Second Time's a Charm - Mojiko Retro 10K

It's race day! 

I woke up with a smile. This is what I've been working towards for the past couple of months.

I fixed my coffee, checked the weather, and hopped in the shower. The forecast showed cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 50's. よかった!  As I layered on my clothing and packed my bag, all I could think about was how excited I was. I had the giddiness that comes with Christmas morning, just about a month early.

After a minor issue with the trains -- I forgot to transfer at one point and had to back track -- I met K at Mojiko Station. We walked over to the race venue and found a place to set our bags down. We arrived about an hour and a half early so we had plenty of time to stretch and warm up.

As the opening ceremony approached, our race nerves started to set in. We each had goals we were pushing for and we'd soon find out if we'd meet them.

At 9:30 the starting shot was fired for my 10k race. I made my way into the herd and was off.

K's 5k race started at 9:50.

Unfortunately our paths never crossed, but since she finished first, she met me at the finish line. Thanks to her, I have real race day photos!

So here's how our races went . . .

First of all, we both finished! That was the main goal for each of us. Run the whole race. Absolutely no stopping.  K's secondary goal was to finish under 30 minutes, and she did just that! I was so proud and excited for her!  For me, my goal was to finish in under an hour. And while that didn't happen, I finished in 1 hour and 3 minutes, I did finish faster than I did last year.

So even though I didn't make my time, I felt much better during this run than I did during last year's. Last year, I remember cramping, feeling tight and terribly uncomfortable. This year, I actually enjoyed myself.

And like with most things I do here in Japan, I had realizations and "ah ah" moments along the way. Some things just clicked today, but I'll be keeping them to myself.

To celebrate the run, I showered, changed, and headed into Fukuoka. I wanted to see the Christmas Market at night. Christmas lights and mulled wine were sounding like the perfect treat. And also, I was hoping to browse through Dean and Deluca.

Take a look at my snapshots of today . . .

Now that this race is over, I'm beginning to train for a half marathon. I already have a race in mind and I'm looking forward to it.

I'm not sure what my goals are for the half yet, but I do have things I want to improve on. Some of which are stride, cadence, and posture. I have the hardest time relaxing my shoulders when I run. I know I need to change that.

I feel like I'm having to un-learn all of my bad habits and actually learn how to run. It's a challenge that I'm up for.

XOXO,

M

Thanksgiving 2017

Celebrating Thanksgiving felt just as foreign as it did last year. In Japan, they decorate for Halloween and once it's over they skip straight into Christmas. I'm not exaggerating when I say, Christmas came early this year. It's been here since the first of November. Because of that, I almost forgot about Thanksgiving. Even though I carried out Thanksgiving themed classes at my junior high school (we made the cutest 'I'm thankful for ... ' Turkey Hands),   I was simultaneously decorating Christmas themed bulletin boards. It got a little confusing.

Last year I spent Thanksgiving at school working, but this year I had the day off. Since Thanksgiving was on the same day as Japan's Labor Thanksgiving Day, there was no school.

So here's what I did . . .

I woke up early, bundled up, and headed into Fukuoka. I splurged and took a Limited Express train into the city - Happy Thanksgiving to me. I did a long run at Ohorikoen. K joined me for the last part of the course and then we had lattes at Starbucks. We walked around the park and watched in awe as runners flew past us. There was a race happening and these runners were serious --- short shorts, speed shoes, and long sprints. K and I's race is this weekend! I can't wait for it. I've finally decided on my running outfit and I have my playlist all set. It's going to be bitterly cold again, but I don't think it will rain.

Before leaving the city, I window shopped around Solaria Plaza in Tenjin, stopped by Dean and Deluca, and visited the Hakata Station Christmas Market.

When I got back to my apartment in the late afternoon, I put together my Thanksgiving meal: onigiri, fried chicken, and mixed vegetables. In the evening, I bundled up once again and set out to see the Christmas lights strung down the main street. And when I returned, I poured myself a glass of wine and warmed up the pecan pie bar I had bought from Dean and Delcua.

Take a look . . .

Although it was completely nontraditional, this Thanksgiving was wonderful. I loved being in the city, running through the park, having Starbucks, and seeing Christmas lights. The only things that were missing were my family and friends. Sure, Thanksgiving food is delicious, but I could go years without it. Family and friends on the other hand, well, two years is long enough. 

I'm looking forward to spending the next holiday season stateside. Running in Florida with my family and having Starbucks sounds perfect to me.

So as my Thanksgiving in Japan is coming to an end, I wanted to share what I'm giving thanks for this year. And just like last year, there are explanations behind every one of these things, but I'm keeping them to myself . . . 

XOXO,

M

さいきん , Lately

As the weather gets chiller, I've found myself running indoors at the gym. Sure, I have to bundle up for my walk there, but once I'm inside it's nice and toasty. I've reserved braving the cold for my weekend runs.

This weekend K and I tried out a new course. Even though it was cloudy and grey, the rain held out and we were able to pace out a 5k. Our race is only a week away and we're pretty excited! 

K is running her first 5k and I'm running another 10k. 

We've decided that even after we finish the race we're still going to keep running together. We're working towards making running a habit and something we do consistently. And if you've read my previous posts, you'll understand when I say that consistency is challenging for me. It's something I'm learning how to do and be. 

So here's this weekend's course . . . 

XOXO,

M

Tuesday Evening

And just like that, it's Christmas in Japan. On Tuesday evening, I met Shoko-san at the River Walk in Kokura. We had plans to attend a music concert put on by Virginia Tech students. The theme of the performance was "Hooray for Hollywood". When Shoko-san heard about the concert she immediately thought of me. She said that we should go because it would be a good chance for me to have a taste of home. She was right. I needed this. I needed to be reminded of what it's like to be a part of something. Lately, I've been stressed and hyper focused on work. I've felt myself starting to get lost in my routine. Work, workout, eat, sleep, and repeat. My days have been blurring together and I have that feeling that I'm living for the weekend. The concert was the push I needed to relax and refocus.

Here's their song list . . . 

1. Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

2. As Time Goes By from Casablanca

3. Singing In The Rain from Singing In The Rain

4. Over The Rainbow from The Wizard of OZ

5. Cheek to Cheek from Too Hat

6. City of Stars from La La Land

7. Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

8. Tonight from West Side Story

9. Hand Jive from Grease

10. Spirited Away from Spirited Away

11. My Heart Will Go On from Titanic

12. When You Wish Upon A Star from Pinocchio

13. Someday My Prince Will Come from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

14. A Whole New World from Aladdin

15. Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King

16. Under The Sea from The Little Mermaid

17. Let It Go from Frozen

This concert was a beautiful reminder of why I love the holidays. Christmas definitely came early this year. 'Tis the season. 

XOXO,

M

Falling for Fall

November is here which means that Christmas isn't too far away. Holiday magic is filling the air. Before I step out of my apartment I'm wrapping up in a scarf and slipping into boots. I absolutely love everything about this time of year. Jazz music is playing, coffee is constantly brewing, and everything has a beautiful grey-ness to it.  Even when the sun is shining, it's crisp and cool. It's unbelievably enjoyable. 

I'm as busy as ever at school, but I'm making time to run. I've been running consistently. Some runs are easy, most are tough, but they're all good runs. I'm working on creating habits that I'm proud of and running consistently is one of them. In the past, whenever I've done things they've usually been sporadic. Which means that I would accomplish the immediate goal, but I wouldn't be able to maintain my progress and improve at a consistent rate. It was all or nothing. 

As I continue to focus on making running a habit, I'm starting to see the benefits unfold in front of me. Lacing up my shoes is something I look forward to, not dread. Even if I'm only out for a mile or for an hour, I have the opportunity to disconnect, enjoy myself, and let my thoughts go. My coffee seems to taste better these days and I actually have an appetite. Running is something I'm choosing to do because I want to, not because I feel like I have to. My mindset is changing for the better.

Here are some pictures from my most recent running adventures. My favorite was taking a train into Fukuoka to meet K and run at Ohorikoen. I'm looking forward to going back in a couple of weekends.

Take a look . . .