runs and rests

Moving!

2009-08-23T12:58:00.006+09:00

Thanks for dropping by. I moved! Hope you keep running (and resting) with me! :D

http://runsrests.wordpress.com/

Rested Knees and Dough Kneading

2009-08-21T09:40:00.007+09:00

Thursday was a rest day for me and with the evening wide open without a run, I decided to make bread. Inspired by Sagan's post, I thought it was time to face my fears of yeast, kneading, and dough rising. My first attempt last night resulted to rock hard bread due to my carelessness in reading oven settings. :P I was determined though so I found another recipe for kids so that even a first timer like me wouldn't go wrong. List of ingredients was short: flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and water. I actually had fun kneading and bashing the dough. While the dough rested, I was too excited to focus on my book and couldn't wait to see how my first risen dough would turn out. After two hours, I became a believer. I saw it with my own eyes - Dough does rise. Haha. A revelation for a quick bread lover that I am. :P Less than 30 minutes after, I had freshly baked babies.

{Fresh Plaids}

I have a couple questions for the more seasoned baker readers. Kindly fill me in on these things. Thanks! :D
- If a recipe calls to let the dough rest for 2 hours, would it make a difference if I let it rest for an extra couple hours? Will it still be okay to let the dough rest overnight?
- At what point does one add the spices, herbs, nuts, etc. to the dough? How about toppings? I added the sesame seeds just before baking but they didn't stick to the bread very well.

{Sesame Spill}

While this may only be the lazy version of Sarah's breakfast challenge, eating bread that I personally made from scratch put a smile on my breakfast face. Being the balanced person that I'd like to think I am, I had one slice with fig jam and another with whole grain mustard and avocado this morning. One sweet, the other tangy.

Weekend is just around the corner! I've got a long run, a barbeque party, and grocery shopping to look forward to. What do you have in store for the weekend?

Half Marathon Training: Go!

2009-08-18T15:17:00.007+09:00

Forgive the nerdy runner in me but I thought I should post how my training is going. Not only will it serve as a monitoring tool for my progress (regress?) but hopefully will also make me accountable to you all. :P Plus, some tips and comments are most welcome.

Here's how Week01 went:

{HMT Week01}

Along with that spreadsheet, I also posted my weekly run calendar in my wall. Crossing each day's workout with my pink highlighter gives me much satisfaction, yeah! I may be guilty of over-analyzing but I write more details there such as: running shoes used, with or w/o music, suspected cause of tummy trouble, etc. Last week's runs were all sans music while this week I'll be strapping the shuffle. Do you run faster with or without music?

Another thing that I observed was that my legs hurt more when I'm walking or standing. During the two non-running days, I felt tightness on my legs when we went walking and shopping. These two days were after four running days so maybe that's the reason. My weekly run plan is supposed to follow a 3(day)run-1rest-2run-1nonrun pattern but I had to adjust. Another possible culprit is that I haven't iced my knees/shins after any of the runs last week. Hopefully, Week02 won't be as busy so I can stick with the 3-1-2-1 pattern. Also, I shall make it a point to ice after every run this week.

The past week was abnormally hectic and I had to say no to half of the social activities. I feel a bit guilty not hanging out with friends more and choosing to run. But it would be worse if I went but my mind was lost in thoughts such as: "By this time, I would have been at mile02/at the last mile/stretching/etc." Yeah, I love running. :D I'd say this week was balanced - went on staycation, had great times with friends, and still managed to cross HMTraining Week01 with a big pink DONE! Happy running!

Update: Karena has a giveaway to celebrate her 100th blog post! She's giving away items every runner would want - socks, gels, Luna Moons, headphones, and Nuun. Go!

Staycation Highlights

2009-08-15T15:12:00.006+09:00

{Yuriko Sensei's rare smile was a surprise when I saw this pic.}

Wearing yukata (summer kimono) at amusement/theme parks is normal practice during summer. It was a fun experience when we spent Friday evening in the park to watch fireworks and just hang out. While we had to follow school rules, it sure was a lot more relaxed since we were on staycation. Food was still delicious and I enjoyed helping out at the kitchen. As always, miso soup, tea, and pickled veggies were always served with our meals. Love Love Love Japanese homecooking. :D

The school principal treated us to lunch at an eat-all-you-can yakiniku place. Check out my eats. I started with sushi, asparagus, pineapple, pasta salad, brocolli, and peaches.

{Salad and Sushi}

While the principal grilled beef, I used my grill space for satsuma imo (sweet potatoes), kabocha, and squid steak. I think I amused him when I also threw in some of the peaches and pineapple in the grill. :P

{Lower Half of the Grill: Kabocha, SweetPs, Squid Steak, PApple, Peaches}

Second tray. Grapefruit, orange, onion, and more kabocha. A scoop each of chocolate and matcha ice cream. There were tons of flavors to choose from but I had my heart on these two flavas from the very start. :D A bowl of cold udon on shiso flavored sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds. Last saucer contains a takoyaki, slice of omelette, and nimono (stewed carrots, renkon, and daikon).

{MORE Kabocha, Fruits, Choc&Matcha Ice Cream, Udon, Takoyaki, Omu, Nimono}

We chose half of the pastry selection for sharing. Here are my six bites of sweet heaven: plain cheesecake, strawberry cc, mango cc, chocolate cake, angel cake, and strawberry shortcake. PLUS, edamame! :D

{Cake and Edamame}

Do you think I overindulged? Personally, I think I handled this buffet well. I skipped the fried rice, curries, fried potatoes, fried chicken, yakisoba, spaghetti, salad dressings, and a lot of the high calorie items. While everybody else grilled meat, I was very much satisfied and comfortable grilling my kabocha and onions. My fave pick for this buffet was the chilled asparagus. The last buffet I went to, my fave was wakame salad in ponzu sauce. Haha. :D It must be the heat.

How do you handle buffets? Do you choose your fave dishes or do you like getting a bite of everything? If I had it my way, I wouldn't go to an eat-all-you-can restaurant. For me, the amount of available food choices is just not normal. One needs to exert more restraint compared to when one simply orders what s/he wants from a menu.

Back To School Staycation

2009-08-12T11:32:00.004+09:00

Before starting work at a Japanese company, I took Nihongo and Japanese culture classes at an international school for 3 months. Living at the dorm, I had to comply with strict rules and schedules. We woke up before 6am, cleaned, exercised, then had breakfast at 7. We had classes the entire day with an hour break for lunch. Dinner was served at granny o'clock (6pm), bath at 7, and lights out by 10. Another rule that I found shocking there was that students weren't aloud to eat while walking in campus!

Being invited to stay at the school for four days at Week01 of my HMTraining, I immediately made adjustments with my run sked. I can still fit in runs for Days 1 (before I leave) and 4 (when I get back). For the two full days that I'm at the school, adjustments are necessary. I'm not sure about the activities planned for this staycation. I don't have as much freedom with time though, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to homecooked Japanese meals, though! :D A fun thing about the school is that we get to help with the food preparation, table setting, and cleaning.

I have already found a route for a short 3 miler. The problem would be if I can find the time to sneak in even a short run. If this was a regular vacation, that wouldn't be a problem at all. Like I said earlier, the school HAS RULES and I just have to find a way to bend them. :P

{Lake Run (I hope!)}

If I can't squeeze a run in those two days, I still have my Rest Day card for the week and power yoga instead. The TV room was always empty when I was there so hopefully I'll be able to use that as my personal yoga room. :)

What would you do if you had a couple extra hours added to your day? I'd choose to sleep or to run. Dear runners, how do you keep with your training schedule while on vacation? Happy Hump Day y'all! :D

Lake Night Rest and Early Morning Run

2009-08-10T13:42:00.009+09:00

My official training has started today and I'm glad to report that my 3 mile easy run for the day is DONE. Yey! Some of you suggested for me to get more mileage on the next four weeks but I decided to start with the training plan instead. It's my first time using a program and I was worried with how I would respond to following scheduled runs as compared to running whenever I felt like it. I figured I should start now and see how it goes so that I could have more time to make adjustments if needed. Obviously, it's still too early to tell if I like sticking with a plan. Waking up today knowing that I had a 3 mile run per schedule was enough motivation for me to lace up and hit the road though. I wore the Mizunos for their second run and I'm loving them. They now have 8 miles shaved off their running life. :P The Asics have yet to be tested sometime this week. Now, I'm including shoe details on my training log to also keep track of each pair's mileage.

Backing up to the weekend that was, Saturday was spent by the lake with friends and their kids. Naomi was so full of energy the entire day. She tried to learn how to use her mom's camera but gave up after 2 seconds.

{Never too young (or old) to learn something new!}

She also played by the lakeside under the watchful eye of K, entertained us with her funny dancing, and ran around while waiting for the sun go down.

{Oh to be a kid again!}

We got to the lake a couple hours before the fireworks so we had plenty of time to kill. Onigiri (rice balls), cold tea, and chips were passed around along with fun conversation. When I asked Jacob (whose 6th birthday it was that day!) what he misses most about the US, I got an honest and funny answer: STUFFED CRUST PIZZAS! He asked why in the world don't Japan and Canada have them?! Don't they really have those in Canada? We have those back in the Philippines so I thought it was available everywhere. Then it was time for fireworks.

{Lake Pic Before Battery Fail}

My battery died on me so that's all I got to show for you. :D The show was better than I expected. It went on for an hour and there were a lot of oohs and aahs from the crowd. Whenever everybody thought it was the finale, we would clap in appreciation but the show went on with more surprises. It was a great night.

Sunday was more laid back: reading, veggie shopping, dropping by friends' place and later walking in the park. I got home and baked brownies for this week's running fuel. :P They worked on this morning's run. :D Even if its hot hot hot, that didn't stop me from making Thai Green Curry. Yeah, it came from a can but all these fresh veg more than made up for health points, right? Carrots, eggplant, goya, kabocha, and soy beans - it was an explosion of flava! The curry had 4.5 chili points and boy was it HOT! I love the creamy coconut milk and sharp taste of lemon grass .

{Veggie Thai Green Curry on Rice Penne}

To balance the heat, this simple and quick salad was just the right side dish. Mushed tofu mixed with wholegrain mustard made a creamy sauce for some organic cucumbers bought from the road stand. Not too pretty but definitely refreshingly good.

{Cool as Cukes}

I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend. I hope it wasn't as hot and humid as it was here! Stay cool and happy Monday!

Double Eight and Honest Ten

2009-08-08T08:58:00.012+09:00

I love 8's, today's 8/8 and I'm feeling extra great! It's the weekend and exactly two months before the 8th of October - my 26th birthday. Yahoo! :D It's never too early to get excited about one's special day, right? Right! This morning, I woke up at 6 and the sun was already beating down hard so no run for me. Instead I did some yoga and after an hour or so started my weekend eats with porky pancakes. Using whole wheat flour for the first time, I was quite worried how it will turn out but the results were so good I ate two right after they came off the pan and decided to bake the rest of the batter into my fave - whole wheat banana bread. Are you sick of reading about my banana breads yet? I can't help it! I just love them. Haha.

“This award is bestowed upon a fellow blogger whose blog content or design is, in the giver’s opinion, brilliant. This award is about bloggers who post from their heart, who oftentimes put their heart on display as they write from the depths of their soul.“

Awww, Katharina is a real sweetheart and passed me this award. Thank you! So I'm supposed to list 10 honest things about myself. Well, here goes nothing:

1. I love that I am able to amuse/entertain myself with whatever way I can. While I enjoy spending time with others, I am perfectly comfortable being on my own. There's the tv, internet, running, cooking, and reading to keep me busy. Other times, I play with my camera and whatever catches my fancy. Salt and pepper shakers were two of my first subjects when I first got my camera.

{Salt&Pepper Wedding}

2. My family and I are fortunate enough to be able to afford balanced meals everyday. I often write about my obsession with fruits and vegetables and you may get the impression that everybody eats the same way as I do back in the Philippines. It's sad to admit though that malnutrition is a huge health concern in my country where about 28 million Filipinos are unable to buy food to meet their nutritional requirements and other basic needs.

3. Issues (such as the one mentioned above) and current events (from Mischa's meltdown to wars) sometimes seem too distant or too huge for me to comprehend that I feel nothing but apathy. It's been said that being indifferent is the worst state and I hate that my apathy stems from feeling like I can't help the situation at all.

4. They say (Who are they anyway?) that one may choose to live life whatever way s/he wants. Only rule is not to hurt others while living your own life. I'm guilty of this attitude sometimes (read item 3) but I'm working on not only loving myself but loving others as well. I know I love my family and friends to death but I have to work on being a better person for other people as well.

5. Maybe items 3 and 4 are the reasons why I'm still single? Haha! Is it really too much to ask for somebody just like my Dad for a boyfriend - handsome, humble, smart, and funny?

6. While I don't care much for makeup, I take the time to prettify photographs. Since I forgot to snap a picture of my breakfast, I took a pic of my pan. Here's why I called them porky pancakes. I wish I could send a pan to each one of you; I really do!

{Unwashed Porky Pancake Pan: Haha, how very classy!}

7. Sorry, TMI but I like getting sweaty. After a run, I relish the moment when I'm doing my stretches and the sweat just pours out from my uhmmm, pores. It feels so cleansing. Makes the shower feel 13,453 times more refreshing! Don't worry; I drink more than enough water throughout the day and after a workout for optimum hydration. :P

8. I don't get contented easily. Don't we all? I feel like my writing, pictures, running, and many other things are so so. Compliments are reassuring but then I'd always find faults and imperfections. It can be seen in a positive light though - a passion for continuous improvement maybe?

9. I can never follow a recipe to the letter. :s I improvise and experiment with my cooking after taking inspiration from others. Oh yeah, Julia - here's the recipe for the kinako banana bread. For everybody else who can't read Nihongo - it's basically mixing bananas with store bought pancake mix (bonus points for honesty)! :D Since I just have to mess with every recipe, I nixed the sugar and doubled the banana. Then I added kinako since I'm addicted to it. Here's my freshly baked BBread from today's breakfast leftover batter (without kinako) which was so moist. It was a good thing I added a bit of water since I read that WW flour absorbs more liquid than all-purpose flour.

{Whole Wheat Banana Bread}

10. PB used to be my crack but when I moved to Japan (where food is the best but lacking in PB awesomeness), I found a worthy replacement in kinako. It's toasted soy bean flour and is used in Japanese traditional sweets. Everything kinako flavored, I tried it - mochi, Kitkat, donuts, ice cream, soy milk (soy overload much?), everything. But the best way for me is to eat a spoonful straight from the bag. Haha!

{KinakoDonut by MisDo: Check out their mouth watering summer goodies!}

I'm going against the rule and not tagging 7 fellow bloggers but I'd love to hear about a random fact or two about yourself at the comments! :D I'm off to watch fireworks tonight, still no plans for tomorrow, and half marathon training starts next week! Eeep! Enjoy your weekend, dolls!

Half-Day Eats and Half Marathon Training Question

2009-08-05T11:53:00.007+09:00

Since I am currently living alone, I get to eat whatever I want. It is a double edged sword for sure. Nobody's stopping me when I feel like ice cream and chocolates for breakfast. While I have my moments and make less healthy food decisions at times, I'm thankful that I love fruits and vegetables so that it's easy for me to get my fill of 10 various veggies in a day. Yes, I do make a fruits and veggie count and panic a bit when the number drops to 5 veg/2 fruits. :P Do you live alone? If not, do the people you live with share your healthy eating habits?

{Breakfast: Egg, mizuna, shaved carrots, green pepper in gim/Korean nori}

I loved how the warm egg made the nori melty yummy. Blogging snack was a slice of banana bread, frozen banana slices, and frozen grapes. This time, I added kinako (soy bean flour) to the mix for some protein action and topped with black sesame seeds. Wiki says that: "About one-third of the sesame crop imported by the United States from Mexico is purchased by McDonald's for their sesame seed buns (The Nut Factory 1999)". That's a lotta buns! Protein in a sweet slice of bread, winner methinks.

{Snack: A Slice of Kinako Banana Bread}

Check out my watermelon August calendar at the background, love the color contrast. :D I had plans of trying to make Thai Green Curry but the heat is killing me so that will have to wait another day. :s Instead, I deciced to recycle left over carrots, green pepper, and mizuna to make a salad. With thinly sliced cucumber and gluten free rice penne; it made for a quick cool lunch. Haha, lazy me. There's still a big container of that in the fridge so I can have it whenever the tummy grumbles.

{Lunch: Rice Penne with Veg + Raw Tofu}

That was refreshing. I'm gonna have another serving of that later with some slices of avocado for the healthy fats! Whew! I'm only half-way through my eats for the day. I am truly amazed at bloggers who post all their eats every single day! You guys are awesome.

Running Question: Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Plan is 12 weeks but I have 16 weeks to go (not including this week) before the race, how should I go about that? I plan on repeating 4 weeks (ex: W1, W2, W5, W6) depending on how each training week goes. Any suggestions? Super thanks!

There's an Imelda in Everybody

2009-08-03T08:33:00.013+09:00

Imelda is the widow of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. She is the best known shoe collector in the world owning over 3,000 pairs! Can you imagine if she was a runner?! Her shoe closet would definitely be the envy of us all, right? I don't have the money to buy even a hundred pairs of shoes but this weekend, I managed to start with a tiny 0.1% start to building my personal Imelda Running Shoe Collection.

{Brand Testing: Asics, Mizuno, Adidas}

Each pair fit me really well. I gave them a test run at the shop and they feel exactly the way my favorite and well worn running shoes do. My plan is to test out these three different brands and then decided which one I feel best with. Then I'll probably stick with that brand after. We'll see. Another shopping score this weekend were these organic goya (bitter gourd) and cucumbers! I was hesitant on picking up the goya since the ones I had before very too bitter for my taste. Thankfully, these ones had just the right bitterness level and added a different flavor to my bento today. :D

{ODed on Veggies and Shoes}

After my first ever 12 miler, I didn't run on the weekend and cross trained with power yoga and biking instead. I did register for the November half marathon and only need to pay by September to make it official. Jo (Aki's husband) wanted to join to but he's expecting family from the States by then so it's a no go for him. Hopefully Rea will want to run at least the 10K. She's vacationing back in the Philippines so I'll ask her when she gets back. :D

After looking over some half marathon training guides, Hal Higdon's seems to be the best fit for me. With just two months' running experience, I think the Novice program's ideal. After all it would be my first race and I wouldn't want to overtrain and get injured. However, having done well with distance and wanting to work on my speed, I'm tempted to follow the Intermediate plan which includes speedwork. What do you think?

I had plans to ride a train to Nagoya to watch the World Cosplay Summit but the rain kept me from going. :S Maybe that explains why I ODed on shoes instead. :P With the rain turning everything gray outside, I had soulful food to warm my tummy.

{Udon}

Also, I had the last slices of the banana bread on a weirdly cool Sunday morning. This loaf lasted a week which was a miracle for me, a banana bread monster. A slice (plus some other food) before or after my runs was my "secret" running fuel the past week. As a matter of fact, I baked another loaf for this week's runs. Hope that one lasts at least until Friday. :D

{BB with Honey Roasted Peanuts and Coconut Flakes}

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Here's to a fantastic start to a brand new month!

Mental + Physical Muscles @ Work

2009-07-30T23:40:00.007+09:00

Now, where do I start? I'll just go ahead. Weee, I just ran my PDR to date: 12 miles. (Twirls 3x with a BIG SMILE across my face!) Like all my long runs, this one was not planned. My mental muscles were at work on a task the entire day and I felt the need to unwind with a long run. Taking a quick break from my task, I found myself mapping a 12 miler loop. So it was decided that I was going to run a long one tonight. After work, Aki sent me a message inviting me to hang out with her and Tara. Since I was going to see them on Saturday anyway, I passed on a girls' night out for a RUN.

{Beauty About To Bloom}

When I got home, I immediately ate my pre-run fuel. While waiting for my tummy to settle, I cleaned up my pad and folded the laundry. Yeah, I even strapped on my single bottle belt while doing these chores so that I would not be tempted to back out. Haha. I also snuck in 2 energy bars in the small pocket for mid-run fuel. After an hour, off I went.

I spent the first minute adjusting and getting used to the belt. By then end of Mile01, I hardly noticed it. At Mile02, a guy passed me and I wanted to catch up but I reminded myself to take it slow since this was going to be a long one. I kept going at a steady pace and before I knew it, I was at Mile05 and about to make my turn on the loop. I also made sure to greet every walker/runner I met; I was on a high! I drank my water and took a bite of the energy bar whenever I stopped at red lights. The beauty of this loop was that the first half has a lot of trees while the second half is on the city side walk. So the route offers variety and lots of opportunity to sight see. :D Totally unlike my 10 miler! It was pretty neat passing by the dainty cafes and watching people dining inside while I felt so good about running outside. I'll have to admit though that I was tempted to take a detour at the kaiten (revolving/conveyor belt) sushi bars. That would have been insane!

From Miles06-09, I was in autopilot mode. It was just a matter of putting one leg infront of the other. At the last quarter of my route, I was getting tired. When I remembered the email I got from my youngest sister that morning, I got re-energized. She was so exited to tell me about her landing her first job fresh after graduating from university. I was imagining all sorts of fun things for her at her new job and the daydreaming helped me go through at least 2 miles. When I was around 500 meters away from my 12 mile mark, I just gave it my all.

{Worth The Wait}

I read somewhere that a long run is supposed to be enjoyed so that one should not be huffing and puffing by the end. That's what I did and didn't worry about my pace. Again, your tips helped me so much tonight. The water bottle belt and pre/mid/post-run fuel are indeed important for me on long runs. I only ate one of the energy bars mid-run and was not feeling hungry after but I knew I had to eat something. I had half a toast with beans, 1/4 banana, and peanuts. Stretched, took a cold bath, and iced my knees.

OMGOMGOMG, I think I found a race I could join. It's a half marathon at the end of November. Would you believe that last year's 1st placer (W 16-39 years old) ran the half in 1:24:38?! Is that normal? I was shocked! Any tips for speed training? I'll need Aki's help with the website translation and registration. Yay! :D

Lovely

2009-07-29T08:59:00.005+09:00

Kelly gave me my first ever blog award and I'm thrilled. Thanks Kelly! She is super cool; she finished a sprint triathlon a couple weeks ago! Plus, she's planning her own wedding so expect more loveliness in her blog.

{Lovely}

I'm supposed to pass this award to 15 blogs. Val, Kailey, and Karena's are lovely and they've also received this one. In place of the three, I'm including Allie, Katharina, and Maya so you can check them out if you're not reading their blogs yet. I've only started visiting theirs but I'm sure to go back for more lovely reads. Hopefully, I'll have the time to update my blog roll this weekend.

Live Laugh Eat
Burp and Slurp
the whole plate
MegaNerdRuns
Healthy Ashley
Eating for England
She Runs Brooklyn
Chocolate Shoestrings
American Gourmande
Girl With The Red Hair
Angie's Appetite for Life
Katharina's Food Adventures
Running To Slow Things Down
Madison's Healthy Happenings
Living Healthy in the Real World

If you're a Lovely Blog Awardee, kindly pass it on to 15 people and let them know you gave it to them :) I wish I could give everybody the award though so I'm sending you some virtual chocolate loving instead. :D

{Bitter Chocolate With A Spicy Kick Fit For A Kitty Princess}

As the rain pours outside, I lie on the floor near the balcony. After a little rain watching, I pick up a book and lose myself in the story while nibbling on good chocolate. Dolls, tell me about a lovely thing you like doing.

Last July Weekend

2009-07-27T08:41:00.006+09:00

Unlike the other weekend which was packed and I had to sacrifice sleep, this weekend was more balanced. I like how refreshed I am on a Monday morning after a great weekend. I hope yours was great, too!

Food. My weekend eats were great. I made double serving of curried veggies on Saturday because curry tastes even better the day after methinks. The food spread at Aki and Jo's Saturday Socials consisted of organic tortillas, salsa, chocolate chip banana bread, and gyouza (pot stickers). I love it that Aki is a healthy foodie so we totally clicked! She shared the banana bread recipe she used which is from a young Japanese lady's blog. Looks like I'll be baking me some banana goodness this week. What is your favorite pastry to bake? In my family, I'm the least talented baker but banana bread is something I can manage. :D

{Chocolate Chip Banana Bread}

On Sunday, I heated the leftover curry with cheese before heading out biking and shopping. Dinner was at friends' party where I also had ice cream. While I don't cook with meat now (and have also stopped cooking fish a few weeks ago), I have a bit of meat/fish at social situations. I'd still prefer meatless options but if there's none available, I do eat a bit like that single piece of gyouza at Aki's and spaghetti with meat sauce at the party. Whatever eater you are (raw, vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, omnivore, etc.), moderation is key. I say, eat healthy. Period. :D

Sleep. I'm not done yet with "The Omnivore's Dilemma" but have started Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina". Cross reading the two very different books is interesting. I'm enjoying reading and it's a great way to make me sleepy when my brain won't just shut down. I got my ideal 7 hours of sleep during the weekend and now feel so much better compared to last Monday. Did you sleep well over the weekend?

Move. Ran 4 miles on Saturday and biked on Sunday. It was my first time running at 3PM and was it hot and humid! :S The heat must have helped because I just wanted to get the run done with quickly. That meant a faster run and therefore faster pace. Score for turning a negative thing to my advantage! Haha. Also, thank you very much for all your encouragement and tips on my first ever 10 miler. It's amazing how much support we receive from people we haven't met in real life, right?

It will be August this coming Saturday! :D Let's rock the last days of July! Have a great week ahead.

Aliens are scratching their heads...

2009-07-24T10:39:00.004+09:00

{Multiplicity}

No, your eyes are not fooling you. That's the course I ran last night. 1.25 miles each way, 2.5 miles out and back. I did that four times to complete my first ever double digit run. 10 miles, done!

The aliens from way up there are not the only ones thinking I'm crazy for running the same route four times. There were also a couple high school boys at one of the intersections chatting away and must have wondered what the heck was wrong with me as I passed by them EIGHT times! Haha. It does not really bother me at all. Hey, I even do my stretches and weird moves outside. Cooling down outdoors with the fresh air and the gentle evening wind is awesome.

+ Amazed that whenever the wind blew, water trapped on the trees' leaves would fall on me in large drops. I love it when that happens! Such simple and natural beauty.
+ Savored a relatively large dinner. I was hungry after the run. That never happened to me before.
+ Enjoyed an alternating cold/hot shower. Have you ever tried doing this? Some say it's bad; others say it works wonders for the health.
+ Slept like a baby. Hmmm.
+ Feeling no soreness today since I remembered to ice my knees and to keep my legs elevated.

- Underestimated that 10 miles was a long run and ate only 1/4 banana and 1/4 rye bread thus felt a little hungry by mile 8. Any pre-long run fuel suggestions? Thanks!
Yeah, that's it. Otherwise, everything else was great.

Now why on earth would I run the same out and back four times? Hydration. See, I still don't own a hydration belt so what I do is to go back to my start point. That's where my bike (with the water bottle) is parked. It allows me three walking and re-hydration breaks. Plus, 10 miles seems like forever so I decided to break it up into four short runs. Good strategy? Or should I just go on and get myself a single belt bottle? Karena shared some great info here.

Snacking Around The World

2009-07-22T15:28:00.008+09:00

Although I don't eat cereals often, the fun packaging got me. So, I sampled cereals from Lithuania! Their website states: "In exhibition World Food Ukraine in Kiev, our best products Cinamoni and Nuttys won Grand Prix and Golden Medal in tasting contest." Looks like the ones available at my favorite imported grocery shop are winners! I like how the cereals were not overly sweet. Yum. What's your fave cereal?

{Cinamoni&Nuttys}

Next up, caramelized biscuits from Belgium. These were perfect match with tea as I read on a rainy afternoon. A bit dry and crumbly, I did not mind dunking them in the tea.

{Speculoos Lotus}

Where do your bananas come from? The ones here are from the Philippines. Ever since reading about Gena's Banana Soft Serve last month, I've been making and having some. I had it plain, with cinnamon, and with dark chocolate. It's simply the best. Today, I had some topped with black sesame. The toasty seeds gave the creamy bananas a bit of crunch action, not that it needed that.

{Kitty Jiggles in Approval!}

While it is best to purchase local, I am guilty of buying imported food. My reason could be as silly as cute packaging, or the excitement of trying something foreign, or that there simply are no bananas in Japan. Do you buy at imported food shops? It's like taking a foodie trip around the world, right?

Weekend Wii + Wee Bit of Sleep

2009-07-20T15:04:00.005+09:00

I'm suffering from the Manic Monday Syndrome right now. I can't wait for the workday to end so I could nap, try a new eggplant dish, and go for an evening walk, then SLEEP. My weekend in bullets:

. Found some great produce Saturday morning.
. Made new friends and bonded over Wii, faith, books, and good conversation. This might become a Saturday Evening Socials kind of thing. They even created my own Mii! :P
. Nibbled on freshly baked brownies and okra tempura at said socials. Would love to try making the tempura with my okra but the heat is killing me.
. Ruined my optimal sleep streak by Wii-ing way past midnight. It was my first time playing it. I'm so behind, I know. :s Although it was fun, I'd still prefer real exercise any day of the week. You a Wii fan?
. Slept over at Rea's but couldn't really fall asleep. Hate it when that happens. Before I knew it, the sun was up and we had to go out for the scheduled run.
. Completed the entire lake loop on Sunday morning. Even if Rea opted to bike instead, I still pushed for a run.
. Learned about how a friend's eating habits are significantly different from mine. It's not a matter of who's right or wrong. As I don't like being judged for what I eat, I accept that what works for me doesn't necessarily work for others.
. Biked around to parts of the city I've never been to. Spent the rest of Sunday at the mall where I drank good coffee and snacked endlessly. Checked out running gear and bought some fun and soon to be tested snackies. :P
. Got rained on my ride back home but it did not bother me. It was a refreshing break from the heat.

That's it. It was a fun Wiikend and my only regret is not sleeping early last night. Now, I certainly feel like crashing. Must not underestimate the power of rest again!

{Hope this relaxing image helps me last the day. :P}

Here's to a great weekend! Unlike me, I hope you balanced all the fun with enough rest in preparation for the new week.

Local, Organic, and Affordable Finds

2009-07-18T13:23:00.010+09:00

It's a cloudy but hot and humid Saturday afternoon over here and I just came back from the grocery. Again, I have overstocked on fruits and veggies. Haha! Bananas, avocados, papaya, and peach. Plus, the fridge is now filled with over a dozen different veggies; I am so excited. I'm so pathetic to be excited over fruits and veggies but you understand, right? :P Best purchase of the day were these okra, eggplant, and cucumbers. I bought them at a roadside stand. These stands are unmanned and follow the honesty system. The buyer pays by simply dropping the coins in a marked box. Do you have any of these stands where you live?

{5 cucumbers, 6 eggplant, 18(!) okra}

Would you believe all of those fresh, local, and organic beauties above cost 200 Yen (less than $2)?! Insane, right? A couple weeks ago, I got the freshest beans from the same stand. They were so young I ate some of them raw. If any of you have okra recipes, please share them with me. Thanks!

Aside from veggies, my 8 mile run last night was also something to be excited about. It's the longest distance so far for me and I took it slow and easy, enjoying a light drizzle. It was my most relaxing run ever. Today's a rest day and later I'll be biking over to Rea's. I'll be sleeping over at her place so we can have an early Sunday morning run around the lake. Who is this person I've become? Getting excited over fresh produce and arranging sleep overs to fit in a morning run! It is amazing how being healthy can both be a priority and a source of enjoyment at the same time. It is not a chore but a choice.

What fun and healthy things did you do this week? I was glad to have joined Angharad's Optimum Sleep Challenge and slept well this week. Thank you. Have a great weekend!

Seven Traits

2009-07-16T11:54:00.009+09:00

Being a newbie blogger, I was excited when I got my first tag from Kelly. It's called Seven Traits and here are mine:

1(一) I am super family oriented. Just like any other Filipino families, ours is very close. My family is BIG (parents, 2 brothers, 4 sisters, and 4 dogs!) and I always have been a Daddy's Girl. We do everything together and hang out as friends. Living away from them is tough but I manage.

2（二）I love planning, scheduling, and making lists. It could all be in my mind (when running), in a Notepad/Excel file, or in my trusty notebook. It could be a simple grocery list or a general plan for the coming months.

3（三） Patience is not my strong point. I hate waiting. Waiting for people, waiting for a red light to turn green, waiting for results (increase running speed), etc. When meeting people, I make sure to arrive at least 5 minutes before the scheduled meet time because I don't want to make people wait. Being patient is one trait I am working on each day.

4（四） Anything new excites me. If there's a new product or idea, I 'd like to know more about it. If it's interesting enough, I'd read more about it and would even give it a try. Running is still new to me but boy am I glad I tried it!

５（五） I'll have to admit that I'm practical. Buying expensive items without researching or reading a review about it is not something I'd readily do. I like getting value for my money. Having said that, I would gladly pay for really good food or travel.

6（六） Learning is something I'll probably never get tired of. After graduating with a degree in Engineering, I took up a yearlong program in IT. I also studied Japanese. But I feel like I'm not done yet. Graduate school maybe? Must be in the genes as 5 of the 9 people in the family are lawyers, another one in law school, one just finished med school, and the youngest also considering law school. Yikes!

7（七） Being a Libran, I'd like to believe I am balanced. Ha! :P Black or white? Gray. Blue or green? Both. Last night's dinner? Beans on toast plus banana and dark chocolate for dessert. Living a balanced life is a daily goal that I may not achieve everyday but definitely worth giving a shot.

{Balance - it's all we want in life, right?}

The weird figures (which I hope show in your computer) are the number's Kanji. Use them to impress your friends! Haha. I'm passing this to anybody who feels like doing it. I'd be glad to read about your interesting traits.

Running Thoughts

2009-07-14T14:21:00.006+09:00

What thoughts go through your mind when running? I started the week right by going on a Monday evening run. It was a great one and I found myself thinking about different things. The miles just fly by when I am lost in thoughts such as:

-Family & Friends. Since I currently live away from home, it's but natural that I miss them pips. Running gives me time to reflect on happy times with them and these thoughts add an extra bounce to my step. When I go back home, I hope to have them as running buddies. :D

-Books. I haven't read a book in looong time that my brain has gotten so rusty. Rea and I talked about reading last Saturday and how I wanted to pick up something interesting. What better material than Michael Pollan, right? So today I'm starting with "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" and then read "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" next. Have you read these books?

{Reads}

-Food. Thinking about my post run fuel motivates me to go faster. Ha! Running also allows me to have a mental inventory of my fridge, to have a preview of the next day's meals, and to think of ways I can recreate other bloggers' yummy recipes. :P

-Travel. There are a bunch of places I'd like to visit in the coming weeks. The miles just go by so quickly whenever I'm fantasizing about trips. Planning trips is just so much fun. Look at this gorgeous deer that I saw on my trip to Todaiji in Nara last year:

{Fierce}

-Form. Of course, I also think about running related things. I make sure to check on my form: noticing if I feel tightness in my shoulders, focusing on my breathing, and shaking out tension when needed. RunnersWorld says here that efficient endurance running requires just a slight knee lift, a quick leg turnover, and a short stride. I'll pay attention to my stride length in my next run. How's your running form?

-Fellow Walkers/Runners. Whenever I meet other runners, I'd make up stories in my mind about why they run. Each one has a different reason for running and I amuse myself silly with "their stories". Also, I mentally cheer for everyone I meet. Something like: "Run, girl, run!" or "Good job! You can do it!". :D Weird much?

How about you? What fun/weird/happy stuff do you think of to distract yourself from running?

Biking Around and Free Vegetables

2009-07-12T09:54:00.008+09:00

Before going out for another bike ride and have some Sunday shopping with friends, I'll leave a quick post. Yesterday, I biked 8 miles to meet with a couple friends just so we could run around the lake. I am so jealous they live so near. Rea and Del also climbed Mt. Fuji with me last year. They are going again this month! While Rea has been regularly running for a year already, Del does not run at all so he just biked along. Rea got busy around April and stopped running to focus on work (like me, they are also IT Engineers). Yesterday was her first run since April and she got really tired 30 minutes into the run so we had to walk the rest of the course. Goes to show how running should be a regular thing if one wants to maintain endurance. She promised we'll run the entire lake perimeter next time so I'm hoping this will be a regular weekend workout. We'll see.

{Lake: Pic From Google}

As if my veggie supply is not enough, I've been getting free veggies from workmates. Some of the people I work with have farms and they sometimes share their harvests with us. I have received the biggest reddest tomatoes, potatoes, and melons in the past. This week, I received another big bag of potatoes. It was just too much I had to share the rest with friends. Hahaha!

{Unfamiliar (for me) Melons}

The melons I received before where not the usual melons that I know of. It was my first time to try these and I didn't know how to cook them. They told me these were pickled. Having no pickling skills at all, I just randomly added them to soups, sliced and ate them just like cucumbers, and added them in sandwiches for the crunch. I'm still alive so I guess that was okay. :P Have you tried pickling? What fruit/veggie have you tried for the first time recently?

Normal Eating

2009-07-08T13:36:00.005+09:00

Quick post today. I just read this blog post and came across a great definition (at least for me) of Normal Eating. It is uncomplicated and complete methinks.

"Normal eating is being able to eat when you are hungry and continue eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it - not just stop eating because you think you should. Normal eating is being able to use some moderate constraint on your food selection to get the right food, but not being so restrictive that you miss out on pleasurable foods. Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good. Normal eating is three meals a day, most of the time, but it can also be choosing to munch along.

{It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow,}

{or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful when they are fresh.}

Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. It is overeating at times; feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. It is also undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.

In short, normal eating is flexible and moderate. It varies in response to your emotions, your schedule, your hunger and your proximity to food."

-Ellyn Satter, 1987

I probably looked crazy nodding my head at every sentence. It also sounds forgiving and friendly. What do you think?

Cool Knees and Hot Tennis

2009-07-06T16:24:00.004+09:00

We obviously don't celebrate 4th of July here but reading how each of you spent the weekend was such a thrill. Every post looked so much fun and I could almost taste the yummy food you all had. Haha!

The past few days, I've been bothered by my slow mile pace compared to those that I see on other blogs. So I pushed myself at one of my runs last week and my knees kind of hurt a bit after. My knees which were promptly iced (thus the first half of the post title) are okay now. It was my body's way of telling me that the knees are not ready for heavy pounding yet. Reading about how injured runners feel so bad about not running for weeks scared me and made me realize that there is no need for me to rush. I'm still a newbie runner (just into my 2nd month) and there is no need to be speedy at this point yet, right? I'd like to run for as long as I can, pain free, and enjoy the entire process.

Another sport that I have tons of fun playing is tennis. I've been playing (non-competitive) since I was 10 and still play whenever I can. It's a sport I love and enjoy so much that I could play for hours and not get tired at all. My goal is to put running in the same level as tennis: an activity I am comfortable with and enjoy doing anytime. So for me to reach that, I'll have to stop worrying about mile pace (at least for now?) and relax.

{This girl does not need to rush. :P}

Speaking of tennis, have you seen the Wimbledon Finals? OMG, it was totally worth it staying up late (match ended 2:45AM Japan Time) to watch Roger Federer win another Grand Slam and break tennis records. It could have gone either way as Andy Roddick was playing so well, too. Thank goodness, it was Roger's day. I was sooo tense and sleepy at the same time; I had to do some stretches/stand/snack on peanuts while restraining myself from making too loud cheers (or I might wake people next door) to get through 4+ hours of intense tennis. Woot woot! :D Roger's skill and composure is undeniably the best but I'd also like to point out how his being injury-free throughout the years being an important factor in his superb tennis career. Sure, he is certainly surrounded by the best trainers, doctors, and advisers to keep him in top shape. I'd like to believe though that he listens to his body really well and treats it the best he can thus maintaining top form without suffering any major injuries, right? :P

What sport do you play? Do you like playing/watching tennis? Any favorite sports stars?

Plan or UnPlan? Both!

2009-07-03T16:18:00.005+09:00

Thank you all for your sweet comments on my unplanned 10K! Seriously, you guys inspire me to go out and keep moving when I feel less motivated. Does blogging have that effect on you, too? :P

I love making lists, scheduling my activities for the day, mapping out my runs, and obsessively planning my weekend. Since I do not have control over everything (Hello?!), things do not always go as planned. Sometimes, I'd just shrug it off but there are times when just a slight glitch would drive me crazy. Just like everything in life, I want to achieve a balance - to be able to create a workable plan and accepting (even embracing) the changes that may arise along the way. I think that this also applies to being healthy. For example, I try to run 5 days a week. Last week, I ran 3 days and walked/biked another 3 days instead. The normal me would have beat myself up for not sticking with the sked but surprisingly found myself satisfied. This morning, the decimal in my 2.4 mile run did not bother me a bit. At the start of the week, I would always have an idea what meals I'll be having. Somehow, I was not able to replenish my udon supply and so I had soba instead. Perfect for the summer heat! Breakfasts this week were fun with 'unplanned' oatmeal on a rainy morning and oat cakes with grated kabocha and cinnamon on a lazy Wednesday.

{Tokyo Tower Plan}

While planning is key for me, I know what does not work: Restrictive Planning. Detailed planning is necessary for projects (such as the Tokyo Tower construction, building an airplane, opening a business) and other work related stuff but when it comes to fitness, it is recipe for disaster methinks. Who was I kidding when I rationed the goodies shipped from the Philippines to be consumed in over 6 months?! Listening to my cravings and being gentle to myself was more like it. Having a flexible exercise schedule also makes me less anxious and look forward to what I can accomplish for the day. Of course, I understand that athletes and those with dietary restrictions would have to follow a stricter eating and exercise regimen. Those training for a race will also have to go with a sked to be able to achieve targets.

{Bright Outcome}

This flexible planning thing works for me health-wise. I'm sure it should also apply to life in general but that's an entirely different chunk I'm not capable of processing. :P Are you a planner? Or do you just go with the flow? Unplanned purchases are always more fun and sometimes replacing a recipe ingredient results to The Bomb, right?

I never saw it coming.

2009-07-01T12:51:00.008+09:00

It was not in my list of things to do on Tuesday. It just happened. I had initially planned on a 3 miler since it looked like it was going to rain any time soon. At 1.5 miles, it seemed like it would not rain though so I decided to go for 5 miles instead. Maybe it was that I was feeling great that I did not turn back at the 2.5 mile mark but ran ahead some more. It was then and there that I wanted to make this run a complete 10K. I was running at a slow but steady pace though so no burn out and pains for me. :P At the last mile, the rains fell and I enjoyed cooling down a bit. I certainly did not see myself running 10K without music but I did thanks to Karena's suggestion. After my run, I did a lot of stretches. Even if I was not feeling hungry, I had a little bread, tofu, and banana for my post run eats. All the tips and suggestions you shared are very much appreciated and I don't think I could have done it without your help!

{Ready To Run}

I am the type of person who knows what I am capable of when I set my mind on doing it but I really did not see myself running. I know I am just a beginner with a lot more miles to run (and things to learn) but my only wish is that this running thing will become a regular part of my life.

Today is a well deserved rest day. I have already replenished my bananas, kabocha, and veggie supply for the week. Then I'll take a bike ride to the post office later in the afternoon. I have always liked doing errands, how about you? I get to accomplish a task while being on the move. Have a great day! :D

Are you thirsTEA?

2009-06-29T09:56:00.004+09:00

When it is not water I am drinking, it would most likely be tea. I love tea but that was not always the case. Back in the Philippines, I was more into coffee. My tea intake was limited to TCB&TL's chai latte which was always the perfect drink while bonding with girlfriends. That all changed upon moving to Japan. I spent the first three months in language school where all our meals were accompanied by tea! Being used to drinking water at meals, I was shocked that there were no glasses set at our table. Instead, there was a kettle and tiny cups at one end of the table. One of my tablemates kindly poured me a cup of hot tea and it was love at first sip. The tea tasted simple and clean; just the right drink for any meal. Ever since, I've always had my meals with cups of tea. I feel lucky to have been able to go to a couple tea ceremonies!

{Sadou: 茶道}

The ceremony follows a set of etiquette; the movements are precise; and each detail has meaning and significance. We even had trial sessions the day before to make sure we knew what to do and what to say. Other than trying not to forget my lines, the ceremony was lovely and calming. The deliciously thick bitter taste of the tea was perfect with these pretty sweets.

{Too pretty to eat :P}

One of my favorite things working in a Japanese company is that I can have tea anytime. There is always a fresh pot in the pantry and during summer, there is a pitcher of green tea chilling in the fridge. It is more awesome knowing that the tea we drink comes from local plantations. Biking around, I'd sometimes stop to look at pretty tea fields.

{I love green.}

Matcha flavored sweets are also aplenty. There are tons of cakes, pastries, mochi, ice cream, and chocolate to choose from. While the simple green tea is recommended daily, I think it is perfectly okay to indulge in these sweets from time to time. :)

{NomNom}

How about you, do you love tea? Or do you prefer coffee instead? Are you also crazy with matcha flavored goodies?

You are beautiful. Smile!

2009-06-24T22:21:00.014+09:00

Today could not have been more beautiful.

I had healthy delicious meals. Udon, mizuna, sprouts, tofu, with loads of sesame seeds for breakfast. Sweet potato (with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon) and fish for lunch. Avocado, banana, yogurt, and raisins on a soy milk bread roll for dinner. Dark chocolate and mixed nuts for snack. At the grocery, I got kabocha and over a dozen bananas! Even if I knew I still had 6 more in the freezer, I always feel like I need to buy more when I see them. Tell me this also happens to you. :P What single fruit/veg/food do you always NEED to have in your pantry? The evening was hot and humid but I managed to knock off my long run for the week. I missed my marker so my scheduled 4.5 miler ended up being a 5 miler. Ooops!

All of those things mentioned above made my day lovely. But today was not only about ME. What made my day more special was that I was (hopefully) able to make someone else smile. I was on an operation to spread positive body image by posting random notes in public places today. I decided on cutting pictures from an old magazine because recycling always ups the coolness factor of anything, right? :P

{"You are beautiful. Smile!" in Nihongo.}

The first one was posted at the washroom of the grocery I went to today. I was afraid it would be taken down immediately since Japanese toilets are always kept clean and spotless. When I went back later in the afternoon (and bought additional bananas!), the post was still there! :P Hopefully, the note made a Wednesday shopper's day brighter.

{Pretty Pictures; Beautiful Message}

At this book store/arcade I went to, a bunch of grade school girls would always drop by and hang around after school. They would usually buy water/tea/fruit juice from the vendo while they chat and laugh. When they grab a drink from the vendo, I hope the post makes them smile.

{A drink: 120 Yen. A smile: Priceless.}

If you were to write and post a note for yourself, what would it say? What would your message to other women be?

Monday: Start Your Week Right!

2009-06-22T14:28:00.010+09:00

My weekend was great and based on what I read the past couple hours, you guys had amazing weekends as well! I ran 3 miles on Saturday morning and spent the rest of the day cleaning, baking, napping, and reading blogs (but of course! :P). In the evening, I biked to some friends' place and brought the banana carrot bread I made earlier. We had fun eats like yakisoba, spaghetti, and vanilla ice cream. I tend to make less healthy decisions food-wise during the weekends that I actually welcome Mondays because it makes me go back to my normal eating mode. Yay for Mondays, right? :P Here's my usual rice-veg-fish lunch.

{Soy Sauce Bunny}

Wanting to start the week on a healthy note, I woke up early for a 40 minute walk knowing that an evening run is not happening tonight due to rains. :s Hopefully, I'll be able to run 3 or 4 days (3 miles) and another day for this week's 'long' run (4.5 miles). Avoiding injury is my top priority so I'm heeding your tips and insights on my last post. If somehow my body is not feeling a scheduled run, I won't push it. I'll just walk it or do stretches (I love stretching!). Interval training (as suggested by burpandslurp) sounds great so I'll also incorporate that in one of my runs this week.

Seeing adorable dogs during my walks/runs always makes me smile. This particular doggie was so used to the camera obeying his "mom's" directions to seat, look at the camera, and SMILE! :D

{Cuteness!}

Aside from the health benefits you get from exercising outdoors, what other things make you smile during your walk/hike/run? Do you also adore dogs or are you afraid they may come too near and might bite you? I am usually focused on my run and would admire a dog from a safe distance. When I'm walking though, they are always a delight! :D

Too Much Too Soon?

2009-06-19T13:14:00.005+09:00

Last night, I ran my first ever 4 miler. There was a light drizzle as I left my place but I was determined to run. As if on cue, the drizzling stopped just as I finished warming up and was about to go. I was so into my run and before I knew it, I was already at the halfway mark. I only needed a 5-second break to stretch my back and I was off again. It was my best run so far. Don't you just love it when the miles just seem to fly? How do you describe how you feel when you are 'in the zone'? For me, it felt like I was floating.

{Feel Light}

Since I have plans for tonight, I had to sneak in my 2.5 mile run this morning. It was better than my previous morning run but I'd still prefer evening. I guess it might be the heat, the sunlight, or that my body is still not warmed up enough that slows me down. I'll reserve my mornings then for days when evening rains are expected or when I have other evening plans. :)

Last week (Week 2), I ran 5 out of 7 days with a total of 14 miles. After I complete a 3 miler (on either Saturday or Sunday), this weeks' total would be 15.5 miles. I read somewhere about gradually increasing run distance around 10% more than the previous week so I think my mileage is just fine. While I don't feel any pains, soreness, or discomfort I am worried that I may be doing too much too soon. As a newbie runner, do you guys think that running 5 days a week is too much or just right? Should I just follow my natural rhythms to run most nights and taking a couple days' rest? Or would it be better if I toned it down a bit (run 4 days, rest 3 days) to avoid future burn out? Thanks in advance! :D Your words of encouragement and tips on previous posts have been very helpful. Thank you and enjoy your weekend! :D

Running in the Rain: Possible?

2009-06-17T14:13:00.006+09:00

I was all set on running Tuesday night but 2 minutes into my run, rain started pouring! :s I had to go back home and call it a rest day. So while the thunder rolled, I curled up and started reading the 'Okuribito'/'Departures' comic book I bought last weekend. The film is the Academy Award® Winner for Best Foreign Language Film this year. I have yet to watch it though. Since I cannot read all the Japanese characters, I depended a lot on the drawings. Take a peek:

{Pages}

So while I rested my body and exercised my mental muscles last night, this morning I had the crave to run. Since I started running at the beginning of the month, I have never tried daytime running. While I felt a bit slower with today's 3-miler, it was still a good run. Plus, I got to watch the sunrise and spotted these hydrangeas that are in bloom all over Japan in June.

{Blues & Whites}

Do you like running in the rain? I've read about some people who do so and I am in awe. I'd like to try that one of these days, even for a short run. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. :)
Also, do you prefer day/night runs? Based on today's run, I'd still prefer my evening runs. I'd still do morning runs whenever I am up early to mix up my routine a bit.

A Walk In The Clouds

2009-06-16T08:56:00.011+09:00

The positive feedback I received the past days from different bloggers made me very happy today. Thanks guys! As I continue with this blogging thing, I guess I have to let you know more a bit about me. :)

I am from the Philippines but am currently working in the IT field (programming) in a small city in Japan. Have you ever heard of my country before? Monique Lhuillier was born in the Philippines although her heritage is a mix of French, Spanish, and Filipino. She's the first person I could think of that I'm sure you guys would know. Also, we have great beaches and the sweetest mangoes.

It has almost been a year and a half since I moved to Japan. One of the things I really wanted to do here (aside from eating yummy Japanese food :P) was to climb Mt. Fuji. So one weekend last summer, we decided on climbing Japan's highest mountain (3,776 meters). Our group of four started our hike at around 7pm after we had dinner and shared bites of this yummy Mt. Fuji-shaped pastry.

{Mountain of Yum}

We hiked at a steady pace all night. Although the climb was generally manageable, the cold temperature added a bit of challenge for me. Night climb is popular during the summer months because it offers climbers a view of the famed Mt. Fuji sunrise at the peak. People would position themselves as they pleased and marveled as the sun glowed brighter.

{Watching Sunrise}

The peak was very crowded with climbers from around the world and all over Japan. There were families, friends, couples, tour groups, and solo climbers. The toddlers and the older climbers were the ones I was really impressed with. Aside from the usual souveneir and ramen shops, there were also vending machines and a post office (where one can mail a special Mt. Fuji postcard) at the peak! After resting a while and grabing a bite, we started with our descent. The view going down was unbelievable; the clouds were below us!

{Oh Happy Clouds!}

It was an amazing once in a lifetime experience, one where my mental and physical strength was tested. I am sure that with regular training and patience, running will also turn out to be as awesome. Is there anything you would like to experience at least once? Given the chance, I would not think twice about trying bungee jumping. Also, a hot air balloon ride would probably be the closest thing to taking a walk in the clouds. :P

{Amazing}

Before running, I was in love with walking.

2009-06-14T22:05:00.007+09:00

I feel good about running 5 nights this week. I know I am slow and still have a looong way to go but I think I did well for a beginner. I have never ran a total of 14 miles in a week before! Last Friday night was the first time I ever ran 5K straight. Yey for baby steps!

Before I started running, my daily exercise was an hour's walk. After work, I would take evening walks. During the weekends, I would either go biking or take a long walk. Walking allows me to bring along my camera and take some pictures of whatever interests me. Here's a photo of some lovely whites I saw during one of my walks last spring.

{Roadside Pretties}

Back then, I was completely satisfied with walking and never imagined myself being able to run for an entire minute. Although I plan on upping my miles and trimming my running time, walking will always have a special place in my heart. I think all the walks I took helped with my transition to running.

Did you also start with walking before switching to running? During 'rest' days, is it okay to take a leisurely walk? I don't want to completely break up with walking just yet. :P

I don't know where this run will take me...

2009-06-11T15:40:00.004+09:00

Hi!

I'll keep this first post short since I don't really know where to start.
I'm Mia, 25 (Yikes! :P) , and I love laughter, balance, prettiness, and reading blogs (Win!).
I am a newbie runner (I just started this month and my longest run was 3 miles.) and I'd like to keep it going. Any tips for a newbie runner?

I also try to take photographs whenever I can. That's my yellow pansy in February. It still has pretty blooms after four months since I bought it.

{Lovely}

I also love food and I try to keep it as healthy as possible. I HEART bananas, peanut butter, veggies, and fish. Have you ever tried a Peanut Butter and Banana sandwich? It's the best. Ever!

{DinDin}

That's it for now. Have a lovely day! (Oh yeah, I also like the word 'lovely' A LOT and I abuse the parentheses.)