Man runs half marathon for his health in makeshift hospital

In the past fifteen days while under quarantine at a makeshift hospital in Shanghai, Liu Qiang has run a total of 170 kilometers in a 100-meter-long corridor. The longest distance he ran in a day is the equivalent of a half marathon, which is about 21km.

Liu had been a part of the high-intensity work as a community worker since the beginning of the citywide screening against the latest outbreak of COVID-19 on March 28. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally.

The day he was confirmed contracting Omicron, he felt relieved. Later, he was transferred to a quarantine site.

After settling down, the fitness enthusiast ran a distance of 10km around the hospital on the first day.

He did not appreciate that every time he ran, people around would take photos or videos of him. So, he moved his "running track" to a corridor where, through the ground glass windows there, he could glimpse the fresh spring outside.

During quarantine, Liu had to adjust to a new daily regime. This regime included: 3 blood oxygen measurements at different times, a nucleic acid test and taking his medicine on time.

Every day, he got up at 4:00 am in the morning, like he used to do, and ran for an hour. The last time he ran a marathon in 2019, he could run 40km in 2 hours and 48 minutes.

"You could do whatever you want if conditions allow, but now all you need to do is to take care of yourself and not trouble others," Liu said when talking about the medical workers who have to work long hours in heavy protective suits without eating or drinking anything.

While Liu's under central quarantine, his wife volunteered to organize a group purchase of vegetables in their neighborhood.

Before, Liu rarely posted his running experience on social media with the exception of when he would break a personal record. However, this time he wanted to share more photos and stories about his running in the makeshift hospital, in order to show people the real experience of contracting the virus.

On the third day of his nucleic acid being negative, Liu got the medical certificate which allowed him leaving the central quarantine site.

"The epidemic will leave eventually. As everyone in Shanghai is trying hard to maintain the order and keep their wits, it will go anyway," Liu said.