Running Wild

Today is gonna be all about running, so bear with me.

When I was a wee one (cue Timon and Pumba) I ran a bit.

And by a bit I mean when I wasn't eating bad food and drinking my soul away.

I've been in and out of it (but mostly out of it) for a long time, and have only ever ran 10KM runs before (49 minutes, when I was 18), but I decided shortly after getting here that I was going to run a marathon...

That's 42 kilometers. 42 long, long kilometers. And then I found out that there was a half marathon in Amakusa, which is an island chain famous for its scenery, it's five picturesque bridges, it's delicious mikans (nectarines) and fish, and more dubiously, for having the fastest depleting population in Japan...

(Demographically Japan is migrating out of rural areas and into cities, and being a remote island, despite all it's perks and wonders).

Ignore the finger. I blame it for taking pictures while running. Coincidentally, a good way to get weird looks from real athletes judging young tourists.

We (My friends Alys, Krista and I) registered and stayed with my wonderful friend Lauren, who lives five minutes away.

So when you register for Japanese races, you may get Japanese size T-Shirts, even if the label does say XL.

 Long story short, after ten weeks of training, on Sunday I found myself bouncing at the start line of 1100 runners on an alarmingly beautiful and warm November day in Japan.

Alys, I'd like to apologize in advance. Or kind of in advance. Or not at all really.

And I never imagined how good it would feel. I've heard of the legendary runner's high, but heeeeellllooo endorphins. 

There were old ladies and little children littering the sidewalk, cheering and clapping and “ganbadde!”-ing (Try your best!) I think they cheered harder for me A) because I'm Western, and a novelty (there's a lot of that here) but also because by the 14KM mark the sorest muscles in my body were all in my cheeks, because I couldn't stop smiling... At about that point a had to tell myself to look serious, because otherwise I'm pretty sure I would've face-cramped. And I don't even know if that's a thing, but if it is it'd be hella embarassing as a reason not to finish.

I ran it in 2:11:50, which is about 20 minutes faster than I expected... This is mostly because it was my first race and I didn't realize how much it being actual race-day would up my speed.

Afterwards, and with aching legs, I drove the normally 2.5-hour-drive home in five hours... There's only one road out of Amakusa, and almost all 2500 race participants were taking it, so it made for some pretty intense gridlock.

This is a lovely pair of Japanese citizens, who rode in the car in front of us for a long stretch of the way. Think 50 meters/minute. Anyways, I was dancing in the car and the girl started giggling. I hate being the center of attention (obviously... ;) ) so I started dancing more for her. She kept tapping and yelling at her brother beside her to look, and whenever he'd turn around I'd stop and pretend nothing was happening. This probably went on for 10 minutes, with her getting more and more frantic (and probably with their Mom watching the whole thing in rear view mirror, and probably either cursing me and all foreigners or chuckling under her breath). In the end Alys and I let the boy see too, and we ended up making faces and playing Rock, Paper, Scissors until someone rudely pulled in between us and precipitated our friendship's inevitable break-up.

Then afterwards Alys and I went to an onsen, or Japanese baths, where an older man told me my legs were the biggest things he'd ever seen ("thanks, and if I wasn't naked, I'd probably have a witty retort handy"). That being said, onsens are A) Amazing and relaxing, and B) Where I get talked to by the most strangers. 

Then, it was on to ReefBurger, an amazing little restaurants that may owe 50% of its business to foreign English teachers...

Now I'm resting up, but soon I'll start powering up again to continue my training towards my full-marathon, which is February 17^th!

Wish me luck!

And on a side note, this is me with one of my favourite babies. Ridia barely ever cries, and when I sing her German lullabies she falls asleep in my arms. Cute factor x 1 000 000