Couple sees no hurdles in passion for running
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Lara Fu and Variate Xu run around the Century Park on Sunday afternoon.
Zhou Shengjie / SHINE -
Lara Fu and Variate Xu run around the Century Park on Sunday afternoon.
Zhou Shengjie / SHINE -
Lara Fu and Variate Xu run around the Century Park on Sunday afternoon.
Zhou Shengjie / SHINE -
Lara Fu and Variate Xu run around the Century Park on Sunday afternoon.
Zhou Shengjie / SHINE -
Lara Fu and Variate Xu run around the Century Park on Sunday afternoon.
Zhou Shengjie / SHINE -
Lara Fu and Variate Xu run around the Century Park on Sunday afternoon.
Zhou Shengjie / SHINE
The 5-kilometer running track around Century Park has much less hustle and bustle on weekends now that the Shanghai International Marathon has passed. However, the tried and true still show up, including husband and wife Lara Fu and Variate Xu.
After warming up on Sunday afternoon, their goal was to run 30 kilometers in two hours — one of Fu’s final trainings for the international marathon in Xiamen, Fujian Province, in early January.
Like many people who make running part of their life, Fu and Xu were faced with disrupted plans and training routines due to the pandemic, but the newlyweds said they have more to look forward to in the future.
Fu, a 32-year-old freelance writer, became a cross-country runner in 2017 and came in first place in a 65-kilometer race just one year later. Her personal best for a marathon is 3:13:34. Xu, 36, works for a bank, and his marathon personal best is 2:39:14.
Fu said cross-country running is perfect for her because of her hiking experience and love of nature.
“Cross-country running offers the most beautiful tracks for runners, and I fell in love with it the first time I was introduced to it,” she said.
This year, Fu said she has had more opportunities for mountain training thanks to the pandemic, which is thought to be safer for runners due to their sparse populations.
Xu thinks running is the most convenient sport for working people.
“In other sports you might need a partner or have to reserve a court, but for running you need neither,” he said. “I especially love running on playground tracks, because it somehow makes me feel very relaxed and calm.”
Due to COVID-19, sports facilities in Shanghai have been closed for months, and residents were once advised to avoid going outside. So Xu bought a treadmill to train at home but said he prefers to run outside.
Meanwhile, as most schools remain closed to runners, many resort to stadiums, which can be packed with people.
Fu and Xu met out of common interest in running and they enjoy each other’s company while running.
“Running is part of our daily routine, just like eating and sleeping,” Fu said. “In the evening, we meet at a track after work and start running, either side by side or on our own, and then go home together. On weekends, we go for longer runs or compete in races.”
The couple thinks Shanghai has great public infrastructure for runners, and their favorite places to run include the Huangpu riverside and the track around Century Park, but it’s also getting easier to find an ideal running route just near one’s home.
