Thousands of runners line up at the starting line in the early morning. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of the Shanghai morning dew as thousands of us gathered at the starting line, grouped in A, B, C and D categories of the 2025 Shanghai Jing'an Half Marathon, each runner brimming with quiet determination.

The city was still waking, bathed in the soft glow of the rising orange sun. It was the perfect day to smash a personal best.

As the horns blared, I surged forward, pounding my feet against the pavement in a synchronized rhythm with surrounding runners. The early kilometers were a blur of energy — spectators cheering "jiayou", or push harder as a way of motivation, the towering buildings stretching above, and the hum of shared ambition filling the air.

I weaved through the crowds of runners, tree-lined streets, the morning light flickering between branches, casting golden patterns on the road.