in grade 9, such as the 1,000-meter run. It’s quite similar to a marathon, which requires the qualities of persistence and strong will. I will undoubtedly join a marathon if I have the chance. I want to challenge myself and see if I can finish it. Though I am not good at long-distance running and the results may be unpleasant, the experience of finishing a full-length marathon is still valuable and meaningful. | 