Stewart Blog

Tarawera Ultramarathon - Part 1

2011-03-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, 19 March I set out for the biggest challenge of my life, but first let's back up. A little more than a week before I had traveled to New Zealand with 6 friends from WOOT (Women on Okinawa Trails). Five of us were coming from Okinawa, one was meeting up from Alaska, and Tiff was starting from Illinois. We've all run together for about a year and 5 of us had made the journey to Mongolia last July for a trail marathon. We have a wide range of runners in our group, including multiple Boston Qualifiers and more average runners like me - a 4:30 marathoner.

Maybe I was just cranky or maybe I'm just used to being on my own a lot since Chris is often away, but by a few days into the trip I was ready for some alone time. I was really looking forward to my 10 hours alone in the woods.

We lined up in pre-dawn hours with the goal of completing 60K through NZ terrain. Anna and Andrea originally signed up for the 100K and had completed some incredible training - extremely long back to back days of running.

We started at the Redwoods Visitor Center in Rotorua. I loved this starting point because it reminded me of my summer vacation's at my grandparent's house in the Bay Area of California. On parts of our drive earlier in the week I spied eucalyptus, but I didn't smell any of that distinct, crisp smell as I waited to start the race. The Tarawera Ultra is in its third year and had over 200 runners split between the 60K, 85K, 85K relay, and 100K.

Daylight broke just in time for the start and no head lights were needed. The start was a good climb out of the visitor center with both steep inclines and stairs added in for fun. There was kind of a weird rhythm of running the downhills and flats that might last 20 seconds and then everyone would walk the uphills and stairs. I knew I was near the back of the pack and I was ok with that. I didn't know what to expect from this race. I've never gone this distance and I wasn't sure how to pace. I do know that once we got to the top it opened on to a beautiful landscape with a lake and the town of Rotorua in the distance.

The sun glimmering off Blue Lake made me smile and the fun descents had me giggling out loud. I loved this portion of the race. The first section was about 12km before we hit the aid station. The aid station was fully stocked with jelly beans, chips, ginger, endurotabs, water, coke, and heed. The volunteers were all lovely and after a quick chit chat I was off again.

The second and third aid stations came up quickly because they are on the only road portion of the run and they are close together. I believe the second aid station was around 17km and the third at 20km. The second aid station had a timing mat and I clocked in at 63rd place, 22nd among women. I had gained a little speed on the road portion, but the last K up to the third aid station was a steep uphill and I took advantage of the walkortunity. There was a photographer right before the aid station. I asked him if I should pretend to run and he said that might be a good idea. The result was the best race photo I've ever had!

I had studied the race map and knew that the next aid station was a long way away so I took the time to refill my 2L Nathan hydration vest. Also, for those who like running details, I was eating 3 Clif Shot Bloks about every 45 minutes. I would also eat a couple jelly beans and a couple potato chips at the aid station. The weather was perfect - low 70s and even though it was sunny the trail was shaded for the most part.

While running the first 20K I stayed in very good spirits and was mentally strong. There were parts on the road that I knew I could push faster, but I wanted to be able to have something left at the end. Being so new to this kind of distance made it a little tricky to know how much effort to put out. I wanted to give 100%, but I wanted that 100% to last the whole race. It was hard to know where the balance was.

Between aid stations 3 and 4 there were about 17km. I saw an older gentleman on the course with no hydration pack or bottles. I don't know how he did it. They told us we could drink out of the creeks or lakes, but I didn't want to chance it. I was rationing out my water for this long section, but I was constantly thirsty. I had started hydrating a couple days before the race so I don't think I was dehydrated, but the longer I ran the more chips I ate at aid stations. I was definitely craving salt.

There were lots of steep climbs in this section and I would walk when needed. The website describes this section as "a test of fitness it is superb". During the entire race I was able to run all the flats, downhills, the rollers, and some of the not so steep inclines. I was really happy with that. This race really alerted me to the fact that I need to work on climbing. I trained on hills in Okinawa, but we've got nothing like the mountains in NZ! My legs would actually feel ok on the hills, but my breathing became labored and my heart rate would sky rocket. The entire race took place between 400m and 1400m above sea level. I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but it was constant ups and downs. At some point in this section I passed Kathleen who was slowed down with abdominal pain.

(Please continue to part 2 because blogspot won't let me upload more pictures to this post).

Tarawera Ultramarathon - Part 2

2011-03-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

During this section I had a lot of time to think and was drawing inspiration from many sources. I could hear my mom saying, "you go girl", my BFF telling me "si, se puede", Monica cheering me on with "you are a champion, and Chris' facebook message of "keep moving forward". Keep moving forward became my mantra. I also thought about Dean Karnazes. For some reason his line "sometimes you're the fish, sometimes you're the fisherman" kept running through my head, even when it didn't fit the situation. It all worked for me.

I came into the 4th aid station at 37-38km feeling strong physically and mentally. It was a great surprise when I popped out of the woods and saw Anna and Jannine's daughters, Laura and Jade, and Jannine's dad there cheering us on. It was a great pick me up. There was another timing mat at this point and although my overall pace had slowed down, my placement had moved up to 54 overall (a 9 place improvement) and 18 for gender (a 4 place improvement).

As I was coming in Tiff was leaving. She wasn't feeling great and mentioned she was power walking, but let me tell you that tiny lady is a crazy fast power walker. I refilled my water again and ate more chips. The salt tasted great. I overheard someone say that we had finished the worst part and I asked race volunteers if that was true. One kind volunteer told me that "shitty" parts were coming up. I asked him his definition of shitty and he said it was going to get extremely technical with rocks and roots. He was not lying! Although my trail experience is admittedly limited, I have never seen trail like this. The first couple kilometers out of the aid station were very steep, but not yet technical. About 43km in I was starting to feel the effects of the race and turned on my ipod for the first time. I quickly had to hit shuffle since the first song to come on was Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call it The Blues". I definitely wasn't feeling that! Thank goodness for a little Cake - it always gets me running.

From about 40-52km the trail was a crazy, technical mess. There were parts where I was literally using my hands to crawl up a root mass or to get up the trail. This section forced me to pocket the camera because I was truly afraid that I was going to face plant. Shockingly, I did not fall. The thought I kept having as I timidly navigated this area was that I would love to just sit in the woods and watch as the front runners come through just to see how they run it. At this point I can't even imagine how to run on terrain like that. When I get back to the states I'm definitely volunteering at some ultras to see how it's done.

Although I did not fall, I did slip down a loose gravel edge once, but nothing major. I don't remember exactly, but maybe from about 45km or so we were back to running beside another gorgeous, crystal clear lake. Unfortunately, I couldn't take my eyes off the trail for long to take in the beauty.

Somewhere in here is where I really started to hurt - my quads, a weird place in my right shin that has never had problems, and the insides of both my knees - maybe my bursas. When the pain came I still thought of Dean's book "Run!" where he talks about how hard the runs can be and how you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone. From 45km on my mantra became "it's not supposed to feel good". Even though it's not overly positive, that mantra really worked for me.

I don't want to make it sound like it was all sunshine and roses. There were some definite low points. Around 50K I teared up and started thinking this is so hard, but I quickly told myself to suck it up and got over it. Somewhere in this section I passed Steph, a very strong runner from our group who was having some major IT band problems.

The next to last aid station was at about 54km. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven because there was cold watermelon. Not only did watermelon sound good because I was racing, but the watermelons on Okinawa are well over twenty bucks so this was a real treat. I didn't stay long at this station because I knew the end was so close. As I was going out, Kathleen was coming in and she begged the volunteers to "please tell me the rest of the course is flat as a pancake". Apparently they don't have pancakes in NZ because those liars said it was downhill. There were still plenty of steep inclines and some very cruel sets of steep stairs.

Luckily, the scenery made up for it. We were running by a strong flowing river that opened on to beautiful waterfalls.

The views really were stunning, but I was trying to push the last 5K and give my full effort. At the aid station around 47km I had taken an endurotab (basically electrolytes). I don't know if it finally kicked in or if I just knew the end was near, but I really picked it up the last 5km.

Right around the 55km point my breath was taken away yet again. This time it wasn't a steep incline, but a wallaby jumping across my path that did it. I just stopped and watched the speedy marsupial hop away. It was incredible.

Just after the wallaby I came across Tiff power walking her way through the pain. I'm telling you - one speedy little lady. I told her she could do it and she tucked in right behind me until the end. This is always how we run. One of us will lead, the other will follow. The leader just all depends on the day.

Within the last 2km racers are treated to the incredible Tarawera Falls. They were amazing, but I didn't have time to dilly dally.

After the falls I was still trying to push hard because I was ready to be done! I thought I had about a kilometer to go so I was pleasantly surprised when I popped out of the woods and saw the finish line! I was even happier to see Jannine's dad there waiting for us and cheering us in! It was great to see a familiar face. Here's Tiff, Kathleen, and I at the finish:

From the 38K mark until the end I moved up another 9 spaces (54 to 45) and 2 more gender spots (18 to 16) and had a finish time of 10:25. Our WOOT runners who are 3:30 marathoners finished around 8:30. It was one heck of a course.

I am extremely happy with my effort and feel like I did all I could on the day. I clearly need to train more for climbs. After a few days of hobbling around with sore quads I was back to normal and went for a couple easy runs within 5 days of the race. Tiff had these great necklaces made for us to remember Tarawera.

I'm pretty sure this is an experience I'll never forget.

B&A 50K

2011-02-21T14:28:00.001-08:00

As most of you know I've been training for the last few months for a 60K that I will be running in New Zealand in March. I'm super excited about the trip and super nervous about the run. I thought I would calm some of my nerves about the run by running a 50K training run this weekend. Originally I was signed up for the Okinawa City Marathon this weekend, but I wanted a course with more trails and less pressure.

It is amazing the planning that goes into arranging your own 50K. I had to come up with the course and with the limited trails on Okinawa, at least with my limited knowledge of trails on Okinawa, this can be tricky. Also, the weather report kept changing so some of the trails I was planning on could be unrunnable if there was enough rain. However, the weather leading up to and including Saturday couldn't have been more perfect. I also had to figure out fueling. I knew I would be wearing my Nathan hydration vest for the entire time, but I also planned on using my car as an aid station.

I stocked a cooler with G2 (because I should really be concerned with the calories in regular Gatorade when I'm running 31 miles- duh!), coke, and chocolate milk. I also stocked the trunk with Pringles, PB&J, Reese's Pieces, and other assorted goodies. Honestly, none of the "real food" sounded good during the run and 95% of the time I stuck with Shot Bloks.

So, the first 5K I had WOOT runners with me. It was nice to be able to start with others.

My friend Bri stayed with me the entire time! Yes, all 50K! On Thursday she wrote on Facebook that she needed a run. I mentioned I was doing a 50K Saturday. She said she'd be there. I assumed she'd come for part of it and then bail, but no, she spent the whole day running all over Yomitan with me. What an amazing lady and friend!

For those of you familiar with the trails we started with Paintball and then reversed Paintball. We then crossed 58 and ran Spider Loop. Here's the trail up to the main part of Spider. I love the red clay.

This is me at the 17K mark. We then headed out on a 12K loop that took us from Yuimaru down 58 to 6, take a left on the other 58 to the Starbucks, left on 16, hit the main 58, and take the Farm Roads back to Yuimaru.

Here's some shots from the 12K loop:

I'm never too tired to take pictures of pretty flowers and these are my favorite farm dogs! I hate that they're chained up, but they always have clean water and seem well fed. Plus, they're super sweet.

Chris and Rana met up with us at about the 29K point.

This is where I had the worst idea ever and the wheels almost came off. I thought it would be a good idea to run Spider Loop in reverse. I've never run Spider in reverse and this was a really bad time to try something new.

This picture doesn't really do justice to how steep the hills were. There was a lot of hiking at this point. I figured it would just make me stronger for New Zealand.

Despite my hatred for reverse Spider, Rana loved it!

There was lots of mud wallowing and this part of the run was where she was allowed to run off leash. She is amazing to watch jump over ravines and crevasses. I've got to get her in agility classes when we move back to the states.
After reverse Spider we did the 12K loop again. I thought this picture was very fitting because I couldn't have asked for a better "real partner" for this venture!

I actually felt pretty good the entire run. I got a little side stitch the second time we did the 12K loop, but it worked itself out. My right lower back/hip area felt a little wonky, but nothing terrible and by the last 8K or so the bottom of my feet hurt. It wasn't as bad as I thought it could be. Here are some shots from the last 5K.

Chris was sweet and had flowers waiting in his van for me at the finish. He didn't know Bri was going to gut the whole thing out with me so he only had one bouquet, but we did what "real partners" do and split them.

Thanks so much to Bri, Chris, and Rana for getting me through the first and last annual B&A 50K!

2010 Recap

2011-01-01T00:20:00.000-08:00

I know, I know that we are 3 days in to 2011, but trust me this blog is not the only thing I'm slacking on. I still have Christmas presents to mail out (sorry Mandy) and thank yous to write. So, I'm thinking 3 days late isn't too shabby. Here's a look at 2010:

January

We found our favorite beach up in north Okinawa.

We went waterfall hiking with the Dokmos.

I practiced yoga with Rana.

February

My best friend Mary came to visit! She loves having her picture taken.

Tiffany and I ran the Nago Half.

Oscar tried to go TDY with Chris.

March
I took kids from the Youth Center hiking at Hiji Falls. They look thrilled to be unplugged, don't they?

I went to the bull fights with another friend Mary.

The highlight of my year! I found WOOT and rediscovered my love for running!

Chris participated in Mustache March while TDY to Korea.

April
The Brasingtons come to Japan!

I made my first braided bread.

Rana runs trails for the first time!

May

Tiffany invites me to her school to see sumo wrestlers.

Rana becomes a working dog - that pack is full of shells and sea glass.

We spy the elusive flying squid.

I run a 5K with my Youth Center Running Club.

I finally get a picture of the goat guy on my birthday! Those goats are totally unleashed!

My sweet husband sends birthday flowers to my work since he is TDY again.

Bri and Tiffany go on the hottest birthday run ever! Seriously, it was SO hot! As we finished the run we came across this license plate with my birthday.

June

I go to California to see family for the first time since 2005!

While there I make my mom run a 25K trail race with me on Angel Island.

July

7 WOOT women go to Mongolia to conquer the trails!

August

Chris and I play a dodgeball tournament with his squadron.

Chris takes a sailing class to the Keramas Islands.

September

We Roman up and head to a toga party.

I head to Florida to see family and surprise my dad for his 70th birthday.

I also get to see the awesome Arrington family.

I then head up to Chicago to visit Tiffany. We ate gourmet cupcakes, took a bike tour of the city, and ran a night time 10K trail race followed by a 25K trail race the next morning!

October

I completed Izena Triathlon - 2K swim, 66K bike, 20K run.

I started my new job at Youth Sports.

Rana celebrated Halloween.

November

We continue to enjoy the natural beauty of Okinawa.

I get to go to Tokyo for a Boys and Girls Club conference for work. I was pretty excited about the pumpkin pie ice cream.

December

Chris flies to the Maldives.

But makes it home in time to support me at the Naha Marathon.

We clean up nice for the 17th SOS squadron party.

We had a great, busy year in what is scheduled to be our last full year here in Okinawa. We'll keep you posted on where we're going once the Air Force fills us in. Have a great 2011!

Naha Marathon

2010-12-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I ran the Naha Marathon. Considering my finish time, "ran" might be too generous of a word. The Naha Marathon wound up being my slowest marathon by 50 minutes (I came in at 5:24)! Yep, 50 minutes. At this point you're probably wondering what went wrong. In all honesty I can say on race day nothing went wrong. The race actually came together quite nicely.

However, about five weeks before the race I started to have hamstring issues. For those of you who don't run marathons yet, that is just about the time you should be getting in your longest long runs. I didn't want to cause lasting damage so I wound up cancelling my 20 mile long run and cutting short the 18 miler the following week. Yeah, when you cut out two of your longer runs it's not going to make for a pretty marathon.

For a few weeks I kept up a debate on if I'd run at all, but after a couple weeks taking it easy the hamstring felt better and I figured I could at least finish. Plus, I had committed to this marathon and people had sponsored me in support of Girls on the Run. I didn't want to let this great organization or my sponsors down.

I knew I was going to be slow, but I still found it funny when I realized the earrings I had decided on were turtles. I didn't even think about it when I put them in at 0530. I really don't have a lot of post earrings and I like turtles. They turned out to be an accurate predictor of the day. There was also a turtle sign beside me when I got in the corral. Hmmm...

This race was huge. There were over 26,000 runners and it felt like it for the first 40km (a marathon has 42 kilometers for those of you mile folks). Here I am looking nervous before the race start and with crowds like this there's no wonder I was feeling a little anxious.

It took me over 7 minutes to reach the starting line after the race began. It was packed!

This race might have had the best crowd support that I've ever seen. People of all ages were out there cheering, beating on drums, passing out salt, sugar, water, and snacks. I think I ate at least 6 or 7 mikan (local, sweet, delicious, mini oranges) during the run. While I loved the crowd support I really did not like having that many runners around me. I think in the future I'll have to find smaller races.

My race plan was to run the first 5K until things thinned out and then use the Galloway Method the rest of the run. Galloway is a run/walk system that new runners, runners getting over injuries, or just people who like having little breaks implement. I used a 7:1 ratio where I ran for 7 minutes and walked (or stretched) for 1 minute. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans. There was no way I could stop at the 5K - it was just too crowded. I wound up running the first 13-14K and then switched over to the Galloway. It still hadn't cleared up at 14K, but I just started moving over to the opposite sidewalk and running there.

I did have some good distractions as I ran slooooowly with the mob. There were lots of costumes:

(Yes, the third picture is of a person dressed up as a poop head and no, the cow was not passing out milk, just water).

Entertainment:

Cute animals:

And ridiculously tall Americans with extra petite locals:

I've got to say physically I felt pretty good. The mental aspect of this race was a whole different story. I really struggled through the first half. I kept questioning why I was out there. I didn't have anything to prove, I didn't really want to be racing, and I'm pretty sure my sponsors wouldn't have minded if I postponed the marathon until the one in February. I was definitely in a funk. I really didn't enjoy running in such a tight crowd and felt like I could never find my groove. It was frustrating. I've never run that slow and my brain did not like it. Here are some pictures showing how crowded the race stayed. Here's the 15K:

And the 20K:

Luckily for my psyche, I got to see Chris around the 23K mark and he told me to keep on going. He did a great job biking around and meeting me at points along the course. It was just the pick me up I needed.

The course was still crowded at this point, but I felt like after seeing Chris I picked up the pace. I know I did because I had a 19 minute negative split. Here we are at 25K:

30K:

With some Avatar fans:

The 40K:

Sorry for the blurriness, but I had been running for 5 hours at this point.Trust me there were still a lot of people around.

I saw Chris at the final 2K and that really got me going. I passed tons of people in the last part of the race. When I got to the park entrance (about 1K from the finish) I really picked it up. The path was lined with high-fiving kids and a band playing "Oh When the Saints". I high-fived as many as I could and smiled my way all the way to the finish. The last 2K was definitely my favorite part of the race.

I was glad I had stuck it out because we received sweet glass "medals".

Things I learned from this marathon:

-42K really is a distance you should train for

-the Galloway method works

-you really need to put deodorant under both arms if you don't want to stink. I forgot my right pit and I was ripe!

-I need to work on my core - my hip flexors yelled at me for the last 15K

-ice baths and sports massage work - I was already out running a few, slow miles on Wednesday. I usually take at least a week to recover.

That's 3 endurance events this year: Mongolia trail marathon, Izena Triathlon, and Naha Marathon. That's the most I've done in a 6 month period and I've got to say I'm feeling pretty good. Next up: Okinawa City Marathon in February and a trail 60K in New Zealand in March. Bring it on!

Izena 88

2010-10-27T03:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the big day. The day I had been training for for months. OK, not really. I had registered months ago with the intent of training consistently, but then got distracted with things like a trail marathon in Mongolia and going back to the states to visit family and friends. Now don't get me wrong. I wasn't just sitting around doing nothing for the last few months. I actually exercised a lot, just not for a long distance triathlon.

Exactly how long, you ask? Izena 88 consists of a 2K (1.2 mile) swim, a 66K (41 mile) bike, and a 20K (12.4 mile) run. With those distances you can understand why I was getting a little nervous. Before the race I completed exactly 5 bike rides with my clip-in pedals and 2 recent open water swims. I just had this belief that I would finish the race. My friend Kathleen and I joked that no matter how hard it was that nothing could be harder than Mongolia. She had completed Izena multiple times and I just kept hoping she was right.
Along with general nerves for the race, I was also nervous about the ferry ride between islands. It's not like the ferries I took in the Philippines that were so overloaded I was nervous the boat would sink, but a ferry that was out in the ocean where the rolling waves would be mocking my tendency towards motion sickness. Seriously, I could get sick on the backyard swing if Monica pushed it crooked.

So it was with some trepidation and a dose of Bonine that I boarded the ferry. I was actually feeling pretty confident because every time I get on a boat I am able to convince myself that something has changed and I won't get sick (I also convince myself that I'm totally going to win the lottery every time I buy at ticket). Well, we're still not lottery winners and I still chum the waters on ferry rides. The water was not rough, but there were big, rolling waves that had me running starboard. Luckily, as soon as I'm on solid ground I'm good to go again. Plus, I had the bonus of a great reception when we reached the Izena port.

I know it's obvious, but triathlons take a lot more planning than a road or trail race. There are three events to plan for and when you're going to a tiny island in the middle of nowhere you really can't afford to forget anything.

Like I mentioned in the last post, I had made a list and obsessed over it for days. It absolutely worked! I had everything I needed and all of my transitions went smoothly on race day. The only thing I would have done differently is I should have applied more sunscreen to my shoulders before the run portion. Live and learn.
After the ferry ride and packet pick up Saturday was spent relaxing. I rode one lap of the bike course, attended a friendship ceremony with local kids at the gym, drove the run course, and ate a fantastic pasta dinner. I hit the hay early because Sunday's wake up call was at 0430!

My bike's slot in the transition area.

We woke up and had a great breakfast, took our second transition bag (everything we would need for the run portion) down to T2 (transition 2), got dressed and took our bikes and T1 bags down to the swim start.
After racking my bike and laying out some of the gear I would need to go from being a swimmer to a biker I headed to the check in. In triathlons you get your number drawn on your arms. So 242 was written on both biceps, I handed in my questionnaire stating I was healthy, and received my timing chip that I attached to my ankle.
Amazingly, I was pretty calm before the race. I don't know if it's because I realized there was nothing I could do at that point or if I am just getting more comfortable racing, but I love the feeling of calm that I've had lately.

All race photos are courtesy of my friend Christian who cheered, supported, and made the race so much easier!
For the 2K swim we did two 1K laps. I found a rhythm right away and had a great count going on in my head. The water was calm and I felt very even. I was one of the few without a wet suit and while I know it helps your buoyancy I really like the freedom of just wearing a suit (and I don't know if I'm into tris enough to make that monetary commitment). The course was like a big triangle and it was pretty good except on the turns. At the turns things would get congested and people started running into me, over me, onto me. It was crazy and it made me want to kick someone in the face, but Kathleen had told me to conserve my legs for the bike and run so I just mentally let them have it.
I was more than happy with my swim time. When I'm on my own swimming in the pool I usually swim 1600m in around 40 minutes. Somehow I swam the open water 2K (really more than that because I got way off course the second lap) in 42 minutes and change! Yeehaw!

My transition times were a little slow because I was trying to be thorough and didn't want to forget anything. I think T1 was about 6 minutes and T2 was about 5. I'm still pretty happy with that though because on the course there was never anything I wish I had taken (besides sunscreen).
The bike was the scariest part for me. I am pretty inexperienced. I was scared of falling, but maybe even more scared of getting a flat tire. I know that sounds crazy and Chris had given me multiple tutorials, but it wasn't something I wanted to face on race day. Luck was with me. I had a pretty perfect ride.
The 66K ride consisted of 5 loops around the island. The views were spectacular, but I really tried to focus on riding. I was told by more experienced triathletes that the bike is the place where I should focus on getting some calories in. During the 41 mile ride I ate 3/4 of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and 2 fig newmans. I also drank over a liter and a half of water and about 32 ounces of the G2 Gatorade. I loved the grape flavor and was impressed at my ability to drink and ride at the same time.

The bike was the most painful portion for me. While I've ridden a little over 30 miles before, I usually stop midway and look at the scenery. I've never ridden 41 miles at a good clip with no breaks. My lower back and in between my shoulder blades definitely felt it. I finished the bike in about 2:33 and averaged 16.4mph. Again, I was happy because I was planning on closer to 3 hours.
At this point I might have started to get a little cocky. You know, not out loud, but in my head. Izena has a 7 hour time limit. Originally, I was just hoping to finish before the cut off and if I had to I planned on being an unofficial finisher if it took me more than 7, but then something amazing happened. Even with my slow transitions, I was starting the run at about the 3.5 hour mark. Officially finishing was in the bag. Instead of accepting that, my mind started calculating a 6 hour finish. Why not? I had 2.5 hours to complete a 20K. That distance usually takes me 2 hours or under and I figured even with tired legs I could do it in 2:15 or 2:20. Sounds good, right?
The run is two 10K laps. The first 2K of each lap is uphill. I've got to say when you get off your bike after 41 miles that is a pretty rude introduction to the run course. However, it wasn't the hills that got me. My legs felt ridiculously strong. What got me was the heat. Holy moley, the heat was brutal! The temps were around 90 degrees and the humidity was high as well. I've never run in heat like that. The only thing I could think of to compare it to was when Chris and I played a frisbee tournament in Savannah and the temps were over 100. It just knocks the fight right out of you.
Somehow, despite the heat, I still felt good mentally. I knew I would make it through, even if it involved some walking. The folks of Izena know how to run a race. They had aid stations every 2K stocked with bananas, oranges, salt, snackies, water, cola, and Aquarius (Japanese Gatorade). I don't know how many times I said "mizu o kudasai" (water please). The best part of the aid stations were the water buckets. Each station had huge trash cans filled with ice and water. They were manned by kids with huge ladles who would pour beautiful, glorious, life-saving, icy water over your head. It really did keep me going. They also passed out sponges dipped in ice water to take with you. I traded out a new one at every station and kept it tucked in the back collar of my shirt.
Speckled throughout the bike and run course were spectators. Izena is a small island and this is a big event for them. I would bet that 90% of the locals were out cheering on the course at some point. They especially love seeing American women competing so I got many enthusiastic "Ganbatte!s" (You can do it!). I absolutely loved the spirit of Izena.
The running course was inland and a lot of it wound through fields of crops. Wind and shade were limited. I was a little frustrated that my legs felt so good, but I was still limited by the heat. I actually ran more of the second lap than the first. Every once in a while there would be a few seconds of cloud cover and a little breeze. It made a huge difference.
Just as my energy started to dip, it was boosted when "You Know I Like My Chicken Fried" came on my mp3 player around the 16K mark. This song has special meaning for me and my running partner Tiffany. Just hearing that song put her there with me and I could hear her say "shuffle if you have to". It kept me going for the next couple K.
Then just as I made the final turn that would take me into the track to the finish line Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine" came on. My running partner from England, Mandy, is the world's biggest Bon Jovi fan and I could feel her there next to me helping me push out the last couple hundred meters.

By running a 2:38 20K I missed my secondary time goal by 5 minutes and came in at 6:05! I am completely satisfied with that! Booyah!
It was hard, but I finished and more importantly I stayed positive the whole time. Somehow I knew I could get it done.
Anyone wondering what your feet might look like if you dump water on your head every 2 kilometers for 20 kilometers? Well, here's your answer:

Pretty, huh?
Besides a couple minor blisters, sunburned shoulders, and mild underarm chafing from the swim, I feel incredibly good. I took Monday off, but Tuesday I took Rana out for a slow 2 miles and everything seems to be holding together.

I got some sweet tan lines and I'm pretty sure that 4th toenail is going to fall off, but it was completely worth it.
I know I look slightly crazed in the next picture, but I'd like to remind you that I had just competed for 6 hours. I really just wanted to point out that, according to the poster, I had competed in the 23th Izena. I love Engrish!

I'm also happy to report that the ferry ride back was smooth like butter! So smooth that these guys were sleeping like babies:

I think Chris telling me to approach the day as "Amy's Big Day of Adventure" really helped. I was calm. I was focused. I knew I had the best husband in the world to come home to. He proved it once again. When I got home he surprised me with some gorgeous flowers and an ipod nano! Woohoo - marathon training here I come!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

2010-10-22T03:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I've finished packing for Izena and thought I'd write some thoughts that have been going around my head the last couple weeks. For those of you who don't know Izena is a triathlon a ferry ride away from Okinawa. It consists of a 2K swim, 66K bike, and 20K run.

- I've been at my job for about a month and I like it. That's hard for me to admit because I always thought I was meant to be doing something in science. I mean I got my B.S. and Master's in the biological fields and now I'm doing admin work. Technically, I don't think I needed anything past high school to get this job.

- I find my job strangely fulfilling. I like that we're getting kids active, that I can help people, and that I get to organize large events (sport seasons). Most of the time I'm busy and I like that.

- I discovered that my "post allowance" (basically the cost of living allowance for being overseas) covers weekly massages and weekly maid service. This doesn't really mean I'm making a lot, just that you can get a cheap mama-san in Okinawa.

- I love our mama-san Emilia. She is sweet, speaks Spanish, and makes our home ridiculously clean. Chris asked why we didn't do this sooner. I told him it was because I didn't have a J-O-B! And when I say ridiculously clean I'm talking scrubbing out the sliding glass door track with a toothbrush.

On to thoughts about Izena.

- Izena has me scared. I am way under prepared and we're talking real distances here.

- I've ridden my bike with my clip-in shoes exactly 4 times.

- I've completed 3 bricks (back to back workouts with tri components).

- The idea of the hour long ferry ride after the storms we've had all week makes me want to vomit.

- Deep down I really believe that, despite the fact that I am under trained, I can finish this race.

- I figure nothing can be as bad as Mongolia. I loved Mongolia after the first climb, even with the food poisoning, but it was a hard race.

- I'm mostly worried about the 7 hour time limit.

- I thought the rain was over after 5 days, but as I sit hear typing it has started pouring again. I don't really know how to bike on wet streets. Hmmmm.

- I have the best husband in the world who told me to approach it as "Amy's Day of Adventure". That sounds way better than an 88K tri.

- Despite all my worrying over Izena, a sick part of my brain was already figuring out that if we could push back our expected departure date by 60-90 days I could sign up for Izena again. Really? What's wrong with me?

Alright, I feel better! Thanks for reading. You know I can't have a blog without a single picture so here we go:

The Sunshine State and the Windy City

2010-09-25T20:38:00.001-07:00

At the beginning of the month I headed to Gainesville to surprise my dad for his 70th birthday. Despite a couple slip ups on the phone, the surprise was a great success. I really wish I had taken a picture of his face when he opened the door and realized it was me.

I was in Gainesville for a couple weeks and it was awesome! Sadly, I didn't take many pictures. I did a whole lot of nothing. You know, the good kind of nothing that is absolutely priceless? I hung out with friends and family, watched the Gators, shopped with my mom, ate fantastic meals, and celebrated my dad's birthday.

We do have some pictures from my dad's birthday party. We had a family canoe trip down the Santa Fe River. It was a gorgeous day. Someone came up with the idea of taking family pictures before we started canoeing. I got there a little early with the Brasingtons and took some shots of their family.

I think these shots actually turned out better than when the whole family showed up. I had more time and by the time everyone was gathered it was getting hot and we were getting cranky. It was nice though that my dad had all his daughters, grandkids, and great grandson with him to help celebrate.

Yep, I look just like my dad.

The canoeing was fun and the setting was beautiful. I don't have pictures because our family has a reputation of tipping canoes and I didn't want to ruin my camera. We saw tons of turtles and a couple alligators. Going down the Santa Fe made me remember how much I miss Spanish moss hanging from the cypress trees.

After the canoe trip we headed to Monica's for a feast that ended with homemade ice cream and apple pie. Delicious!

During my time in Florida I went to Niceville for a super fast trip to catch up with a lot of the friends I had made in England. I stayed with Jessica and her twins and Katie drove all the way from Albuquerque with her son Owen just to see me. Ok, she probably wanted to see Jessica too, but either way it was awesome! Jess put together a dinner where I got to see about 6 more friends from England. The crazy thing was when we were in England we were all kid free. Now I am the only one holding strong. Yikes!

I did quite a bit of running while in Gainesville. Most of it was from Monica's house, but one Saturday I met up with high school friend Faun and we did a 10.5 mile run. She's preparing for Chicago in October. She's going to do great. I also ran with my best friend from middle school, Kristina. It was so fun! She's marathon and tri training as well. One weekend I dragged mom and Monica to some trails out at San Felasco. They did great, but mentally I was fried as soon as I saw the soft sand. Luckily, they pulled me through.

I got to hang out with Mary multiple times and all I can say is that she is B-FAB! I love that we can hang out and act like no time has passed even when we're apart for a long time. When we're old and our husbands die, Mary and I will be roommates again. We'll probably have a lot of dogs.

One of the last nights I was there I met up with my best friend from high school, Nichole, and her family. I absolutely love the Arringtons! They might be the closest family I know. Nichole and her sister, Christi, live together. I know Monica and I love each other, but I think it could get ugly if we lived together full time.

Brother John was also at dinner, but I forgot to take the picture until afterwards.

And then, way too quickly, my time in Gainesville was up and I was on to Chicago to visit my friend Tiffany. She was my running partner in Okinawa and I still haven't found anyone to replace her. She's great!

She picked me up and we drove north to Rockford because we had a couple trail races to run. What? You're trying to tell me that not every vacation has to involve running? Hmmm, I'll keep that in mind.

The races were at Rock Cut State Park. This is an absolutely gorgeous park and huge! Our first race was at 8pm on Friday. It was a 10K trail run. It was dark and awesome! We had just our headlights. It was so much fun.

Since it's in the dark it is really hard to tell how far you've gone. You just run and feel one with nature. Earlier that afternoon we had done some recon. The trails seemed nice and firm so I decided to wear my new shoes I had bought in Gainesville. That was fine until about mile 5.75 where we encountered this:

Yep, a long, dark culvert filled with enough water to reach my ankles. After a minute of whining I bit the bullet and sloshed my way through. It was pretty cool with the glow sticks.

My shoes definitely weren't new anymore. Oh well, you've got to break them in sometime.

The next race was a 25K trail run at 8am the next day. That's right, over 21 miles less than 12 hours apart.

I know you all are used to my pictures on the run, but this is all I've got.

I actually put my camera away and ran! That's a first in a long time for me. It felt good (in a really painful way) to push myself again. The 25K course was gorgeous and besides a few thunderstorms the weather was great too. I was pretty pooped so I told Tiffany to go on without me. She came in right at 3 hours and I was 4 minutes behind her. We basically rocked it.

We got back to the hotel, took quick showers, and headed to the big city. Tiffany did a great job planning this trip. I gave her no input and she came up with a great itinerary.

We stayed at Hotel 71 right on the Chicago River. The views were awesome! These shots are from our 27th floor window. We had a corner room so the views were even better.

We decided we hadn't exercised enough today so we walked a couple miles to Sprinkles. If you've never been to a gourmet cupcakery, GO!

Sprinkles started in California and now has multiple locations. There was a line that was about 15 minutes long and it was so worth the wait.

We both got the red velvet, she also got a dark chocolate, and I got a peanut butter chocolate. Despite having run 15.5 miles we only indulged in one that day. The red velvet was heavenly.

Here are our room views at night:

That view was only beaten the next morning as the sun was rising giving the buildings a fantastic glow.

We had booked a kayak tour for that morning, but the company cancelled because the weather was threatening thunderstorms. Too bad it was a gorgeous day! So instead of kayaking we went on a bike tour.

The total ride was 22 miles. We rode along Lake Michigan (my first Great Lake) and saw Obama's old apartment and house. We also went past Soldier Field and Buckingham Fountain. It's hard to take pictures on a bike (and against the rules) so take what you can get. It really was a beautiful day and there were tons of runners along Lake Michigan preparing for the marathon in October.

I am such a rule breaker!

The skyline was stunning and Tiffany and the tour guide said it was one of the clearest days they've seen (we could see Gary, IN).

We went to a Japanese garden (funny, I know):

And that's where I fell in love with Jack:

He's a labradoodle and so stinking cute. By the way, if I was naming that hybrid I totally would have gone with poodador.

After the bike tour we went back to the hotel and devoured our second cupcake. My peanut butter chocolate was amazing. It was so moist and just melted on my tongue. It was kind of like peanut butter cookie dough, but better. And it had rich, creamy, dark chocolate icing. Mmmm.

That afternoon we went and saw Blue Man Group. It was so cool. I can't really explain it. There's music, paint, and audience participation. If you have a chance to see them, definitely do.

On our walk home we went by the famous Chicago theater and had to snap a shot:

The next day we did a double decker bus tour. The guide was great and very informative.

Before the tour we ate lunch at Gino's and had a little deep dish. It was delicious. I like the sauce on top because then you can really taste it. Yummy.

That evening, what did we see from our hotel window down on the Chicago River?

Taiko drummers, of course! I wonder if they are from Okinawa.

My last morning before getting on the plane, we decided a final run was in order. We went to Millennium Park (I think where Obama gave his acceptance speech) and got to see the "bean". It's a pretty sweet sculpture and with the sun rising I got some good photos.

We then turned and headed towards the water to run. I know you can barely see Tiffany (on the right side), but I love this shot.

Just a hop, skip, and a jump later I was back home in Okinawa.

I start my new job tomorrow. I will be Kadena's Youth Sports and Fitness Coordinator. I will basically be doing registrations, creating rosters, coordinating with refs, parents, and coaches for all the sports that Kadena offers. To give you an idea, we just did soccer (I was on loan from the Youth Center). We have close to 700 kids between 5 and 15 and I had to create over 40 rosters taking into consideration preferred practice days, when siblings are playing, and special requests. It's like a huge logic puzzle and I love it!

In other news, my toes are really loving the increased mileage due to marathon training.

Sunrise to Sunset

2010-08-08T04:50:00.000-07:00

Our main goal in Mongolia was to complete the trail marathon, except for Anna. She was crazy enough to sign up for the 100K (um yeah, that's 62 miles). Months ago Kathleen sent out the link to the race kind of as a joke. I think she was surprised when multiple people wrote back that it sounded like a great idea.

We all loved Mongolia when we got there. As you know from the previous post the country was stunning. We also liked the camp and the other racers were great, but the sanitary conditions left a little to be desired. The bathrooms were a little sketchy, there was no refrigeration, and electricity was available when they turned the generator on between 9 and 11pm. None of us really minded these primitive conditions until early Monday morning when Avery (Kathleen's 17 year old daughter) got sick. We thought she just had a virus because the rest of us felt fine. However, after dinner Monday I got majorly sick, Andrea got moderately sick, and others also didn't feel well. I'm pretty sure my food poisoning came in the form of the packed lunch that just sat out all day until you were ready to eat it. The camp directors and race doctor wouldn't admit it was food poisoning, but at least 10% of the camp went down that night - pretty much everyone who ate the lunch with meat.

Yep, that's right. The Monday night before the Wednesday morning race I was losing fuel at both ends. It wasn't pretty and Anna can vouch that it didn't sound good either. So I eliminated all of my Monday fuel and on Tuesday I wasn't feeling like eating, especially anything from the camp kitchen. I was able to keep down 6 ritz crackers and forced myself to have peanut butter on 2 of those. I also ate a few pringles and Sprite tasted heavenly. My main focus for Tuesday was staying hydrated and not tossing my crackers. I think I was pretty successful.

So, if you're keeping track, at this point (less than 24 hours before the race) we have 3 folks with food poisoning. To top it off Kathleen was walking in flip flops, slipped on wet grass, and her foot went over the top of her toes. She broke her fourth toe. We were starting to look like quite the motley crew.

On Wednesday morning a horseman rode through camp playing a flute for our 3 am wake up call. This horseman would go on to take second in the male division of the marathon. My stomach was still not quite settled when I woke up. It felt like maybe I could use the bathroom, but that wasn't happening. I ate a quarter of a pita with a smear of peanut butter, but that didn't stay with me long.

With little food and a queasy stomach I was unsure if I would be able to finish this race. I've never DNFed (Did Not Finish) and I didn't want to start now. I knew that I would leave everything on the race course.

We lined up and at 4:30 the race began. About 75 people started the race for the 42 and 100K. We started in the dark and immediately went in to a forested, rocky, rooty section of the course. Most racers speed walked this first couple kilometers because nobody wanted to get injured and taken out of the race so early. After this treacherous bit we popped out on to a road that hugged the lake until we hit the first aid station at 12K. It was still low light, but headlights were no longer needed.

I was still feeling pretty crummy at this point, but I knew I felt better than Avery. That poor girl was flushed and pale at the same time. I was a little nervous for her. Kathleen was running with her broken toe and this flat part might have been the least painful section for her. Luckily, her 15 year old daughter Corinne had a lot of pep and kept us all going. She was the youngest female competitor to ever attempt this race.

Trying to "fake it 'til I make it" with a smile and wild horses behind me.
At the first aid station even though we were all attempting to run we were still near the back of the packers, some of who were walking. It was going to be a long day. We all had enough water in our packs that we didn't want to chance a refill. We were told the water at the aid stations had been boiled, but after getting sick I was less willing to chance anything. At the aid station I did grab this little apple and it was deliciously sweet, but again, that didn't stay with me long.

Me and Tam at the first aid station.

Kathleen at the beginning of the climb.

Once we left the first aid station we started the first big climb. This is the climb that made me question my sanity when I saw it on the elevation profile. We climbed about 2500 feet over 5K (about 3 miles). It was brutally steep with a lot of switchbacks. I also took myself out of this climb mentally. There was a thick fog that was suffocating. I felt so claustrophobic and I hated not being able to see the top.

The fog beginning to roll in.

However, when we got to the top the fog lifted and the views were spectacular. I thought to myself that those fast suckers at the front missed this by getting over the mountain so quickly. Sometimes it's good to be sick and slow at the back of the pack.

Slopes are just a wee bit steep, eh?

Top of the World - I am a champion!

After the climb we got to a great pass and realized that we were now the absolute last runners. How did we know this? Because at this point the local horseman started following us. It was kind of like the sweeper van, but more up close and personal.

When the downhill started I kept thinking about Kathleen and her poor toe. It was steep and made up of loose gravel. My toes were taking a beating being pushed into the end of my shoe. I couldn't imagine how it felt with a broken toe, but then I remembered what Kathleen told me before the race. She had talked to her husband, a Navy doctor currently serving in Afghanistan, before coming to Mongolia. He told her that he had just sent a young man home who had lost both his legs and one of his arms. We've got it so easy.

The Lennard Family

We continued on over some pretty easy terrain for a few miles and then slogged through some wet, mossy areas near a beautiful clear river. Our shoes and socks were soaked, but my stomach was starting to feel better. The cold water was numbing Kathleen's toe and Avery was getting a second wind as well. Things were starting to turn around.

The second aid station was at 25.5K. My camelbak was dry at this point so I chanced the water. It tasted slightly funny, but like water treated with purification tablets. This is also the point in the race where I decided to try eating my Clif Shot Bloks. These were the first calories that I actually kept in me. At the aid station it was our group of 4, our new, Australian friend Tam, and 3 runners from Hong Kong.

Aid station at 25.5K

Avery and I decided to push it a little at this point and with that push we never got passed again. Corinne and Kathleen stuck together a little ways behind us. This section was beautiful. There were meadows with flowers as far as the eye could see. A lot of this section was run near the river and was fairly rolling. The course was well marked and I was glad Avery and I were together. Neither of us talked much, but it was nice to have company. I wasn't sure how I'd like running an entire marathon without any crowd support because all of my road races were huge, but I loved it. I had my mp3 player, but I never took it out of my bag. I've never run for so long, but I was in this strange, zen place. I felt calm and at peace and after the first mountain I knew I was going to accomplish my goal.

The second hill was also a beast, but it was shorter and steeper. The fun part was that it was all this mossy, spongy terrain that was soaked from recent rains. Our feet sunk in water up to our ankles with almost every step. With all of this water I was worried about blisters, but my shoes treated me well. The steepness of this hill was brutal. Whenever I would stop to catch my breath I could hear my heart trying to beat its way out of my chest.

The second big climb was basically through a creek bed. There was no way to avoid soaked feet.

The downhill was almost runnable. It was long grass and would have been fun if it wasn't wet and slick. I only fell once and the only injury came in the form of a few scratches on my camera. Yes, I ran with my camera the whole time. During this downhill was our final water station before the finish. It was just one local man and his son. In exchange for water I gave them a Clif Shot Blok. They seemed to like the raspberry flavor.

I definitely took time to enjoy the scenery. The race director told us to expect to double our road marathon time and despite being sick and stopping for photos I was right on the money.

After this station the ground flattened out and we only had 10K left. This is where I started to feel really good. We had some rolling hills and instead of single track we had more of an established trail and then a dirt road for the last 5K. I had some shooting pain in the bottom of my left foot, but felt good otherwise. I tried to pick up my pace, but still took a couple walking breaks during the last 10K. Avery pulled ahead of me a little and I had to let her go. I just couldn't keep her pace. The finish was tough because you could see the finish forever, but had to go around a lake before crossing the finish line. I was so relieved to finish this race. I was out there for 8:39. Yep, over 8 hours of fun were run on 200 calories worth of Shot Bloks. I'm amazed at what my body can do.

Overall, I really loved this course. I wouldn't do the race again because staying at that camp and eating that food holds no appeal, but if I could just be dropped on to the trail I would gladly start running.

Mongolia

2010-07-29T13:32:00.001-07:00

I've been back from Mongolia for about a week and I'm still thinking "Wow! I was in Mongolia". I've got to say it's never been a place that I thought I'd get to and while I'm glad to be home, I'm definitely glad I made the journey.

I had high hopes of keeping a daily journal while I was there and just typing it in to give you a more "real" experience, but that didn't happen. However, I did manage to keep the journal for 2 of the days so I'm going to post those with some pictures and then I'll fill in the gaps.

17 July 2010

Yesterday we (Anna, Andrea, and I) began our journey from Okinawa to Mongolia. Once in the capital we met up with other WOOT (Women On Okinawa Trails) members (Avery, Corinne, Kathleen, and Steph) and headed to Camp Toilogt in Lake Hovsgol National Park. It was quite the journey. From Okinawa we flew to Seoul, then on to Beijing, and finally got to Ulaan Baatar. We checked into our hotel at 1:30am and checked out promptly at 4:00am to finish the trip. This is where the real fun began.

We took a small plane to Moron and then completed our journey with a 3 hour van ride on unpaved "roads".

(Chris' new dream vehicle)

Chris would love these vans. It's kind of like an old VW van on steroids, including being jacked up on some serious tires to handle the road conditions. The first hour I was in the back and was becoming more miserable with every passing second. I begged a Singaporean guy named Dave to let me have the front and I'm pretty sure this was the only thing that kept me from vomiting for the next 2 hours. Along with the bumpiness of the roads we had to contend with the speed. The drivers liked to go off road to pass each other. It was like we were part of an undeclared race.

(Sorry for my complete inability to focus, but I think this clip gives you a pretty good idea of the road conditions)

As we drove we were treated to absolutely stunning scenery. There are grass covered mountains with conifers sprinkling the slopes and vast expanses of openness. We also got to see nomadic Mongolians riding horses and herding sheep, goats and something that looks like a cross between a cow and a yak (known as a dzo).

Everything is so foreign and amazing.

(This little girl was out on her own with her doll watching the family's herd.)

After arriving we ate a late lunch. Some of us took naps and some tagged along a course marking expedition. Once I awoke from my nap I hiked around camp for a little exploration and a photography session.

My only regret is that Chris was unable to make this trip with me. Steph and I had the conversation about how we want to do things, but feel guilty because our husband's jobs don't allow them the same luxury. We're both struggling to find a balance.

19 July 2010

Mongolia is one of the most visually appealing countries I've ever been to. Maybe it's because I've been living on the small island of Okinawa, but these huge expanses of land with the lake and mountains are almost hard to comprehend. The best reference I have is the American West, maybe Montana - Big Sky Country.

The lake that the camp is on, Lake Hovsgol, is actually as big as the island of Okinawa. It's over a 100km long and we can see the mountains of Siberia in the distance.

Yesterday we went for a 5 mile run to see how the altitude would treat us. While I sucked some wind on the inclines, my legs felt great.

(WOOT!)

Running through the forest was like running through a fairy tale. There were hundreds of types of wildflowers in red, orange, purple, yellow, white, blue, and more.

When we popped on to a fire road we came across a herd of reindeer. One had a bell so they weren't wild, but it was still awesome seeing reindeer wandering around freely in the countryside.

About a hundred yards after the reindeer the road was blocked with a herd of cows, yaks, and dzos.

I don't know how I'll make it through the marathon because I'm going to want to stop and take pictures of everything.

Later in the afternoon Kathleen, Avery, Corinne, Andrea, and I went horseback riding.

(Sorry for the lack of pictures; I was busy holding on for dear life. I might be able to steal some pictures from Kathleen later)

I've already had a bad experience while on a horseback safari in South Africa where my horse kept trying to bite me and would just take off. So, going into this one I was a little leery. Within the first 5 minutes I was regretting my decision. The beginning was a very rocky area and my horse was not just falling in line with the other horses. After a while he got with the program and by the end I was thinking to myself "I am horseback riding through a forest in Mongolia - unreal". Now, don't get me wrong, I won't be going horseback riding again, but I'm glad I had this experience.

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and playing games with an American family that lives in Singapore - Lincoln, Gail, and Amber. All of the race participants are very friendly. There are racers from Australia, Switzerland, France, Hong Kong, South Africa, and New Zealand. While a lot of nationalities are covered, most are like us and living abroad somewhere in Asia. There are about 70 race participants and some locals will join us on race day.

The best part of the evening came after dinner when we were treated to traditional Mongolian performances.

There were so many cool instruments including a 2-stringed, horse-head violin and a harp-like instrument that laid flat and had over 400 strings that were struck with these light wooden mallets. There was also some amazing singing. One singer would hit incredibly low note, but I swear that he was somehow making chords. It was like he was harmonizing with himself. The traditional guttural singing is known as khoomij.

There was also a lady that did traditional dance holding cups, including on her head. Later the same lady did a cool contortionist act. I'm pretty sure all the boys are in love.

While here in Mongolia we are living in traditional gers.

They are round structures about 15 feet across made of thick felt and wood. The doors are short, but the ceiling gets higher once you step in. The roof is like a squat, upside down cone. There's a 4 foot circle at the top of the ceiling where half is covered in felt and the other half is glass. Our ger has 4 beds, a couple basic shelves, and a wood burner.

There are no windows which is a real shame since Lake Hovsgol is gorgeous and right outside.

Today is Monday and I'm starting to get a little nervous about the race. I know I'm not really racing it, but I still want to do well. I would love to push myself past the 42 K mark and do my first, unofficial ultra. The next aid station after the 42 mark is at 55K. We'll see...

The weather here is amazing and couldn't be any more different than Okinawa. It's cool and dry. I think it's getting into the 40s at night and maybe low 80s in the sun during the day. Our camp is at 5400 feet and we'll be going up over 7400 on race day. Scary.

So, that's all I actually wrote while in Mongolia. I'm going to add in a couple more shots and a little more narrative.

During our down time we hiked around a lot. The weather and the scenery were just too beautiful to not enjoy.

Lake Hovsgol was stunning. The water had many layers of blue, a lot like the waters surrounding Okinawa. However, the lake freezes over in the winter, still has ice on it in June, and while we were there was about 40 degrees F.

Monday afternoon we hiked and found an ovo (a shelter where the good spirits come to rest). The folklore is that you will have good luck if you circle the ovo 3 times clockwise and leave a piece of your hair.

Well, I did that and about 5 hours later was smacked down with food poisoning (more on that in the next post). Apparently Mongolian spirits don't like me. Or the kitchen staff needs to wash their hands when exiting the restroom.

Also on our hike we came across a little market where locals were selling scarves, hats, and jewelry. They also had the reindeer we had seen on our run. I got a quick shot.

Wild horses would visit the smaller, warmer lake opposite of Lake Hovsgol. They were incredible.

I don't think the race knew what hit them when the WOOT ladies showed up. Seven unaccompanied women coming to the middle of nowhere Mongolia to run a race. We were quite the spectacle.

And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Stay tuned for the race report!

California

2010-07-14T02:56:00.001-07:00

My mom was nice enough to point out that there hasn't been a blog in a while. I really don't have an excuse, I just haven't been feeling overly creative or wordy. However, since I leave for Mongolia tomorrow I thought I better go ahead and write about my last trip.

In June I went to California for 2 weeks to see family and it was incredible! I hadn't seen my parents (who flew out from FL) in a year and a half and I hadn't seen my CA relatives in almost 5 years - since before we moved to England. I figured it was about time!

First things first. After dropping my bags off at Aunt Wanda's we headed to La Imperial for some Mexican. We used to go there when we'd visit in the summer and have fond memories of burritos and quesadillas as big as our heads (and let me tell you, I've got a big head). While the size of the burrito didn't disappoint:

None of us were that impressed with the flavor. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

This was a great relaxing vacation spent shopping (my shopping is very limited in Japan) and hanging out with family.

One morning Aunt Wanda and her friend Steve drove my mom and I to lake Chabot so my mom could get her first taste of trail running.

It was gorgeous, cool, and dry. I felt like I could run forever in California - the lack of humidity was heaven.

While I was there I got to meet three second cousins for the first time and one who I hadn't seen since he was a newborn. I don't want any, but my family sure makes some cute babies!

This is Jackson (he's almost 1):

Jackson with his mommy, my cousin Colleen:

And with my cousin Makenna:

Another cousin I met for the first time was Natalie. here she is with her grandpa (my uncle Mark):

She is so stinking cute! So is her brother Andre:

Plus, I accidentally kicked him in the face and he took it like a champ. :)

The last cousin I met for the first time was Nayana:

She might be the smartest 4 year old I've ever met and with those curls and freckles she is a living, breathing Cindy Lou Who.

I love this picture of my mom and her sister Wanda.

Wanda was nice enough to let me crash at her house and had our trip scheduled for us so we were never bored. My grandma also lives with Wanda. She looks so happy looking at her newest great grandbaby. She has great grandsons, but for a while are family was definitely anti-boy. My grandma has 10 grandchildren and we are ALL girls! Crazy, huh?

This picture will seem a little ridiculous, but after living on Okinawa I miss a good old salad bar. I looked up Sweet Tomatoes before leaving Japan so we could hit it up for lunch.

I licked the plate clean and loved every bite.

Besides family and salad I loved just getting outside in California. The environment is so different. One morning we went walking with a family friend and her dog, Maggie. You know I'm a sucker for a lab.

That morning we saw a buck. Luckily, Maggie did not see him because if she's anything like my old dog Christi she would have been off like a shot. I was lucky enough to capture the deer:

Another day we went to the California version of Tivoli Gardens (the original is in Denmark). The flowers were stunning, the roses smelled incredible, and we had a gorgeous day to explore.

Here are my beautiful cousins Makenna and Karlee:

My mom with this beautiful rose vine:

(sorry for the bluriness - my cousin got a finger print on the lens - oops)

After the gardens we headed back to Castro Valley to the Ice Creamery. This is a childhood favorite where they make not only the ice cream, but all the sauces and whip cream too! I got this beautiful sundae:

But sadly could only eat to the top if the glass. It was so rich and delicious!

Probably my favorite part of this trip was running the Angel Island 25K Trail Run with my mom. It was fantastic! We got up early and drove to the cute bay town of Tiburon. If I was rich, I would love to live there. Here's the view of San Francisco from the Tiburon ferry dock:

There were 4 races offered that day - an 8K, 16K, 25K, and 50K. The 25K route was 3 laps around Angel Island. The first lap kept us down around the perimeter, the second lap was about half way up the mountain, and the final lap took us to Mt. Livermore summit. The views were gorgeous and I took dozens of pictures of the Golden Gate bridge.

After each lap there were great aid stations with all sorts of goodies - gummy bears, m&ms, pop-tarts, boiled potatoes, pretzles, and more.

I love this picture of my mom running down the road:

I enjoyed the entire race and am proud of my mom for going out of her comfort zone to run it. Plus, my mom took first in her age group! My only regret came when I finished and a lady came in behind us, but instead of stopping she was headed out for another lap because she was doing the 50K. A large part of me wanted to continue on with her. I think that's a good omen for any ultras I might take on.

Thinks warm fuzzy thoughts as I try to conquer the mountains of Mongolia!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2010-06-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! Sorry for the lack of blogging. I'm keeping busy with work, trail running, and swimming. I even had Chris home for a week which might be the most we see each other between May and August. Yikes! Between his travel for work and my travel for fun we have a busy summer planned. I'm leaving in 2 days for sunny California! We get plenty of sun here in Okinawa, but I'm talking sunny, virtually-humidity-free California! I'm really looking forward to this trip. It's been a year and a half since I've seen my parents and almost 5 years since I've seen my California-side of the family (Grandma, aunt, uncle, cousins, and second cousins - most of whom I haven't me yet). Besides seeing my family I am ridiculously excited about getting to eat all the fresh fruits and veggies I want. Our selection can be very limited and price prohibiting here in the island. I'll be gone for 2 weeks but should have some good pictures and great blogs coming up after that. For a little extra fun I conned my mom into running a 25K trail race with me. Woohoo! Good times!

Youth Center Running Club

2010-05-20T04:36:00.000-07:00

I hate to upstage my birthday goats, but check out what just hit the base paper!

http://okinawa.stripes.com/blogs/running-club-keeps-kids-shape-fun

I really do love this group!

Birthday Goats

2010-05-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

How to Have a Great Birthday Without Your Hubby

2010-05-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

I know some military spouses who whine when their husbands are away for occasions. And I have non-military friends that feel bad for me when Chris is away for important days. To the first group I want to say toughen up! For the second group I want to reassure you all that I'm just fine celebrating on my own. For those of you who want to know how to have a great birthday when your husband is 9000 miles away, here are some pointers:

1. Wake up to tons of awesome Facebook birthday wishes!

2. When you return from walking the dog have voicemails from your parents and hubby singing you Happy Birthday!

3. Have awesome friends that will go for a long run with you!

Tiffany took a personal day off work to run with me! I love these ladies!

Plus, I got to pet this cutie:

Today summer came to Okinawa - the humidity was brutal! At the end we joked that "the Galloway Method saved our run!"

5. After the run spot a license plate with A for Amy and your birthday!

6. Hit up Starbucks with your ladies and spend the next couple hours cooling down and chatting. Bonus, one of your running partners gives you a Starbuck's gift card! Woohoo!

7. Go home and shower so you can go to lunch with another awesome lady!

Jessica is adorable and the sushi was delicious!!

8. Go to work and get a gift certificate from your boss.

9. And while at work, pick up the flowers your hubby sent you!

10. Run with your favorite kids' running club.

11. On your drive home spot one of your favorite Okinawan treasures AND finally capture them on camera!

12. Open awesome presents from friends and family.

One of my favorites is definitely a copy of Andrew's journal that he kept while visiting Japan - great memories and fantastic illustrations!

13. Get overly excited about the Baked Cheetos your mom sent you.

14. Eat some leftover angelfood roll cake.

(Yes, that's a match. I didn't have any candles and I don't mind being a little ghetto.)

15. Go to bed early so you can get up at 4:30 to go swim Master's.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...what a perfect day.

The Career That Wasn't

2010-05-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Every week we receive an email with our base bulletin. It lists things like upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, job openings, etc. Well, this week's had an advertisement from the Red Cross offering a free 6 month training course to be a dental assistant. You get hands-on training and at the end of the 6 months you're ready to be hired into a relatively good paying job. I'm constantly thinking about having a job that is more portable to fit this military lifestyle than my fisheries training provides. So I saved that email and headed to work at the Youth Center.

Later that afternoon a kid named Bryce came up to me and said, "look Ms. Amy, I've got 2 loose teeth!". He then proceeded to open his mouth and rotate his teeth with both his tongue and his fingers. That totally triggered my gag reflex and made me want to vomit. So I'm guessing dental assistant isn't for me and I'm back to square one.

In other Youth Center news my running club kids completed their second 5K yesterday!

I was especially proud of the kids because it was rainy, cool, and windy! Besides a few chattering teeth before the race started I didn't hear any complaints.

I absolutely LOVE how supportive the parents are! Plus, I got a huge bonus that 2 of my WOOT (Women On Okinawa Trails) friends came out to support the team and run as well. Another WOOT lady was there taking pictures of the club for the base paper. We're going to be celebrities.

No really, if you're in Japan you might see us some day on a billboard. There was a Japanese sports drink company there and they want to sponsor us. They're willing to provide t-shirts for the club and shoes for the top boy and girl in exchange for us having their logo on our sleeve and possibly taking some photos. I am so excited about this!

Here's my group including the volunteers:

The running club is definitely my favorite part of the week and I'm glad the weather isn't so hot that we have to cancel it yet. I should be able to get in 4 more runs with them before I take leave in June. Woohoo! Kids Run the World!

7 Years Down, 77 to go

2010-05-03T18:25:00.000-07:00

Nothing has changed, but the spots.

Happy Anniversary!

Squid-Go-Round

2010-05-03T03:40:00.000-07:00

Calamari anyone?

A Plan for my Glam

2010-04-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

As some of you may remember from earlier posts I have on and off pain in my left cheek whenever I add speed or mileage too quickly. I've been having problems with this for 8 or more years and think I originally hurt it during a defensive sprint in an ultimate frisbee game (in my fading memory I like to think I made a huge, game-winning play on that D). This pain is nowhere near a 10 on the pain chart. It's an achy pain that sneaks up on me. It starts in my rear and then likes to migrate down my leg and settle behind my knee and also likes to wrap around to my groin. It definitely changes my gait and sucks away my desire to run. I have felt for some time that it is hindering my performance and it's just plain annoying.

I've avoided going to the base doctors because I was afraid they would simply tell me, "you need to stop running, blah, blah, blah." However, recently a friend from WOOT (Women on Okinawa Trails), Kathleen, told me about a doc over at the SMART (Sports Medicine something something something) clinic on the marine bases here on Okinawa. She said he's also an athlete and would give advice that I could live with. The best part is that with Kathleen's help I got into this high demand clinic in about 2 days time.

Well, I finally went to the doctor and the pain that I've been having in my hamstring/gluteus area isn't really due to my glam, but my sacrum. I don't think I've actually heard of the sacrum before my visit, but apparently it's pretty critical.

It's the triangular bone located at the end of your vertebrae before your coccyx (I've been waiting for years to put coccyx in a post!). It sits between your pelvic bones and apparently everything is connected to it (admit it, you're now singing "your sacrum bone's connected to your coccyx bone, your coccyx bone's connected to ...). Not only is it connected to your vertebra, coccyx, and pelvic bones, but to tons of muscles, ligaments, and tendons too! All of your glutes as well as your hip flexors (another area that gives me trouble when I up the mileage) are connected to your sacrum.

Well, that's all well and good unless you're like me and your sacrum is out of whack. I kind of always thought that as a runner I would naturally have strong legs, but while running has given me powerful quads, my hamstrings and glutes have been feeling neglected. These weak glutes (my left is weaker than my right) have caused an imbalance in my sacrum.

So, what's a girl with an unbalanced sacrum to do? Good question and the first part of my healing process was to get manipulated!

Not only is Dr. Biery a medical doctor, but he's also a chiropractor. I've got to say being manipulated isn't really comfortable. I laid on my side on a table and then he kind of bear hugged me on the top, middle, and bottom of my spine. Then I rolled over and he did the other side. I know that's not a great description, but it's all I got. It's a little strange being bear hugged by a stranger in an open room full of more strangers so I giggled nervously with every pop and crack (trust me there was lots of popping and cracking).

I'll be going back next week for another manipulation. Along with the manipulations, Dr. Biery gave me strength exercises to do. They include squats (in a few weeks I'll move to one-legged squats):

planks:

and bridges:

I really need to improve my core strength so I can stay injury free.

He also mentioned that I should warm up for 5-10 minutes before running. This can include lunges, squats, high knees, and side step. I basically need to let my sacrum know that exercise is about to commence.

Lastly, he recommended that for now I use the Galloway Method. This is a method where you run for a set time (say 5 minutes) and then you walk for a set time (maybe 1 minute). I haven't used it before because it seems counter intuitive, but from what I've read some people actually improve their times because they are able to run faster during the run periods. It sounds good for now, but I hope to graduate back to constant running. I think the Galloway Method might be perfect for Mongolia because of the hills. Plus, since I'm pretty sure this could be my only marathon in Mongolia I want to take my time and let the memories seep in.

I am very excite to finally have a plan to get this injury under control. The doc also mentioned that if this doesn't give me the results we're looking for he'll try a little acupuncture on me. Woohoo! Pain-free running here I come!

Mongolian Madness

2010-04-23T00:08:00.001-07:00

So, experts always say you should learn at least one new thing a day. I thought today we'd learn a little about Mongolia. I know my Geography Bee winning husband would know, but does everyone else know where Mongolia is? Well, let's look at a map:

There it is, nestled nicely between China and Russia. Mongolia is the second largest land-locked country in the world. You can tell by the star on the map that Ulaanbaatar is the capital (Chris isn't the only geography whiz in this family) and it also holds about 38% of the population.

Mongolia is a land of nomads and its most famous nomadic ruler was, of course, Genghis Khan, who founded the Mongol Empire in 1206. During the 17th century Mongolia fell under Chinese control and remained there until the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. Although declaring independence at this time, China held on to Mongolia for another decade and international recognition of independence did not occur until 1945.

During this time of unrest, Mongolia fell under Communist Russia's influence. This control lasted until 1990 when Mongolia had a Democratic Revolution. This revolution led to a new constitution, a multi-system party, and a market economy.

30% of the population still remains nomadic and the predominant religion is Tibetan Buddhism.

That's enough history (thanks wikipedia), now on to some fun facts:

-Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world

-Mongolia is among the highest countries in the world with an average elevation of 1580m (this one scares me for reasons you will still discover)

-The Mongol Empire covered most of Asia and some of Europe at its peak

-The Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia is the site for over 150 dinosaur discoveries

-The two humped camel is indigenous to Mongolia

So, why oh why do I care so much about Mongolia all of the sudden? Because I'm headed there in July! In previous posts I've mentioned my wonderful trail running group (WOOT - Women On Okinawa Trails). Well, 5 of us plus 2 daughters are headed there in July for the Sunrise to Sunset (please click on this link to check out pictures). This is a marathon and an ultra marathon (in this case a 100km/62 mile) race. Right now you're thinking, "Amy has officially lost her mind". You might be right, but I'm not approaching it as a race because you have 18 hours to complete it. I know there will be lots of walking because check out this race profile:

I've got to admit that climb between 12 and 17 km makes me a little sick to my stomach every time I look at it. Seriously? An ascent for 3 miles? Yikes! I am officially stopping at the 42km marker, but hope to unofficially make it about 50km so I can say I ran an ultra in Mongolia. When I first started thinking about this race, I was thinking that if I complete it I will be a total bada$$, but then 2 of the ladies going with me registered for the 100km race. However, I am totally ok with them being the official bada$$es and me just being a baby bada$$!

The race is at Camp Toilogt near Hovsgol Lake:

The race fee includes staying at the camp for a week to adjust to the altitude. While we're there we can kayak, fish, horseback ride (probably not doing that after my South African experience, Sandy!!), and check out the trails. One of the coolest things? We get to stay in authentic gers (the Mongolian yurt):

It's going to be awesome!! I can't stop thinking about this adventure. We're registered and we have our flights. Now all we need to do is train. Mongolia get ready for WOOT!

Because I think we're funny...

2010-04-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

Trust me, there would be more if the camera hadn't run out of batteries.

Brasington's - Part Ni

2010-04-14T02:48:00.000-07:00

Alrighty, on to the second half of the Brasington's time here in Okinawa. On Wednesday morning my English student, Michiko, was kind enough to come over and teach Monica and Andrew bingata. She is so sweet and patient. Chieko and Takako came by too to meet the family. I was lucky enough that Michiko brought one for me to do also!

That afternoon was a little rainy so we went souvenir shopping on Camp Foster. The next day was full of fun though!

We started the morning off at Forest Adventures. After checking Andrew's height twice, we got harnessed up and flew through the trees with the greatest of ease. Chris was with us, but he's the magic behind the camera:

Andrew and Brian showed no fear! Monica and I might have been a little nervous, but Monica was great at pushing herself out of the comfort zone.

Man, we're cute:

Here's a little video with Chris:

After zip lining Chris took Andrew and Brian up for an island plane tour.

Monica and I are very different, but we share the Hester curse of major motion sickness so we opted out of the tour. From what I hear we made the right choice because the afternoon air was a little bumpy. It looks like the guys had a gorgeous day for the flight though.

Andrew even got to fly the plane!

While the boys were flying Monica and I went to Jusco so she could get treats for everyone!

On Friday we finished up souvenir shopping in the morning while waiting for the weather to clear up, ate lunch at Delicious Sushi again, and then headed out to snorkel. The water was amazingly clear at Maeda Flats.

Andrew is great at entertaining himself, especially if there's a tidal pool around!

Here are some of the fish we saw:

Then this fish got hungry!

It was a great afternoon and a good reminder to me and Chris that we need to get out and enjoy the island more!

The following morning Monica and I got up dark and early to meet my WOOT ladies for a trail run. This was by far the hardest run we've done so far. After parking we went up, up, up! Seriously, we summitted Mt. Yamada. The payoff was great though - check out this view:

It was a really hard run, especially with the super slick trails, and I felt a little guilty bringing Monica out there, but she was hard as nails and pushed to the top.

The trails were so slick that we thought they might be unsafe coming down so we headed to the roads. Again, we had awesome views!

You gotta love living on a tropical island!

While Monica and I slaved away on the trails and road, Brian, Andrew, and Chris rented a sailboat from the marina (sorry no pictures).

After that hard work out Monica and I went to Cocok's to get pampered. Not only did we get pedicures, but I swear the calf and foot massage was at least 30 minutes. It was heaven. Here are the final results:

Monica showed her school spirit and got some orange and blue in honor of the Orange and Blue game going on back in Gainesville.

I went with cherry blossoms . Even though they're long gone here on Oki I'm hoping they're still hanging on in Tokyo and Kyoto so Monica can see them.

Their last afternoon we went snorkeling again and had an incredible time. It was a little more crowded, but we might have seen even more fishes. It was awesome!!

We're getting this hosting thing down so go ahead and book your tickets for a visit.

The Brasingtons come to Okinawa

2010-04-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! We had more visitors. I thought living so far away would be prohibitive, but we're having just as many visitors as we did when we lived in England. Thank you friends and family for making us one of your priorities. It is so nice to see a friendly face, or in this case 3 friendly faces!

My sister, Monica, her husband Brian, and their 9 year old son, Andrew, arrived on Okinawa on Friday, April 2. I can tell you, that travel day from Florida is no April Fool's joke! After a good night's sleep we headed to Okinawa World. I figured a good way to start the trip was somewhere that showed them a little bit of a lot of the island.

We did go to the snake mongoose show again, but sadly there is no video (the room was too crowded and we had a bad angle). The snake won this time, but the mongoose had a false start (his tank didn't open the whole way at the start) and it was a close race.

I think all of us liked the cave most. For those of you new to the blog, the cave is the second largest cave in Japan and has the most stalactites of any Japanese caves.

I know you can't see much of the cave here, but Andrew is adorable!

Here are all the Brasingtons:

Of course they're supporting the Gators while in Japan!

We also enjoyed the Eisa dancers and Taiko drummers. There's no photography during the show, but you can pose with the performers afterwards:

The Brasingtons all dressed up and had their photos taken. Why, you ask, didn't I participate? Because we ran out of cash! I was sure that Okinawa World took cards so I didn't worry about hitting up an ATM. Well, they do take cards in the gift shops and restaurants, but not at the front gate. So, I had to shell out most of my money there (of course paid back later) and had to bargain with the dress up people to let them dress up for a slightly discounted price. Once again, the Okinawans showed their kindness and generosity.

Later that night I got to go the the squadron and pick Chris up as he returned from his extended stay in Korea. The Air Force relaxes its grooming standards the third month of the year for Mustache March. Technically, Chris came home 3 days into April, but look what his commander was nice enough to let him keep:

I am so glad he doesn't like having a mustache because it's a little creepy - perhaps it should be called a molestache.

The next day was Easter and we were lucky enough that the Easter Bunny found his way to our house to hide eggs for Andrew. Andrew was pretty excited and loved eating candy in the morning. We also had homemade cinnamon rolls that were perfection! Easter was the rainiest day of their trip so we played it safe and had a relaxing day watching "How to Tame Your Dragon" at the base movie theater and came home and dyed eggs:

It was a nice relaxing day. The following day we headed north to the aquarium. This really is one of my favorite places on the island. The tanks are always well maintained, the fish look healthy, and they have 3 whale sharks!

Here are Monica and Andrew on the topiary manta ray:

And a family shot in front of some gorgeous blue water.

I would hate to meet the owner of these while SCUBA diving!

Sorry I didn't take too many aquarium shot, but Monica has more that she might share. I know this next picture isn't that great with our squintiness, but I just wanted to show the breath-taking beauty of the water!

After the aquarium we headed to Pizza in the Sky for lunner (lunch/dinner). Despite the shadiness of the directions we were able to find this delicious eatery. Although I have no pictures of the delicious pizzas or salads we had, I did get this adorable shot:

The next day we went to a waterfall where you have to walk through the creek to get there. I don't know the name, but it's north of Nago. This was an awesome day and we were the only people there. Here's Andrew and his new friend:

The falls:

Chris and I had been to the waterfall once before, but we hadn't climbed to the top of it. We remedied that today. The climb was pretty steep and a little slick. It was so much fun! Please excuse the blurriness of the photos, I just want to give you an idea of the steepness.

After our full body workout of a hike we headed to Pineapple Park for some yummy treats.

That's all of us in the pineapple cart. "Do you know where the word pineapple comes from? From the words Pine and Apple".

That night for dinner we headed to Delicious Sushi. Trust me, the name is deserved. This is a one man show so it takes a little time, but the sushi is incredibly beautiful, fresh and delicious!

It was here that we discovered that my not-always-adventurous-eater nephew loves unagi (eel) and fish eggs! Who would have guessed?

What I would have guessed is that he's like the ice cream tempura!

The next day we took the Brasingtons and Rana to our favorite beach up north. There was just enough sunshine to light up the water:

I loved seeing Andrew and Rana playing together. They made a great combo:

Stayed tune for more Brasington Adventures! They'll be posted as soon as blogspot finds it fit to let me upload more photos. Have a great week and think happy thoughts for the Brasingtons as their journey continues to Tokyo and Kyoto.

A little of this, a little of that

2010-03-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I've been neglecting our blog. Two weeks and no post. Yikes. I did try to upload a video a couple times in the last two weeks, but blogspot wasn't working with me. So, what have I been up to? Like the title says, a little of this and a little of that.

I volunteered with one of the spouse groups at a base flea market as a fundraiser. It was crazy how pushy the customers were and I was amazed that people were literally running into the parking lot when the gates opened. My favorite part of the day was this little, local girl. I absolutely love her outfit. If I were ever to have a baby, I'd want it to be an Asian baby so I guess I'm off the hook.

Last weekend I also got to do another trail run. This time it was just me and Anna because the other ladies ran when I was at the flea market. Anna is very good at slowing down without making me feel slow because believe me that girl is speedy! Once again, the trail run was the highlight of my week. I didn't take the camera this time because it seemed like it might rain (turns out it was hazy from a sand storm that blew in from China), but I did take a few shots after the run:

Why, yes, if you look close there are bugs stuck to my forehead and visor. We are so fast bugs can't even get out of the way in time!

During the run I was flying down this downhill section. I really did feel like an impala just bounding along. About that time I put my foot down on a tuft of grass with nothing underneath it and started a sliding fall. I somehow caught myself and continued with only missing a beat or two. Even the fall was awesome.

That's the dirt caught in my wrist band from where I caught myself.

It rained the night before so there was a little mud, but it was a great route. About a mile on the road there and back and a 3.25 mile loop.

I know some folks think I'm crazy, but there is nothing more fun than getting sweaty and muddy on a run (except maybe running through the snow on the Thetford Forest trails with Mandy). WOOT (Women On Okinawa Trails) is opening this weekend up for a friends and family day this weekend. It should be blast!

I also spent some time trying my hand at a new bread recipe. This was a butternut squash bread braid. I had made butternut squash soup the week before for Meatless Monday (sorry no pics) and reserved some of the squash to make this bread. I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com. I had to add some extra flour to keep it from sticking, but otherwise followed the recipe directly.

This was my first time making a bread braid.

But it was pretty easy.

The results were gorgeous - a wonderful, golden orange color. It raised beautifully and the texture was fantastic. Plus, it was delicious! My English students loved it and I had to send them home with leftovers so I wouldn't nibble on the whole loaf. It would look great on your Easter table if anyone is looking for a bread dish.

The other thing keeping me busy is that I created a new blog for my work. It's just getting started, but feel free to take a look: http://www.kadenayouthcenter.blogspot.com/

Tomorrow I'm trail running and taking kids from work kayaking. It should be a good day! Have a great weekend!

Best Run Ever!

2010-03-12T22:23:00.001-08:00

What's that on my face? That is the look of pure joy! I did a trail run today for the first time since I lived in England and it was awesome. It has been a long time since I've had so much fun on a run.
First, meet our fearless leader Anna. She has lived on Okinawa for 13 years, knows a lot of trails, and formed our new women's running group - WOOT (Women on Okinawa Trails).

Here are some shots of the ladies on the run (please excuse the blurriness). Here's Martha, Anna, and Tiffany soon after we left the road and hit the trail.

Here's Martha. Not only is she a runner, she is an all-star swimmer. Seriously, she holds multiple swim records in Japan. Plus, she co-founded a running club back in England in the town right next to where we lived. She is a very cool lady.

This is my running and Mt. Fuji partner, Tiffany. When we started running together we were pretty even in speed, but right now she's blowing me out of the water. She's incredible.

Some of the areas got pretty technical and I definitely admit to walking some of the tricky, uphill sections.

I had no idea that there were trails like this here on Okinawa. The scenery was gorgeous and it was so peaceful.

I loved having the chance to go over the river and through the woods:

We even got to see some wildlife:

At this point we were heading back to the car. Here's my other running partner Bri. She really pushed herself today and she did fantastic!

This is my favorite picture of the day because you can see the beautiful, clear sky and Tiffany is making it look effortless.

It was funny because I had to work much harder on this run than my recent road runs and the uphills felt way longer than the downhills, but I really can't describe how much enjoyment I got out of this run. I can hear Chris calling me a crunchy hippie, but somehow I just felt connected to the earth and nature on this run. Running seemed so easy. Don't get me wrong,the hills kept me huffing and puffing, but on the flat parts and the downhills I just felt like I was gliding.
When we were done we were all sweaty and muddy,, but all of us finished with smiles on our faces.

Hiji Falls and Fun Run

2010-03-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

My last couple weekends at the Youth Center have been busy and fun. Last weekend I took my Explore Your World Club hiking at Hiji Falls. Some of the kids had a hard time with the hike which I found pretty sad, but it was a great day.

We left the youth center around 11:00, just 5 hours after the big earthquake had hit Okinawa. The night before we had received massive amounts of rain. I know the rain was the main contributor, and I don't know if the earthquake played any role, but there were literally hundreds of salamanders out. Most of them were headed to the creek and we actually saw some mating in the shallow water.

The salamanders were awesome! This was, of course, the day that I didn't bring my good camera. I thought is was going to rain again so I left it home. Oh well, the point and shoot did ok.
Here's the reason we were hiking:

Hiji Falls is beautiful and with the new route the park put in it's not too hard to get to. Here are the kids at the top:

They looked thrilled, don't they? In their defense, Teresa gave them no warning that she was taking the picture.
This past weekend was the grand finale for my Youth Center Running Club. My runs with these kids for the last 9 Tuesdays was by far my favorite time spent at the Youth Center. The base does a 5K every month so we coordinated with them to let the kids run and get recognized.
Here's me modeling the shirts I designed for this event:

I think the shirts came out pretty cute.
We met about 30 minutes before the race so we could stretch and I could give them some last minute pointers (i.e. Don't start too fast!). Here we are before the race:

The really awesome part is that out of the 5 kids that ran the race, 4 of them had parents that ran with them. The one who didn't ran with another kid's dad.

The kids did fantastic. Our all-star finished in 22 minutes and they all finished under 38 minutes! Best of all they finished happy! Woohoo! Mission accomplished.
Here are the kids after the race with our "RUN" brownie. The kids also all got t-shirts and plaques. It was a great program.

I'm thinking that I might like a career (not necessarily paid) in getting kids healthy and happy. Any suggestions from you blog readers on how to make this happen?

Mostly Meatless Monday

2010-03-01T19:42:00.001-08:00

In an attempt to include more vegetarian meals I've borrowed an idea I've seen on other blogs and went with a Meatless Monday. I decided to make a white chicken chili and substitute tofu for the chicken. I started with extra firm tofu (they don't seem to be carrying the local stuff at the commissary any more), a small onion, and a potato that needed to be used.

I cubed all of those items, put them in a pan I had sprayed with olive oil Pam, sprinkled them with garlic powder and cayenne, and baked it all at 425F for about 45 minutes.

I did this part before work. Since Chris beat me home, he started putting the soup together. We used the spice packet (doubling the water amount it calls for), pinto beans, corn, and ro-tel. I've made it with northern beans before and both are good. The northern beans make it more of the traditional white chili while the pinto beans make it more like a tortilla soup.

After adding everything to the pot, you just bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You wind up with a hearty dinner that tastes even better with a little shredded sharp cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

So, why is the post's title "Mostly Meatless Monday"? Because upon closer inspection I realized that the spice pack actually contains chicken broth. Oops! Live and learn, but either way it really is delicious.

Things Unique to Okinawa

2010-02-28T17:40:00.000-08:00

Alrighty, I was looking through my last couple weeks of pictures and noticed I had some things that are pretty unique to Okinawa. Let's start out with:

I know Starbucks isn't unique, but I'm pretty sure the flavor I got is at least unique to Japan. I got a Sakura Steamer. Sakura is Japanese for cherry blossom and while the blooms won't start on the mainland until about April, they've already come and gone here on Oki. The drink has a very unique, slightly sweet cherry flavor. I think it's delicious and hope to get it at least once more before its season runs out.
I went to Jusco (huge department store) to check out their produce and saw these:

I've seen kids wearing these backpacks, but had no idea how pricey they were. The cheapest one I saw was 23,000 yen (about $240) and they went up to 45,000 yen. Yowzers, just give me a Trapper Keeper! Apparently they are supposed to last the kids from when they start school through middle school. Here's to hoping they don't outgrow it.
Last week Patti and I drove north up 58 (the main highway) and stopped at cute stores and found a little resort that served lunch. I wasn't that impressed with my curry, but I was intrigued with Puffy Snow.

The lady kind of shaved the ice cream off this big block (it was still creamy, definitely not shaved ice). It came off very light and fluffy. Mine then had caramel and chocolate added. It was delicious, but not as good as real ice cream.
And lastly, there is a drink I've been wanting to try for a while now. The kids at the Youth Center like it and I've been a little scared to bite the bullet. Why, you ask? Because the drink has little chunks in it. I know, sounds a little icky.

But it was really good. It's aloe and grape, but tastes like a good grape juice. The chunks aren't too firm. They're kind of like mini grapes without the skins. I probably won't have it again because I don't like to waste calories on drinks, but I'm glad I tried it.

MaryBrown

2010-02-23T21:50:00.000-08:00

So, who is MaryBrown and why do I call her MaryBrown? Well, MaryBrown is my best friend ever and I call her MaryBrown because that's her name. Duh! No really, it just all seems to go together. When I talk about her she's MaryBrown and when I talk to her it's just Mary - or a nickname that she'd beat me up for if I posted it in cyber space! Anyway, why am I writing about MaryBrown? Because she was awesome enough to come visit me on the opposite side of the world. She booked her ticket about a week and a half before coming, made arrangements with work and her hubby, and then braved the 30 hour travel day to come see me. That's why she's my best friend, along with her being the smartest and funniest person I know. Mary hates having her picture taken. My sister Monica said to post a picture because she hadn't seen Mary in a while. Here's the picture Mary posed for:

She's so funny! However, I still snuck a few photos when she wasn't looking. We did all the normal Okinawa things while she was here, even though the sun didn't shine a single day of her trip! I felt bad, but I haven't learned how to control the weather yet. On her first day we went and got some sushi. It was dericious!

Chris was lucky enough to get a few days off and got to accompany us on most outings. We took her to our favorite northern beach.

A friend of the family was having heart surgery so we sent her a get well message:
After the beach we headed north to Hedo Point. I'm not sure what the big chicken statue was about, but Chris is always funny.

And I liked the message we were given:
After a long day of hiking someone was sleepy:

(Oh yeah, Mary's also my best friend because the first thing she said when meeting Rana was "pictures don't do you justice".)
We made it to Sam's by the Sea and ate the most perfect dish in the world. They have an appetizer that has shrimp, avocado, cheese, and is all baked up in wonton wrapper pie crust. It is heaven!

We also took time to love on some stray puppies. Don't worry, they both have homes now. The yellow one looks a lot like my old dog when she was a baby.

And yes, Chris is the reason why I am not already the crazy dog lady beacuse I would have taken these sweeties home in an instant. However, his rationalness is a good thing.
We made it over to Pineapple Park where we ate our weight in Pineapple Wine Cake. Oh so yummy!

Chris took us for a tour of the island and I'm happy to say I didn't need my motion sickness bags. YAY!
This was the day I was really wishing we had more sun because a cloudy day just doesn't do justice to how beautiful the water is.

We took advantage of a dry morning and made a quick run to Forest Adventures. It is so much fun and a pretty good workout too!

After playing Tarzan and Jane we stopped for lunch at a Hawaiian restaurant that had a blue jean wearing dog.
After the long President's Day weekend Chris had to go back to work so Mary and I were on our own for Okinawa World. Mary was convinced that this Japanese man looked like her dad so I took a picture:

You might remember our first trip to Okinawa World with Chris' Mom and friend, Sharon. On that outing the seasnake won the race with the mongoose. Let's see if the results were any different this time:

On Mary's final day we went to the aquarium. It might be my favorite thing on the island. It is a great facility and I could watch the whale sharks swim for hours. Plus, they've added some new topiaries and statues onto the beautifully landscaped grounds. I think the puffer was my favorite.

I guess that rounds up MaryBrown's trip to Okinawa. It was great seeing her and I missed her before I even got home from the airport after dropping her off. Thanks for visiting Mary! Come back any time or just move in with us!

Nago 1/2 Marathon

2010-02-18T21:36:00.000-08:00

On Valentine's Day I headed north with Tiffany to run the Nago 1/2 Marathon. After training I knew that I'd complete the race, but I wasn't exactly brimming with confidence. I had intentionally made some rookie mistakes that someone with my experience shouldn't be making at this point.
My biggest mistake was training too far too quickly. After being knocked out of workouts with bronchitis I had 5 weeks to get ready for the half. I'm pretty sure that the rapid build up of miles is what has my left glam (gluteus + hamstring) unhappy. But, really, what could I do? I swear that the coughing started 2 days after I had committed to the race.
My other intentional mistake was wearing unbroken in shoes for the race. The shoes I had been wearing on long runs gave me a massive (maybe 2"x1") blister just under the ball of my right foot on our last training run. I figured the newer shoes couldn't be any worse. This might have actually been a good call. While my outside toes went a little numb I didn't really develop any major blisters.
Anyway, enough complaining. On to the race. Here's me and Tiffany before the race:

I love that at every sporting event there are taiko drummers! It really gets your blood pumping!

This was a pretty big race - probably about 1000 people.

The course was great and I felt pretty good (minus the glam) the whole way. There were 4 decent hills with the last one being about mile 10. The rest is pretty flat and there is some downhill that led us to the east coast. It rained for about half the race, but nothing as bad as our last training runs. I'll probably sign up for this race again just so I can see the coast when the sun is hitting it. I love the Okinawa water.

I felt like I was going along pretty steady besides the congested start for the first mile or so. I did stop for about 15-20 seconds on the mile 10 hill to stretch my glam. Other than that and walking through the water stations I ran the whole time. I was pretty happy with that. What I was unhappy with was my time. According to my watch I was right at 2:15. This is my second slowest half ever - and in my slowest I was physically sick on the course for the last 7 miles. I think I did as much as I could on the day, but I'm not sure where my speed has gone. I should be able to hit about 2:05 and on a good day 2 hours. Admittedly, I haven't done speed work in forever.
So, my goals are to rehab my glam, find some shoes that love my feet, add a little speed work into my routine, and give myself longer to train for an event. I do love running in Japan though because even with my slow performance I was in the top half. If I put up a 2:15 in England there's a good chance I would have been last. Brits take their running pretty serious. Here's a picture of me after the run at the track where the race began and ended:

In happier news, my running partner Tiffany ran a personal best 1:57!! She was flying. I am so proud of her.
Also, my Mom ran a half on the same day in Florida and clocked a 2:03!! Yowzers! She knocked 4 minutes off her time for the same race last year and she won 1st place in her age group! Plus, my sister who paces my mom (and me when I'm in Gainesville), had to pull out of the race because she was sick. So, my Mom was on her own and kicked some major booty! Woohoo! I know I've got some speed in me. Apparently it's in the genes!

It's just another day...

2010-01-31T15:25:00.000-08:00

So, I originally took the shot below last Monday when I went to lunch at N's Garden with my friend Patti. It was intended to lure my friend MaryBrown into visiting with memories of her heavenly Parisian chocolate croissants.

And it worked! Before I even had a chance to post the picture, Mary emailed me that she is coming for a visit next week! Woohoo! I've been excited for days now.

Some more big news...the cherry blossoms are blooming!

The blossoms come in so many shades of pink.

Chris and I had an incredible Saturday when we headed back to the New Year's Day beach for a little R and R. We packed a lunch, loaded up a dog, and headed north. At some points the day got a little cloudy, but it was a great day to be out.

Plus, we decided it was time to try out Rana's backpack. We were shocked - she loved it!

Chris making some adjustments:

And Rana running around like it's nothing (I love this picture):

Since it was the first time we didn't put too much weight in it, but we did add weight in the form of sea glass and shells throughout the hike.

Look at our little explorer:

We tried for a family photo, but boy was it bright!

We saw a man putting his boat in the water when we got there and then didn't see a soul for the four hours we were there. It was incredible. We had been hiking for about an hour when we noticed a hole in the vegetation meeting up with the beach. Nobody was around, but we found a great camp area:

There was this open air kitchen and a raised platform area to sleep on, as well as an outhouse. There was no road as far as we could tell so whoever uses it must have to hike everything in. It was sweet! They had a small garden and some papaya trees:

I'm not a fan of papaya, but the flowers smelled heavenly.

We'd love to camp here sometime, but have no way of getting in touch with whoever runs it. Maybe next time we'll run in to the owner.

The hike included some rock scampering and forging through the water to get around rocks. It was a great adventure. On the way back someone was looking sleepy:

I know it has been a good day when Rana falls asleep in the van before we've driven for 10 minutes.

Sunday morning I went for an 11 mile run in preparation for my Valentine's Day Half. Tiffany and I recently added another runner to our pack, Bri (not pronounced like the cheese, but with a hard I sound).

The run was fun, but very wet. We took a new route that had us near the river/sea wall. Despite the rain it was beautiful. I had planned on taking my camera, but left it in the car because of the rain. Maybe next week there will be pictures. I did get a picture of the 3 of us at Starbucks warming up with a hot beverage after the run.

Still looking good after a long, wet 11!

Walkman

2010-01-28T16:44:00.001-08:00

I recently started teaching an Explore Your World class at the Youth Center. It's a series of classes that cover hiking, wilderness first aid, orienteering, Leave No Trace principals, and basic camping skills. This week's session was going over basic hiking tips and I thought I had found a good worksheet in an old 4-H booklet. Apparently, I didn't realize how old the booklet was.

The worksheet was a list of items the kids could take on a hike and they needed to mark them "essentials", "nice, but not necessary", and "not needed".

Things were going well until about 5 minutes into the worksheet one kids calls out, "What's a walk man?"

After laughing I respond, "Well, a walkman is like an old fashion mp3 or iPod, but with a cassette player." Blank looks were my response so I continued, "Well, a cassette is like an old fashion CD." That garnered some more recognition so I thought we were good to go.

A few moments of silence pass and a different kid says,"Oh wait! I need to change my answer. I thought it was some guy that walked you through the woods. "

Get it? A walk man.

Aren't kids great? It's times like this that make me love working at the Youth Center. It's also times like this that remind me I am getting old.

Weekend Round-Up

2010-01-19T16:28:00.000-08:00

So far my 2010 to-do list success rate is off to a great start. I'm down to one diet soda a week, I've done yoga once a week for 3 weeks in a row, and we've been very good about trying new recipes. For the one this week we made a dish that used tofu that was actually made right here in Okinawa. Pretty cool, huh?

Months ago my mom had sent me a citrus sesame pasta with shrimp recipe. I modified it to have tofu instead of shrimp, but other than that kept it the same. The sauce had fresh orange juice, soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, and some other stuff. Along with the tofu, the dish included whole wheat pasta, carrots, and green beans (meant to be snow peas, but you take what you can get at the commissary). The final product was delicious. And I like it because you could change out the veggies or the protein to fit your tastes.

We started the weekend off with dinner with our friends Mary and Jason.

They introduced us to a great Korean BBQ place. We couldn't really read the menu so we just ordered what they got. We were not disappointed! The food was great and came in ridiculous quantities.

Here we are digging in:

The only problem with this place was that it's traditional Japanese seating - very low tables and you sit on the floor. I was ok, but Mary has a bad back and the boys have traditional boy inflexibility so everyone was pretty anxious to get up by the time we were done feasting.

On Saturday I did a community service clean up with the Youth Center's leadership club. It's a great way for them to make a difference and get volunteer hours. I thought we were going to be doing an easy beach clean-up, but it was hard work. They had us back in the jungle hauling out tires. Here's before:

And after (I know there's still 1 tire, but a tree had grow up through it and we couldn't get it):

Here are the tires we removed (remember this is the work of 4 women and 5 girls):

They gave out cotton gloves which were nasty by the end:

This crab was found out in the jungle about 200 yards from the beach. This guy was going to move him back to the water. I said he looked pretty fat and happy and we should leave him where he was, but nobody listened. Who do I think I am - a fisheries biologist or something?

While I was working Chris was keeping his private pilot's license current (you'd think the number of hours he has as an Air Force pilot would count, but they don't). He took his friend Chuck up for a little island tour. It was a gorgeous day for it.

Sunday we went hiking with Chick and his wife Katie. They took us to a waterfall north of Nago.

It was so cool because you had to walk in the creek bed to get there. It was literally so cool because that water was freezing! After a few minutes your feet went numb and it stopped hurting.

After about a 30 minute trek we were rewarded with this beautiful site:

Boys will be boys and climb trees, but it had Rana very nervous for Chris.

This was an absolutely perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

On the way home from the falls we got a call with a dinner invitation. We agreed and we ate at the barrel restaurant, also known as Tonneau.

I was a little leery, but the inside was really cool.

My food was only ok, but Chris' was some of the best he's had on island. My favorite part of the night was when we were leaving and Chris says "we could live in a barrel." It's times like these that I wonder what I've gotten myself into!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and thanks for reading.

Mommy and Me Yoga

2010-01-18T00:30:00.000-08:00

In an attempt for continued success with my 2010 to-do list I did a little yoga video at home this week. Rana was only too happy to help.

Here she is trying to figure out what I'm doing.

At this point she's still not so sure:

But then she caught on and was absolutely fantastic at downward dog:

She makes it look so easy! I can never get my heels down in this pose.
Stay tuned because we had a packed weekend including Korean BBQ, waterfall hikes, and eating in a barrel. Updates will be posted in the next couple days. Have a great week!

How do you say milk in Japanese?

2010-01-18T00:04:00.000-08:00

Apparently not with pictures of mountains and cows.

Recently we ran out of milk. We didn't really run out, but the carton we bought tasted funny. It was still in date, but tasted plasticy. Being the loving wife that I am I didn't want poor Chris to have to go 2 days without cereal for breakfast so I stopped at the Family Mart and picked up this:

Doesn't it look milky? Alpine mountains, happy cows. Looks like milk to me. Chris wasn't so sure:

So he smelled it:

And he tasted it:

Verdict?

Not quite milk. He said it didn't taste bad, but it wasn't good if you were expecting milk.

Here's a little video to add to the humor:

Those Two Just Ain't Right in the Head

2010-01-17T22:39:00.000-08:00

I love my body...

2010-01-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

Not because it's perfect and there's nothing I want to improve, but because it allows me to accomplish amazing things. After almost 3 weeks off from any real cardio I went for a 5 mile run on Sunday and I was fine. I was more than fine. It felt great to run!

How did I do it, you ask? With my Relax Flavored Water, of course.

I've mentioned before that I love that there are vending machines everywhere here in Okinawa. It means I don't have to carry a water bottle, just a 100 yen coin and I'm good to go. At the end of mile 4 I knew I only had a mile left, but I was parched. This water, which was really lemon flavored not relaxed flavor, helped me push through. What's something that I don't take on runs?

That's right, Rana is the worst running dog ever! Let her off leash at the beach and she will tear it up with speed and boundless energy. Put her on a leash and take her for a run and I swear you can hear her spotty feet dragging on the pavement. She just gets bored out of her little dog mind. I can make her suffer through a 2 mile loop, but that's about it. Any suggestions?

Alrighty, enough dog talk, back to the run. I was trying out a new route that Chris had told me about. The one thing he forgot to mention is that on weekends there is a local market (think flea market mixed with farmer's market) lining both sides of the narrow street. At first the congestion annoyed me because I didn't want to slow down, but then I got all zen and went with the moment. Some of the locals clapped and cheered me on with "Gambate!" (You can do it! Keep going!) It was fun and made me feel like a rock star. Besides some thirst and tired legs on the last uphill I felt great the entire run. The human body is amazing.

Backing up a little, last weekend Chris and I were on a mission to wear out the dog. We decided that we would walk her to Kurashiki Dam, let her run around, and come home. The dam is a little over 5km away from our house. So we wound up going a total of close to 7 miles that day. We had a great time.

We're convinced that Rana is meant to be an agility dog so we had her jumping over chains and walking on walls.

From a distance we saw this floating bridge that looked like fun and seemed to lead to a little wooded island. We were bummed when we got to it and found out it was closed. I guess we'll just have to go back another time.

On the way home we decided to speed up the journey and run a little. We made it maybe 2km and it ended in a coughing, spitting mess. I guess I wasn't ready to jog at that point. I know this isn't an overly attractive picture, but Chris' expression cracks me up.

For a little cultural highlight, here's a treat my student, Michiko, brought me. It's very common to bring back small presents for friends and family when you travel. Michiko is from Ishigaki, a small island close to Okinawa known for its beauty and its huge spring triathlon. Apparently, they are also known for their salt. Michiko brought me a little box of chocolate bars that contain Ishigaki salt. I was a little hesitant, but it is delicious! It's the perfect combo of sweet and salty!

This Saturday we had our friends, the Wheelers, over for a game of Settlers. This just might be the best board game ever!

It is all about strategy and creating cities and settlements. You have to protect your cities from pirates and robbers by purchasing knights. It really is fantastic. My sister, Monica, gave it to me for Christmas. When I told her we had played she sounded very doubtful when she asked if we had fun. When she was buying it she had read the description and had decided that this is not a game you could play while drinking cocktails. I'm with her on that assessment because I was sober as a judge and was still having difficulty keeping up with every aspect of the game. If you're looking for a great game that can fill an afternoon, definitely check out Settler's!

I hope everyone has a great week!

New Year New Beach

2010-01-04T16:53:00.001-08:00

Chris found a beach he wanted to discover while flying some locals for work. He's talked about it for months - it looks beautiful, there's never a lot of people, etc. So, New Year's Day was the day to explore the island and find the mystery beach. Chris plotted it out on a map and we were off. After about an hour and a half drive we found the part of the coast Chris had been searching for. It was well worth the drive! This is by far the most beautiful beach we've been to while here on Okinawa. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.

Here's Chris and Rana going through the treed entry that leads to the beach:

I don't know if I've ever seen water as calm as it was that day. It was stunning, especially matched with the beautiful skyscapes and awesome rock formations.

There were two families skipping stones:

And there was a lady cleaning an octopus. I love this picture. I took it at waist level during a quick walk-by. I think it's great.

There were also some great shells and sea glass. Check out the patterns on this shell. They literally look painted on.

I was slightly obsessed with the stones. I loved the patterns of the striations:

Can you find Rana in this picture? She kind of blends in with the rocks due to me taking pictures when I know the lighting is wrong. I still like it though.

It was so much fun exploring and it seemed so secluded.

But we weren't the only ones there. Check out this crab intersection! I love their tracks.

Chris and I definitely had fun playing photographer and scrambling on rocks.

We even tried out a little black and white:

Chris thinks we have the most photographed dog in the world. He might be right, but we can't help it. She's so stinking cute!

We were also lucky enough to see some kayakers which gave us an idea for our next adventure.

We probably walked the beach for three hours. It was so peaceful and calm and a great way to start the new year.

Finally, a quick shout out to my niece Brittany, her husband Nick, and baby Dylan - the Pino Family! Look what I found at the convenient store!

I'd send you some, but they're ice cream and I don't think they'd make the trip!

I hope everyone has a great 2010 and get out there and explore!

2010 To-Do List

2010-01-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

I like lists. I like grocery lists, pre-planned menus, packing lists, lists for work, lists for home - you get the idea. If you know the Hester family (for those of you just tuning in that's my maiden name), you will know that I come by this desire for organization honestly. For those of you who know me, but not the rest of my family, it may come as a shock that I am the laid back one in our family. I know, I know. How can someone as anal as me be the laid back one? But trust me I speak the truth.

This love of lists, and my irrational dislike of the notion of resolutions, has led me to my 2010 to-do list. This list is to be used as a guideline in an effort to make a more happy and healthy me. Here we go:
-eat more whole foods and fewer processed foods
-eliminate high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils at least 90% of the time
-practice more patience
-try at least 1 new recipe/week (including exploring vegetarian options and learning how to make tofu taste good)
-work on self acceptance and eliminate FAT TALK!
-incorporate yoga and strength training into fitness plan while continuing to swim, bike, run
-get in and stay in shape to run a half marathon at the drop of a hat
-eliminate diet sodas (I've tried this before and it is definitely my hardest vice to break free from)
-get more hands-on with household finances (I'm pretty aware of the every day stuff, but I need to play a bigger role in helping Chris plan for our future)
-leave my comfort zone more (when I originally thought of this I was thinking that I need to be more social, but it could really apply to many aspects of my life)
I'm sure that there are more things I will want to accomplish this year and I'll let you know when they pop up, but for now I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs (originally from my favorite musical Wicked and now in one of my favorite TV shows Glee).

Happy 2010 and let's all defy gravity!

2009 in Pictures (mostly)

2010-01-01T01:00:00.001-08:00

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

If you have any questions about the pictures leave me a question or feel free to look in the monthly archives to read the original post. I'll be back soon with resoultions! Happy New Year!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-12-27T00:05:00.000-08:00

Our holidays started unofficially last Sunday when my co-worker, Mary, invited us to dinner. I really should have taken more pictures around their apartment because it was decorated beautifully, but that would only emphasize how little decorating we did this year. They served us some amazing ribs and after dinner we had hot chocolate. This is how all hot chocolate should be made. It was in a huge mug and topped with marshmallows so the homemade whip cream wouldn't melt before you had a chance to eat it. It was heavenly and perfect for one of the few cool nights we've had on Okinawa.

The next day I started getting a little achy and had a bit of a cough. I actually left work a little early. Tuesday I felt the same and again left work early.

I had the day off Wednesday and while my headache had gone I was starting to cough a little more. Thank goodness for cough drops because one of my English students had given us tickets to see her choir perform in Naha. I knew this was important to her because in our last class she talked about how hard they had been practicing.

They sounded great and with the help of Halls I was able to make it through without disturbing anyone. Michiko was so happy to see me afterwards. She is so sweet. This picture makes me look like a giant next to her, but I am wearing boots. However, even without boots I've got a good couple inches on her with my 5'5" frame (technically 5'4" and change, but I round up so I can weigh more).

After the concert we headed to Coco's Curry for dinner.This place is so delicious. Chris goes all out while I stick with a half order...

because "I can't eat the normal size all".

That night the coughing really caught up with me. Since Wednesday I've been having consistent, violent coughing fits. I feel fine otherwise, but let me tell you constant coughing really takes it out of you.

The following day was Christmas Eve and we both had the day off work. We took the dog on a long walk (I actually feel better in the fresh air) and cooked enough food for an army despite it being only two of us.

Yes, we had a twelve pound ham for two people! You will see more of it later in the blog. We also had corn casserole and sweet rolls. Perhaps not a complete meal, but just what we were wanting.

We also had a couple cookies:

This is a cookie plate we made for friends. We made three and only delivered one. After I got sick I didn't feel like delivering them so now they're in the freezer. Oops.

Alrighty, here are some pics of our limited decorating efforts. We don't have a tree this year. I like real trees and we missed the 3 day window that there were actually any on the island this year while we were on our cruise. Oh well, maybe next year.

This year we used Rana's raised bed for presents:

Rana very gently added her bone to the mix.

The stockings were hung from the windows with care:

I love these simple reindeer.

I also love decorations from Jim Stone.

Most of my favorite decorations are from Cyndie's Minis, the same lady who made our cake topper. All of the decorations are made by hand. If I'm in Gainesville, I'll pick up a new one, but for the most part my mom braves the crowds and picks me a new one to add to the collection.

This year we got giraffes!

I also put up a couple decorations to remind us of England:

While perhaps a little mishmash, I like the overall effect:

Me being sick changed our Christmas plans a little. We wound up cancelling our Christmas and Boxing Day plans. Chris scoured the internet and called a friend of his who is a flight doctor and they both think I have, or will have, bronchitis. So while I'm not totally out of commission, I definitely don't need to be around anybody. Despite cancelling social engagements, Chris and I had a great time just hanging out together. The weather on Christmas was wet and grey so it was nice to be warm and dry in the house.

Some of our presents included:

My underwear with little Ranas! Too cute!

We got homemade BBQ sauce, strawberry preserves, and salsa from Chris' mom! Yummy!

Rana got some new tug toys. Check out my left wrist - it's wood burn from falling down some stairs while walking Rana on Christmas Eve. Duh!

Chris' presents for me ranged from the practical:

A teapot that has been super handy since I've coughed my throat raw.

To the luxurious!:

Emerald and sapphire earrings and a sapphire necklace. They are stunning!

Oscar did get some presents, but liked the wrapping paper more!

Rana loves her box full of toys:

Most of the toys with stuffing have already been pulverized!

While Rana liked her toys, she was not too happy with Chris' new toy:

After opening our presents we had a nice, relaxed day of doing a whole lot of nothing. It was perfect.

Chris took some time to learn harmonica basics. And I took some time to watch way too much Mad Men! I have now watched all 3 seasons!

While we liked being lazy, we were all going a little stir crazy by the late afternoon. So, Chris, Rana, and I (with a pocketful of lozenges) took a nice drive and made a quick stop at Ikei Island so Rana could have a run around.

Meals on Christmas included:

Ham sandwich on homemade sesame loaf

Ham, egg, and cheese pita toasted on the George Foreman Grill. Are you seeing a pattern? We have a lot of ham to eat!

Chris has also just been eating piles of ham. Literally, piles of ham. Nothing else, just ham.

I don't really have a way to tie this picture in. I just think Rana looks adorable perched up on Chris' recliner.

Today (Sunday) the weather finally cleared up and we took advantage of the blue skies! We picked up some sushi and headed to Zampa Point for a little picnic. When we got there we saw this guy headed to the water:

I'm not too sure about surfing in places where you need a helmet. Yikes!

Rana was quite good and while she might have looked at us longingly, she didn't full out beg.

That's probably a good thing because who could resist that face?!

She tried doing the chopsticks on her own, but her do-claw just wasn't cooperating. So, we had to help.

Rana has always been fascinated with shisa dogs. This pedestal gave her the opportunity to practice the part:

I think she makes a fantastic Shisa!

Here's the view from one of the outlooks:

Like I said, it was a gorgeous day!

Well, our sponsor Coke Zero, Chris, Rana, Oscar, and I would like to wish you all the best in 2010 and may you have:

Weekend Whirlwind

2009-12-16T23:32:00.001-08:00

Oh, what a weekend! I'm not sure we even had time to breathe. I started the weekend off right with a free 13km (just shy of 8 miles) Perimeter Road Fun Run. This run had me nervous mostly for the fact that I haven't run anything over 5 in the last 6-8 weeks. Once the Izena triathlon that I was training for was cancelled, I kind of gave up on longer distances. However, I tried to prepare right - I drank a lot of water the day before, had leftover pasta for dinner, and was in bed by 10 even though I worked until just after 9. I also was prepped for the morning:

The run was the perimeter of the flight line around Kadena Air Base. There are a couple medium hills at the end (they felt bigger when I was running), but otherwise it's pretty flat. I was very happy to run the whole thing (walking through 2 water stations) in 1:15. I had about 9:40 miles. I know I can go faster than that, but with my limited training I was satisfied.

When I came home my incredible husband told me to eat, shower, and nap because he was going to do the grocery shopping! I can't tell you what a gift that is! Commissaries (military grocery stores) are absolute madness on the weekend and I was so happy to not go.

The rest of the day was pretty low key because we were saving up all of our energy for the 17th SOS Squadron Party! These parties are fun and can get a little out of control. Apparently, we used to have it at the O-Club, but they politely told us we weren't welcome back. Now we have it at the NCO (non-commissioned officer's) club, but they've given us a closing time of midnight.

The dress this year was "black and white with a colorful accessory". It was like they had looked in my closet to pick the theme. I only have maybe 4 dresses. Two of them are ridiculously similar (I don't know what I was thinking), including the one I wore to last year's party. One is a wrap dress and I'm starting to think the print is obnoxious. That left me with one black and white dress that I paired with a red belt and some fire corral jewelry that I picked up in Thailand and Singapore. Chris looked fabulous in his black coat, a new grey shirt, and new tie. Here we are:

Man, we're adorable!

Here's Chris with Dave Rabe (his co-pilot when thy were deployed to the desert earlier this year):

Here's me with Konnie Glaze (from candy making night). She is by far my favorite Commander's wife ever. She made England a great experience. Now her husband is the Deputy Group Commander so they have to attend 7 (I think) of these parties! I do not envy her on that!

Here's another one of our favorite people, Brandon Pablo! He was with us in England and this was his first 17th Christmas Party.

Chris with his cycling partner BJ:

Apparently the year before we arrived there was some baseball played with the ornaments. You get the idea - shattered glass everywhere. This year the decorating committee was smart and got "shatterproof" ornaments from Wal-mart. However, that didn't stop our table from hoarding all of the ornaments! Here's Kelli Dillon gathering some treasures in her dress:

and transferring them to Brook Kelly:

We never really did anything with them, but we sure had a lot of balls!

Here is the squadron commander with some lovely ladies - Amy Sarduy and Jessica Hampton. Yes, he really is the commander, the boss, the man in charge. And yes, he really is wearing leather pants and a leather vest (ok, it might be pleather). In his defense, he and a couple other guys from the squadron made a band and performed, but still leather pants? Yikes!

This is Jess, Joleen Baker, and Michelle DeCarlo making a drink selection. The bar stayed open and free-flowing all night thanks to the Revolution.

Every year there is an auction that pays for the party. These auctions don't produce anything valuable except maybe blackmail pictures. People put bids on the people they want to see dressed up. There are a few costumes, including Santa, the Grinch, an elf, the sugar plum fairy, and this year they added a naughty Santa's helper to the mix. When we were in England Chris was lucky enough to get voted into the sugar plum fairy position. Let's have a looksee:

I can honestly say I've never had so many spouses come up and tell me what nice legs Chris has as I did that night.

Luckily for Chris he managed to fly under the radar this year. I have a feeling next year could be a different story. Here's this year's line up:

Than as Santa, Brandon as his naughty helper, Redman as the sugar plum fairy, the DO (second in command) as the Grinch, and Chadler as the elf (please note that the kilt was his).

My favorite was definitely Pablo:

He looked ridiculously good in that dress!

As the party wore on I thought it would be a good idea to get a little more comfy:

This might have been my best idea ever. Nobody even noticed the slippers!

Also as the night wore on, people got a little crazy:

My friend Jessica felt the need to prove to us that she can still do splits. I don't think any of us were telling her she couldn't, but now we have proof that she can indeed still do them.

Jess is one of my favorite people on island. She's very bubbly and good at bringing people together. Here we are together:

Here's Chris getting down with a tambourine:

One more shot of us looking cute and then I'll move on to Sunday:

When we woke up Sunday we decided that Rana needed a little fun time so we headed to the beach. On our way we stopped at Subway and while we were gone Rana decided to take over my seat. Naughty dog!

But she's so stinking cute. I like Chris' look of concern in the reflection.

When we got to the beach, Rana made a friend - Riley.

Riley was a little older, but very patient with our obnoxious pup. Labs are such good dogs.

After the beach we had to head to my work party - a pot luck at the Youth Center. It wasn't as crazy as the 17th party, which was probably a good thing.

Here's Chris getting crazy on the poly-pong table:

Here's Yuriko (in black), her daughter, and some of her 9 grandchildren. They were all very sweet and well behaved. Yuriko is our mama-san, cleaning lady. She is so sweet and always makes these incredible flower arrangements for the Youth Center.

Here is Zoey (her mom, Karen, works with me in the rec room):

These aren't the best shots, but just so you can start putting faces with names here our my co-workers:

That's Karen, Jessica, and Rhonda.

Here's Mary and her husband Jason:

They brought a chocolate fountain. It was a huge hit, especially with the kids:

We had an incredible potluck, an ornament exchange, and some good Christmas music. It was a very nice afternoon.

What can you do in 5 minutes?

2009-12-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

If you're like most people these days, you might find yourself a little short on time. After all, what can someone do given only 5 minutes? Here are some of the things I came up with. I can:

- empty the dishwasher

- shower if no shaving is involved

- brush my teeth - twice

- listen to my favorite song - currently "Don't Stop Believing" thanks to 'Glee'

- pack my lunch

- make a grocery list

- take the dog on her last outing before bedtime

- prepare my morning yoatmeal (yummy)

- check Facebook or email

So, you see I can get a lot done given just 300 ticks of a watch. However, nothing I do in 5 minutes is as impressive as what Chris accomplished this morning. Today Chris reached his goal of running a sub-5:00 mile. Those of you that know Chris know that he's a pretty quick runner, but he hasn't run under 5:00 in 12 years! That was his junior year of high school (yes, for all you math whizzes and smart alecks, I was completing my first of two senior years of college at that time).
He decided on our cruise that he wanted to get this goal accomplished before he hits the big three-oh in July. I'm pretty sure he was prepared to have this goal last a couple months. He was already talking about losing 10 pounds to help him get faster and he's done some speed work the last couple weeks, but today was the day!

The top number is his final time: 4:57.02! Amazing! The bottom time is the time it took him on the fourth lap - a smoking 69 seconds!
Now I run, but I don't run like Chris. I don't have his runner's build, the smooth, effortless-looking gait, or the speed, but even more than that I don't know how to put in the effort Chris does. I have felt in races that I have put in a very good effort. You know, I'm breathless and sometimes even nauseous. But when Chris comes across the finish line you know he's left it all out on the course - his breathing is slightly scary, he's red in the face, and he has this vein near his eye that likes to bulge out. He has told me that he was way worse in high school - I can't imagine that! Today all his hard work paid off.

He was so fast he's a blur! OK, really that's just me not finding the right camera mode button on the very dark track. I know it's super blurry, but I think you can still see the effort that he had just exerted.
These are from a couple minutes later when I found the right button and Chris had recovered a little:

So, that's what it looks like to be fast!Congratulations Chris!