Why I run

"Our running shoes are really erasers. Every step erases some memory of a past failure. Every mile brings us closer to a clean slate. Each foot strike rubs away a word, a look, or an event which led us to believe that success was beyond our grasp." - John Bingham

Why hello there new shoes.  I foresee a lot of running time together in the near future.  

Oh and yes, I'm a penguin.  Why do you ask?  ;)

Personal Lab

I grew up in a family where children were simply prohibited in the kitchen.  The only job that kids had were to study hard, do the occasional cleaning chore, and make sure that good grades appeared on report cards.

This resulted in a rather startled and bemused reaction on my behalf when I moved out of the dorms into an apartment of my own during my college days.  Cook?  What do you mean cook?  I could boil water, blanche greens and cook rice.  But anything beyond the scope of 3 steps was completely foreign to me.

Luckily, being a science major meant that I would have a lot of practice with set rigid protocols when it came to experiments.  When I realized that recipes were quite similar to work protocols, ecstatic was the only emotion that coursed through me while I thought about the possibilities of creations.

Fast forward 6 years later, I'm still experimenting and the thrill of trying my hand at different recipes has never abated.

At this moment, my fingers smell of bay leaves and lemon.  Garlic, rosemary, and the aroma of meat cooking on stove top permeate the air.

Tonight's experiment?  Pulled pork from pork butt boiled in a dutch oven.

We shall see in a couple more hours.  <3

Sunday

My sanctuary.  I definitely need to do this more often.

Officially Half Crazy

My first half marathon was everything I thought it to be and so much more.  Due to not being able to run for the past 2 weeks thanks to travelling and jetlag, I decided to run with my sister and finish our first half together. 

I could go into so much more detail, but I wouldn’t want to bore you with how hungry I was at mile 6 and on and discovering that the promised Gu by the organization by mile 4 and 9 didn’t show, how badly I needed to pee at mile 9 but didn’t want to go because I was “almost there”, and mostly how grateful I am that I have this opportunity to do something pretty insane (okay, half insane, we’ll use the whole word for the full) for myself.

Today, one day after, sore as hell waddling all over the place, I signed up for my second half.  

I will be aiming to run all three half marathons in SoCal this calendar year and earn the Triple Crown metal (Oh Look! 4 for the price of 3!!! I can never resist a good deal)

I think I finally get it.  Get why everyone is so crazy about this sport called running.  It may have started out as a method of cheap weight loss, but it has turned into something much much more.  You name it: stress reliever, pain in the rear (literally and figuratively), alone time, endorphin rush…but most importantly of all - self validation and confidence. 

Hello, my name is Alice, and I am a runner and I hope to see you on the road.

Drive By

<3!!!

Of course this is totally giving me the opposite effect since I should really be asleep (damn you jet lag), but listening to this just makes me want to get up and dance.

Oye.  So conflicted!

Family Outing

I haven't been running for the past week due to family duties and the weather.  I kinda of miss it and am slightly worried about my half coming up in 16 days.  

However, I'm also determine that I enjoy these days off and spend some time with family.  Dilemma eh?

But after going through the series of pictures I took today during a family outing, somehow it isn't that much of a dilemma anymore.  

No?

Jet Lagged

So I’m currently in Taiwan, jet lagged and debating if I should venture out into the rain to purchase breakfast.

Coming back to the family home has become more and more of a culture shock as time goes by. I use to think that I’m a good traveller. You know, one who makes the best of everything, and language barriers are alright as long as you use English and make your attempt in gesturing. Here in Taiwan, I’m not so much a traveller; in their (relatives and people interacting with) eyes, I’m one of them and should act accordingly.

One thing that has always bothered me, even when I was growing up here, was the obsession that Asian people have regards to weight. If one isn’t stick thin, then they must be fat. So suffice to say, I was the obese chick that came back from the land of obese people.

Yesterday afternoon, when relatives congregated in the living room catching up and just talking about life in general. One of my aunts was telling me how I should start walking like she does, every day for 4km. That way, it will help me lose weight more and be healthier. I looked at her a little funny, and said “Sure, erm, when do you walk again? I’ll join you.”

That afternoon, once we hit the track, I just took off and didn’t look back until I caught up with her again when I started my second lap. We were done “excercising” within the half an hour, since the wind was getting too strong - if I let it, I’d probably be running backwards- and getting dark.

My aunt turns to me and says “Hey you are pretty fast! I’m amazed”

Score one for the plump chick.

Just she waits until I’m fully rested (I was running on 3 1/2 hours of sleep for the past 48 hours and caffeine thanks to jet lag).

P.S. Just to clarify, I don’t see my self as obese. A little plump? Have 30lbs to lose? Yes. But I’ve decided since I started running again in Nov 2011 that I will like my body and the slow weight loss process I am putting it through. I’m done disliking my own body, and I’m done with people telling me what and how I should think in regards to my own body. That is all. :)