56-year-old academician Shi Yigong got on the horse and ran for 4 hours: the joy and benefits of running are too numerous to mention

A simple vest with "Westlake University" printed on the chest, which is a common attire of Shi Yigong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Westlake University, when participating in running races.

At the Shanghai Marathon on November 26, Shi Yigong crossed the finish line again in this costume, and the 56-year-old successfully ran into four hours, finishing with a time of 3:42:53.

In people's eyes, Shi Yigong has many labels, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs... But in life, runners are also one of his identities.

"In addition to intense study, you must pay attention to exercise. This is what he tells his students, and he also practices physical exercise.

Shi Yigong (No. 23732) participated in the Shanghai Marathon.

Veteran runner Shi Yigong

As an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Westlake University, Shi Yigong has too many wonderful stories.

In the field of science, Shi Yigong is an internationally renowned structural biologist, a tenured chair professor at Princeton University, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

As an educator, Shi Yigong was hired as a tenured professor at Tsinghua University after returning to China in 2008, and later served as vice president of Tsinghua University, and then as president of Westlake University.

But in life, Shi Yigong has another identity: a runner.

As early as three years ago, he completed his first marathon in Guangzhou, and he has since participated in more than a dozen marathons.

In his words in his autobiography "Self-Breakout": "I'm also a veteran runner!"

Tracing how he fell in love with running, Shi Yigong had a unique experience - he accidentally signed up for the 1500-meter run in the school sports meeting in his third year of junior high school, but he ran first from the bottom. But instead of hating running, he started to practice hard.

After more than a year of training, Shi Yigong has improved a lot, "At that time, 800 meters could run within 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Not only that, when he entered Tsinghua University in 1985, Shi Yigong also won the first place in the 3000-meter race walking competition, and also set a record in the race walking event of the Tsinghua University School Games.

From the first place in the 1500m to the 3000m race walking champion, Shi Yigong said: "My family has no sports tradition, and I have no athletic talent, and it is precisely because of this that sports have become my (growth and progress) advantage." ”

Shi Yigong successfully finished the race and got on the horse.

Before the opening ceremony, I ran around the West Lake

For many people, not having time is the main reason for giving up physical activity. But Shi Yigong, who is busy with scientific research, never forgets to set aside time for running.

After becoming the president of Westlake University, Shi Yigong established the Westlake University Running Group. Not only that, on the opening ceremony of Westlake University in 2018, he and his colleagues went to West Lake at 5 o'clock in the morning to complete an 11-kilometer run around the lake.

Later, he invited the students to join the school at the opening ceremony of the school: "I look forward to our West Lake long-distance running team growing day by side and moving forward side by side." ”

His first full-marathon experience was with his fellow runners from the Westlake University Running Group.

In the 2020 Guangzhou Marathon, Shi Yigong finished the race in 3 hours, 34 minutes and 56 seconds, and after the race, he smiled at the camera: "I originally planned to run a full marathon before the age of 55, but I didn't expect to finish it at the age of 53." ”

Shi Yigong, who loves running, is also subtly changing the temperament of Westlake University.

In the official public account of Westlake University, there was such a paragraph: "Long-distance running is the sports 'gene' of Westlake University's beating." The start of school run, New Year's Eve run, the first run in Cloud Valley... As long as it is a memorable day for the school, there must be a long-distance running heroic figure of the Westlake University running group. ”

"Through long-distance running, we are also witnessing the development of the school from another perspective. On October 22 this year, Westlake University held its first campus marathon, and Shi Yigong and more than 300 runners participated in the race.

Shi Yigong revealed in his autobiography "Self Breakthrough" that he now runs every other day, starting from 10 kilometers each time, and his monthly running volume remains at 150-280 kilometers.

"The only fly in the ointment is that I get too little sleep. On average, there are about 5 hours a night and sometimes a 10-20 minute break at noon. But it's been like this all year round, and I'm basically getting used to it. ”

Shi Yigong has always encouraged students to run and exercise.

"The joys and benefits of running are too numerous to mention"

In Shi Yigong's view, running can not only exercise the body and ensure that there is sufficient physical energy to work, but also an exercise of willpower.

Shi Yigong emphasized in more than one interview that running and work complement each other, "In the process of running, I realized some truths, good health is naturally conducive to the improvement of academic performance, which is a virtuous circle." ”

When he was the vice president of Tsinghua University, Shi Yigong often encouraged students to exercise: "Some people think that if they spend a lot of time exercising, their learning efficiency will be reduced. In fact, if you run properly, you can adjust your energy levels, increase your heart function and lung capacity, and have an adequate blood supply and quick thinking. ”

"Physical exercise is a spirit of self-improvement and a way of life that benefits you for a lifetime. ”

In April 2020, in the "First Lesson of School" video for primary and secondary school students in Zhejiang Province, Shi Yigong also emphasized the importance of physical exercise: "Give a few more words of advice to students, and in addition to intense study, you must pay attention to physical exercise." ”

"Two days ago, I ran a half marathon by the West Lake in Hangzhou, which took 1 hour and 38 minutes. I believe that my classmates can run faster than me! I love sports, science, exercise, and study; the classroom is the same, the playground is always new, I can study and exercise at the same time, and I have been studying and working healthily for 50 years. ”

When it comes to the help and inspiration of the marathon for his work, Shi Yigong said frankly: "The whole marathon is like a scientific research career, but the whole marathon has an end, and scientific research has no end. ”

"The joys and benefits of running are endless. This is a testimonial in the afterword of his autobiography "Self-Breakthrough". And in the future, people will also see him continue to run.