The first run of 2009 - Taipei New Year Run

Run to welcome New Year in the style: each hand holding a Taiwanese flag.

Activities/Actions:

Ran 98 年元旦升旗暨慢跑活動辦法

Stat:
Advertised to be 3K, the actual course was measured 2.15KM!

Date: 01/01/2009
Time Taken: 00:09:20
Route: Taipei New Year Run
Total Distance: 1.33 mi. (2.15 KM)
Burned: 141 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 07:01 (avg)
Speed: 8.55 (mi/hr) (avg)

Course condition:

Course in kilometer.

Observed weather on New Year's Eve and New Year Day. A cold morning (10C).

How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)
Physically 4
Mentally 4
About my nutrition 5
About my sleep 2.5


How hard did I work? 7
(the 10-point scale)

Note and reflections:

After a late stay to welcome New Year last night, I woke up at 6:30AM, biked to City Hall and ran 2.15 KM to welcome New Year (again) in style with run and flag raising ceremony. I was in my shorts and a thin jacket amidst a windy and 10C-mercury-high atmosphere under the shadow of Taipei 101. To my surprise, many people showed up with enthusiasms. I got bib number 1929 and two Taiwanese flags at the event registration tables. Soon after, Taiwan flag was raised on top of the City Hall after two songs were sung by the crowd, led by aboriginal singing group on the stage: the first was National Anthem (flag not raised) and the second was the flag raising anthem (as its name suggests).

The city mayor ran with us as well. A group of shivering kids in orange t-shirts painted the colors of the course. A group of "Free Speech" protesters also showed up to voice their messages just minutes before the gun was fired. I did my best running out with many stuff in the jacket pockets. I was one of those in front of the line. There were couple of serious runners ahead of us too. I finished just 9 minutes and 20 seconds and received a gift of bathroom essentials (such as shampoo, toothbrush, comb, etc). After that, I biked home along very windy and cold ZhongXiao E. Rd., where few cars just started to fill the road. I slept right after arrived home, woke up around noon for lunch and went to lab. I had dinner with P' Den and Nong Jeab that evening.


Photos:

Many gathering for flag raising ceremony and run.

Even in a cold morning, we came in a good spirit!
Note: 10C on the billboard digital thermometer.

Various flags signeting different districts of the city under the shadow of Taipei 101 on a shivering morning.

Ready for my run!

Songs by aboriginal people; some kids with only a few pieces of clothes.

A group of orange t-shirt youngsters warming up for the run.

The first light of the year.