Dialogue | Zhang Deshun VS Silent (WR special correspondent)
Time | afternoon of February 25th, 2024
Venue | Renshou Jasman International Hotel
Photo & Video | Tan Qi (except signature)
Video production | Fu Xinyuan
The China women’s half-horse record, which has been silent for 20 years, was broken in the Renshou Half Marathon in 2024. Zhang Deshun, 27, got her wish. In the past, we only saw her ambition on the track, but I don’t know her inner delicacy. As a teacher, Yang Shaohui also expressed his views on "mutual restraint and mutual promotion" between the results of the whole horse and the half horse-short and long, and long to promote short. He said that in Fukuoka’s national record-breaking game, he refreshed his PB in the middle of the game, and only then did he give the second half enough strength to move towards a new record. Today, his school sister has won the national women’s half horse record. The next goal-the whole horse record.
After listening to the gun at 8: 30 on February 25, she ran to the hotel near 13: 00 in the afternoon, hungry. Zhang Deshun sat opposite the special reporter of "Women’s Running" and talked about the historical moment that made people feel excited and the firmness and courage she paid behind this moment.
▲ On February 25th, 2024, Zhang Deshun (left) and the women’s running special interviewer (right) returned to the hotel for communication after Renshou half-Marseille.
01 chat about the game
If renshou doesn’t run well in this race,
It may be affected all year round, including the Paris Olympics.
WR: Did you contact your family after you returned to the hotel?
Zhang Deshun: Well, I received a message from my brother after running, but I haven’t called my parents yet, because I was too busy after the race. I didn’t return to the hotel until after 12 o’clock, and I took two bites of rice to chat with you.
WR: What was your reaction to your performance today (February 25th)?
Zhang Deshun: Not bad. Before the game, he calculated and predicted my grades, and thought it would be very likely. Because, he knows that I have been in good training recently. When I first broke the record, he was in Osaka, and he flew to Japan to watch Dong Ge’s game. When I broke the record, Dong Ge and others were still playing, and he was nervous waiting for the result of Dong Ge’s game, so he was very calm about my game results.
WR: I haven’t seen you like this for a long time. Is this energy driven by the goal of opening the 70-point threshold?
Zhang Deshun: Everything I do is to beat myself better, not to score 70 points. Whether I can do it or not, I will do my best.
WR: Have you ever thought about failure?
Zhang Deshun: I thought that if I didn’t run well, it might affect the whole year, including the Wuxi trials, the Paris Olympic Games and even the idea of breaking through the PB of Malaysia. After I went back to Xiamen in January, my whole focus was on Renshou. I just want to fight everything once, at least let myself not regret it.
WR: Haven’t you had such a strong desire and firm confidence to do it for a long time?
Zhang Deshun: It’s been a long time. Including Nagoya last year, before I went, I just wanted to rush to PB and try my best to reach the Olympic bid (2 hours, 26 minutes and 50 seconds), but I didn’t expect to run into 225. Fighting spirit and desire are not so strong. But Renshou is different. My goal is to break the record.
WR: What’s the pace of this game? Director Zhang said that you came at a planned pace every kilometer?
Zhang Deshun: Before the race, I calculated according to the goal of 68 minutes and 35 seconds, that is, 3 minutes and 15 seconds per kilometer. As long as it doesn’t exceed this limit, I gave myself a clear bottom line. Before the game, I told my little brother who took me on the team-run at a pace of 3 minutes and 15 seconds. The first few kilometers may be faster, but if I don’t shout, I will follow this rhythm. If it is too fast or too slow, I will shout in time.
In the first five kilometers, the pace was about 3 minutes and 14 seconds, and I felt a little slow. Because I was in good condition at that time, I thought I could speed up if I didn’t have so much effort ahead, because I definitely had to slow down in the second half. So I called them to 3 minutes and 10 seconds. The first half is running up and down in 3 minutes and 10 seconds, and there is more room for the second half.
WR: Did you do your best and feel powerless?
Zhang Deshun: After two or three kilometers, my little brother who took me kept saying, Steady, the record is steady. I was a little excited at that time, but I didn’t dare to relax too much. There are still more than 4 minutes to look at the watch in the last mile. I think it is definitely no problem. I called the younger brother to let them go first. So I am a little slow again. It’s also the tired stage, not as top as before, so I didn’t look at the time in the last mile. I knew it would be broken to run at such a constant speed, but I relaxed.
WR: there is still room.
Zhang Deshun: After running down, I didn’t feel completely powerless, but I also played more than 95% of my ability. There is still room, but not much.
02 chat record
I think the list of national records
There must be my name.
WR: You have been in a very lively state since you broke the record. Now in a quiet state, look at this record again. What do you think it means to you?
Zhang Deshun: It was fine when I crossed the line. Later, they came all the way to congratulate me, and I was a little uncontrollable and wanted to find Zhang Dao immediately. I really want to cry, but I don’t want to show my weakness in front of others. The moment I saw Zhang Dao, I really couldn’t stand it.
From trying to break the record to now, I didn’t tell Zhang Dao that I wanted to break the record at first. I didn’t tell him until January after Xiama. In fact, until yesterday, he also felt that breaking the record was a huge challenge. Although he also wants me to break, he may still feel that he needs to pay more.
He hasn’t given me any pressure, saying that he must run how and how much. He confessed that 70 minutes must be broken, and if you can’t break it, you will be scolded. I think he was surprised after the run-I didn’t think I really did it. It’s not easy.
WR: I feel that you enjoy the feeling of giving yourself a satisfactory feedback after doing your best.
Zhang Deshun: Yes, at least I did my best. I’m not satisfied because I met my expectations. If I didn’t meet them, I wouldn’t be disappointed or sad, because I really tried my best.
WR: I have always thought that I really have it today. Are these two feelings the same?
Zhang Deshun: Not the same. Now we athletes are in a very good era, but no matter how outstanding our achievements are, everyone’s era will pass. I’m sure someone will break my record later, but this time, I carved my name on the list of national records. Have had such an experience, there will be no regrets, no regrets.
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WR: Does it feel the same to have two national records, the half horse and the 10 kilometers won last year?
Zhang Deshun: Not the same. Chengdu Xinjin’s 10km race was never thought of, and the intensity class didn’t run before the race. It’s more of a training class for me. In the race, I didn’t do my best either. In the last few kilometers, I wanted to run slowly and come back next year. I didn’t want to record at all.
But I started preparing for this game very early, and what I decided before the game was to do my best.
Screenshot of women’s running interview video
WR: If you can have it again, do you want to have a new record or something else, such as Olympic achievements?
Zhang Deshun: Both! Haha, whatever the record or the good performance of the Olympic Games is what I want. But step by step, no matter whether it can be achieved or not, at least I will take these as my goals and work hard. In the end, I will accept whatever the result is, as long as I do my best.
03 Talking about Winter Training
The quality of almost every class
Everything is fine.
WR: It seems that this winter training in the past was very effective and extreme.
Zhang Deshun: Yes, Director Zhang is very satisfied with my winter training. All the training contents of winter training, including intensive classes and long-distance classes, have been completed as planned.
WR: Everyone spoke highly of your winter training, whether it was Zhang Dao or Yang Shaohui. I heard Dafu say after the game that if he practiced so well, he would definitely break. Is this the best winter training in recent ten years?
Zhang Deshun: I can’t say nearly 10 years, but the quality of every class in winter training this year is very good. This year’s winter training reminds me of two winter training states in 2015 and 2020.
In the winter training in 2015, my best result in 10000 meters was 43 seconds away from the Olympic standard in 2016 (32:15.00), and I especially wanted to reach the Olympic standard at that time. The goal of that winter training was very clear and practiced very well. It was precisely because of the good training results of that winter training that the results in 2016 began to soar.
In addition, we went to Africa in the winter training in 2020 before the outbreak began. At that time, I was preparing to turn into a marathon. The intensity of the marathon gave me a feeling of being turned upside down, but the challenge of training gave me a new start and more expectations.
WR: I can see in my mind the young and energetic Zhang Deshun in 2015 when he was young.
Zhang Deshun: At that time, newborn calves were not afraid of tigers.
WR: It’s almost nine years in a blink of an eye, and you are presenting your truest state at different stages.
Zhang Deshun: Since we have taken this road, let’s continue to work hard and keep moving forward, and try our best to see our limits. The time for athletes to be in the best state of motion is very limited, and I want to give full play to it in these limited years.
WR: We have talked about age more than once. The 37-year-old Dong Ge is still running. What about you? Is it possible to be 37?
Zhang Deshun: I’ve thought about it. I like running very much. It has changed my life. I believe I can keep running, but it’s hard to say whether I’m standing on a competitive track or not.
WR: Can it be understood that "I don’t know" means that we have very long expectations for your future career?
Zhang Deshun: In recent years, many female athletes at home and abroad have returned to resume training after giving birth, and they have done better than before. So I also want to have a try, and I can distinguish my family, work and dreams, and then spell it out.
WR: I’m glad to hear that. I was vaguely afraid that Paris was your farewell to the Olympics. Every time I think about it, I feel a little sad.
Zhang Deshun: Every female athlete will become a mother one day, but love will keep them back on the field.
I am often touched by such stories. I think a family with children is worth looking forward to. This may be related to the fact that I have been in this family environment since I was a child.
Screenshot of women’s running interview video
04 Talk to the coach
In recent years, Zhang Dao has made great efforts in training and competition arrangement.
Gave me a lot of autonomy.
WR: It’s easy to see your state before the game. Not many people know that you are determined to break the record. Do you have a sense of urgency in your heart?
Zhang Deshun: It’s over 20 degrees in Yunnan now, but after Renshou, the highest temperature is only 6 degrees, and my nose is cold at night. I was a little anxious the day before the game, for fear that my physical reaction would seriously ruin my business. The day before the game, I felt that I was dying. I said to myself, don’t do this. I’m so well prepared. Don’t let me down. In fact, it was fine in the end, but suddenly the weather changed a little.
WR: If you don’t run into 70, you will be scolded. What’s your reaction to this sentence?
Zhang Deshun: I’ve been talking to Director Zhang for so many years, and I know what he expects of me whether he says or not. As long as I meet his expectations, he won’t say anything about me. In recent years, Director Zhang has given me great autonomy in training plan and competition arrangement.
▲ In the 2021 National Games, Zhang Deshun and coach Zhang Guowei boarded the podium in Weibo, Zhang Deshun.
WR: Is it terrible for Zhang Dao to get angry?
Zhang Deshun: He usually looks like he saw in today’s game (February 25th), with a big smile and affability. But if someone has training problems and makes him feel bad, his whole face will collapse. In this way, my heart will be a little hairy.
WR: When was the last time you were scolded by Zhang Dao?
Zhang Deshun: Quite a long time. I really don’t remember clearly. It should have been several years. In the past two years, he has been joking.
WR: Director Zhang made it very clear at the press conference that he would break the national record next. Sounds like a joke. This is not the first time you have heard him say this record.
Zhang Deshun: On the first day of joining the team, he told me the record of the whole horse and half horse. At that time, it was to inspire us as a long-term goal of our career, but we would not say that we must achieve it.
Now I feel that his idea is-we must work hard to achieve it. We have reached this ability and may not be far from the record.
WR: Will there be any pressure when Zhang Dao says so?
Zhang Deshun: There will be. Before that, I will put the pressure in my heart, or I will talk behind closed doors. But now it feels like Director Zhang has said it, so I have to work hard! I may not be able to do it, but I will do my best.
WR: Last time I talked about Maeda’s breaking the Asian record, you said that if you followed her in the first half, you wouldn’t dare to run in the back. Did you dare to run away after the war of Renshou?
Zhang Deshun: Yes! Before, my best score for half a horse was 70 minutes and 34 seconds. People ran to the level of 69 minutes and 46 seconds that day. You said that my half a horse didn’t run as fast as her whole horse. How dare I run? I’m sure I won’t run away. But after running down in 67 minutes and 55 seconds today, I definitely dare to follow! At least my grades are there, and I won’t collapse to any extent in the second half, even if I collapse again, I can top it. But before, I couldn’t guarantee the first half. How can I dare to think about the second half?
WR: So confidence has come.
Zhang Deshun: After running today, I feel more confident. I dare to fight all over the horse.
WR: So, the PB created in Nagoya last year in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 05 seconds can be turned over?
Zhang Deshun: Yes, you can turn over the page!
05 chat about life
I like to listen to stories about cultivating immortals and monsters.
I don’t know why I like it since I was a child.
WR: Let’s talk about something relaxing. I saw your circle of friends on February 21st, only to find that there is a new hairstyle.
Zhang Deshun: On January 1st. Before, my hair was too long, and it was inconvenient to swing it around every training. It was particularly annoying to look at it every day. It happened to be a rest day, and my mother said she wanted to get her hair done, so we hit it off and got a new haircut.
▲ New Year’s new atmosphere, Zhang Deshun changed her new hairstyle in early 2024. Weibo, Zhang Deshun
WR: Are you still listening to stories recently?
Zhang Deshun: Listen, it’s still the stories about cultivating immortals and monsters. I don’t know why I like these since I was a child.
WR: Did YOLO, which is very popular recently, go to see it?
Zhang Deshun: Not yet. I dare not relax too much from the New Year to now. Although I had a rest for two days during the Chinese New Year, I haven’t had a rest since I started training on the second day of the Lunar New Year. I don’t really want to go out to see it either, so I just want to tighten the string in my heart a little more. Let’s go through this stage before adjusting. If you don’t relax too early, the whole string may be loose, and it may take a long time to stretch again. So I didn’t give myself a relaxed state. Recently, I have been sleeping when I am tired after training, eating when I wake up, and practicing after eating.
WR: Everything behind it proves that you are serious this time.
Zhang Deshun: I’ve been preparing for it for a long time, and I don’t want to disappoint myself. I usually don’t tell Zhang Dao that I’m too dead before I do something, but this time I said it very dead. Every time Director Zhang says you can break 70, I say no, I want to break the national record. He said to let the younger brothers take you to press 70, but I said no matter, I want to break the national record.
WR: Is there any progress in knitting hobby recently?
Zhang Deshun: I haven’t moved much recently, because every day when I go back to training, I just lie down on my bed or sofa, listening to stories and staring blankly.
WR: Renshou specially set a record-breaking prize of 200,000. How do you usually treat yourself?
Zhang Deshun: If I think I should, I’ll treat myself. When I want to spend money, I always find reasons for myself and feel that I should treat myself anyway. Or I haven’t rewarded myself for a long time, and I will go shopping. After this game, I will definitely treat myself and buy something memorable.
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WR: What do you usually buy?
Zhang Deshun: You can eat, drink, play and use. Look at what you like in stages, and you may not be willing to buy what you like at ordinary times. But after running a race, I feel I have to reward myself.
WR: Do you usually like to wear skirts or something?
Zhang Deshun: Of course, there are a lot of them in the closet, but I haven’t had a chance to wear them. Now a lot of them are put in the closet and haven’t been recited much. After all, I usually wear sportswear when I am in the team, and I don’t want to go anywhere, go shopping or have a chance to recite. You usually carry a backpack when you come out for the game.
WR: Thank you for talking to us so much after the game, and I hope to witness every step of your future challenge.
Zhang Deshun: Thank you. I will continue to work hard.
▲ Face the Olympic Year and a challenging future with confidence.
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