Running has become popular in China, especially in cities. It's become a habit with my friends to share their experiences and photographs of running on social networking sites. This year's Shanghai Marathon and Beijing Marathon were spectacular with thousands of people registering to take part in them.

There are many reasons why an increasing number of people, including some celebrities, are taking to running. Some people run to build their bodies while others run to challenge themselves to do something they haven't done before. But the majority of the people run to keep healthy and avoid diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity and heart attacks.

I started running because of what my PE teacher in primary school said: If you want to be smart, run; if you want to be strong, run; if you want to be healthy, run.

I love running not because I am a good runner, but because I want to become a better runner. I go for a run on the playground of my campus whenever I get some spare time. Once I came second in the 1,500-meter race at my school sports meet. Last year, I took part in the 2013 Zhengkai International Marathon, which was a really rewarding experience because I met a senior citizen who also participated in the event. His spirit touched me and inspired me to overcome fear and setbacks.

Life is like running: it is essentially your own business. During this process, you have neither partners nor competitors. It's yourself that you are going to surpass. So, just run. It will help you de-stress and unburden your worries. Running reinvigorates us, and makes us more optimistic, diligent and energetic. Hope you enjoy your run.

ANNOYING POTATO, from China Daily blog

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