Activities/Actions:
Wed: 2.5 miles along River with Meng-Shin; Stretched
Thur: Rest; stair-step & stretch
Friday: Rest; stair-step 100m
Note and reflections:
Since the right knee has been feeling a bit pain (it might stem from Taroko Race), I decided to reduce the run or run at a slow pace. This Wednesday evening, Meng-Shin joined me for a slow run along the river. The first 1.5 miles, Meng-Shin and I finished at around 18 minutes in front of TaiChi Statue. She left to gym, while I continued on the usual 1-mile route and finished within 8 minutes. I followed to gym doing some stretches. For Thursday and Friday, I did not run but did stairstepping and stretches.
The right knee still feels the pain. I could feel some pain during the morning and night commuting bike between the apartment and the office. However, the pain is not bad. I will need to do some researches on this pain and take a rest.
Continue reading the rest...
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A week with Dong-Dong
Note and reflections:
Dong-Dong stayed with me once in Chicago: See,
Dong-Dong came to stay with me on last Wednesday, and he just left this morning. Right off the start, he needed about a day to acclimatize to my place and often hid when all noises were heard for the first three days. The usual places for his hide-ins were in my comforter and pillows, so I brought his carrying case up on my bed and covered it with a blanket which he liked this but not as much as under my comforter. He threw up once on the third night of his stay (and the hairball remedy helped him out). Other than this, he was a good boy. He wanted me to pet him (and usually got mad) right after I arrived home. He often went out of my unit to explore outside. After awhile, he becomes more adventurous.
I cleaned his litter box almost everyday and he liked it. :D He is always a clean one and covers his stuff very neatly. He sometimes meowed in the morning waking me up. After he moved back to his home, the room was quite, and I am a little bit missing his meows. I am not sure whether he is missing or not. Hehehe... I guess not.
Photos:
Playful Dong-Dong with a mouse, a present from me.
Angry Dong-Dong
Now, Dong-Dong wants me to pet him.
Continue reading the rest...
Dong-Dong stayed with me once in Chicago: See,
Dong-Dong came to stay with me on last Wednesday, and he just left this morning. Right off the start, he needed about a day to acclimatize to my place and often hid when all noises were heard for the first three days. The usual places for his hide-ins were in my comforter and pillows, so I brought his carrying case up on my bed and covered it with a blanket which he liked this but not as much as under my comforter. He threw up once on the third night of his stay (and the hairball remedy helped him out). Other than this, he was a good boy. He wanted me to pet him (and usually got mad) right after I arrived home. He often went out of my unit to explore outside. After awhile, he becomes more adventurous.
I cleaned his litter box almost everyday and he liked it. :D He is always a clean one and covers his stuff very neatly. He sometimes meowed in the morning waking me up. After he moved back to his home, the room was quite, and I am a little bit missing his meows. I am not sure whether he is missing or not. Hehehe... I guess not.
Photos:
Playful Dong-Dong with a mouse, a present from me.
Angry Dong-Dong
Now, Dong-Dong wants me to pet him.Continue reading the rest...
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
HuShih Park Revisited
Activities/Actions:
Stat & Course condition:
Date: 02/10/2009
Start Time: 17:24:00
End Time: 17:54:00
Time Taken: 00:29:28
Route: Hushi Park Revisited
Total Distance: 1.71 mi.
Burned: 144 (kcal)
Pace: 17:13 (avg)
Speed: 3.48 (mi/hr) (avg)
(first route downloaded from Garmin Forerunner)
How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)
Physically 4
Mentally 5
About my nutrition 3
About my sleep 4
How hard did I work? 5
(the 10-point scale)
Note and reflections:
I retraced my previous run on HuShih Park [After Marathon: Recovery Week 1] and used GPS device to record the distance. However, this is the first run for Meng-Shin and she was surprised on the hilly climb. Nonetheless, she was sportive and finished the run and continued on our jogging back to Tai Chi Statue. The temperature and weather were very fine for the run as the sun was moving down behind the ridge. I fell down on my right wrist because of a slippery slope near the temple on the way down from the mountain, but the wrist was fine. I went to Gym after the run to do some stretch and strength training. So, Meng-Shin did a good run this evening about two miles.
The route climbs up ~8-10% after the first kilometer and before the 1.3 kilometer. After that, it descends down ~17% for 0.3 kilometer. The GPS map from Garmin is relatively OK and accurate to certain extant when downloaded to maps.google.
I started to feel pain near the inner side of the right knee since Monday, so I decided to run slowly for this week and to spend most of the time in the Gym more.
Continue reading the rest...
- Ran up HuShih Park with Meng-Shin
- Fell down on the right wrist (but it was OK)
- Strength training and stretch
Stat & Course condition:
Start Time: 17:24:00
End Time: 17:54:00
Time Taken: 00:29:28
Route: Hushi Park Revisited
Total Distance: 1.71 mi.
Burned: 144 (kcal)
Pace: 17:13 (avg)
Speed: 3.48 (mi/hr) (avg)
(first route downloaded from Garmin Forerunner)
How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)
Physically 4
Mentally 5
About my nutrition 3
About my sleep 4
How hard did I work? 5
(the 10-point scale)
Note and reflections:
I retraced my previous run on HuShih Park [After Marathon: Recovery Week 1] and used GPS device to record the distance. However, this is the first run for Meng-Shin and she was surprised on the hilly climb. Nonetheless, she was sportive and finished the run and continued on our jogging back to Tai Chi Statue. The temperature and weather were very fine for the run as the sun was moving down behind the ridge. I fell down on my right wrist because of a slippery slope near the temple on the way down from the mountain, but the wrist was fine. I went to Gym after the run to do some stretch and strength training. So, Meng-Shin did a good run this evening about two miles.
The route climbs up ~8-10% after the first kilometer and before the 1.3 kilometer. After that, it descends down ~17% for 0.3 kilometer. The GPS map from Garmin is relatively OK and accurate to certain extant when downloaded to maps.google.
I started to feel pain near the inner side of the right knee since Monday, so I decided to run slowly for this week and to spend most of the time in the Gym more.
Continue reading the rest...
Monday, February 09, 2009
Dentist Visit - CowParade Taipei 2009
Activities/Actions:
Stat & Course condition:
How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)
Physically 4
Mentally 5
About my nutrition 5
About my sleep 3
How hard did I work? 7
(the 10-point scale)
Note and reflections:
Arrived in lab early this morning to get ready for a ride out at 9:25A to a dentist office at Zhongxiao Xinsheng Junction for a half-year clean up after a flawed visit last time [วิ่งไม่หยุด: Walk and eat]. A cleaning was quick and there was nothing unusual. However, the dentist suggest me to clean gently in some area of the gum. Meng-shin and I had a lunch at Beard Chang Restaurant near the MRT Station before I rode back.
A group of fiberglass colorful cows in front of Fubon Financial Plaza on Ren-Ai Rd. drew my attention to park the bike and snapped photos of them. I recalled Chicago's Cow On Parade in 1999, when a heard of cows visited Downtown that Summer. Although I did not visit that event in person, I read of their visit in a commemorative book (I had a copy of this book somewhere).
Ten artistic imaginary cows are standing around the plaza inviting passersby to take a look at them. I am sure that more of their friends will be scattering around the City to welcome the Year of Ox. I will plan my own parade on bike to follow their hooves caravaning this year CowParade Taipei.
Photos:
眼球先生的異想世界 (Mr. Eyeball's World of Fantasy) has more than two eyes expressing multi-emotional withins in real and fantasy dimensions.
"My t-shirt pattern matches with 哞哞花花 (Moo-Moo-Hua-Hua)'s horns, and I am posting as beautifully as 水水牛 (Beauty Cow) standing behind."
(水水 is used in the Island's 閩南 dialect to describe the beauty, especially of a girl).
The bike parked right by the relaxing 悠悠牛 (Leisurely Cow) during a City's chaotic lunch time when office workers taking their lunch on Ren-Ai Rd.
Continue reading the rest...
- A bike ride to and from dentist office at Zhongxiao Xinsheng.
- Visit Cows on Fubun Financial Plaza on Ren-Ai Rd. (2009 CowParade Taipei)
Stat & Course condition:
Date: 02/09/2009
Start Time: 09:26:00
End Time: 10:06:00
Time Taken: 00:40:00
Route: dentist office to Sinica
Total Distance: 6.89 mi.
Burned: 260 (kcal)
Pace: 05:47 (avg)
Speed: 10.34 (mi/hr) (avg)
Date: 02/09/2009
Start Time: 12:15:00
End Time: 12:41:00
Time Taken: 00:26:00
Route: dentist office
Total Distance: 5.40 mi.
Burned: 195 (kcal)
Pace: 05:32 (avg)
Speed: 10.8 (mi/hr) (avg)
How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)
Physically 4
Mentally 5
About my nutrition 5
About my sleep 3
How hard did I work? 7
(the 10-point scale)
Note and reflections:
Arrived in lab early this morning to get ready for a ride out at 9:25A to a dentist office at Zhongxiao Xinsheng Junction for a half-year clean up after a flawed visit last time [วิ่งไม่หยุด: Walk and eat]. A cleaning was quick and there was nothing unusual. However, the dentist suggest me to clean gently in some area of the gum. Meng-shin and I had a lunch at Beard Chang Restaurant near the MRT Station before I rode back.
A group of fiberglass colorful cows in front of Fubon Financial Plaza on Ren-Ai Rd. drew my attention to park the bike and snapped photos of them. I recalled Chicago's Cow On Parade in 1999, when a heard of cows visited Downtown that Summer. Although I did not visit that event in person, I read of their visit in a commemorative book (I had a copy of this book somewhere).
Ten artistic imaginary cows are standing around the plaza inviting passersby to take a look at them. I am sure that more of their friends will be scattering around the City to welcome the Year of Ox. I will plan my own parade on bike to follow their hooves caravaning this year CowParade Taipei.
Photos:
眼球先生的異想世界 (Mr. Eyeball's World of Fantasy) has more than two eyes expressing multi-emotional withins in real and fantasy dimensions.
"My t-shirt pattern matches with 哞哞花花 (Moo-Moo-Hua-Hua)'s horns, and I am posting as beautifully as 水水牛 (Beauty Cow) standing behind."(水水 is used in the Island's 閩南 dialect to describe the beauty, especially of a girl).
The bike parked right by the relaxing 悠悠牛 (Leisurely Cow) during a City's chaotic lunch time when office workers taking their lunch on Ren-Ai Rd.Continue reading the rest...
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Recovery week 4 ended with 5K Race
Activities/Actions:
Week 4 of Recovery (scheduled)
Monday: 3 mile run with JJ and Yun-Huei (Rest)
Tuesday: 5 mile easy run (5-mile easy run)
Wednesday: 3 mile run; 27:06.9 min (5 mile fast run)
Thursday: 7.46 km; 40 min on a black TM (5-mile easy run)
Friday: 3.3km; 19 min (2 mile jogging)
Saturday: rest (Rest)
Sunday: 5K race on 1-mile TaiChi route (23:05 min) (5K/10K Race)
Stat & Course condition:
TO BE UPDATED.
Note and reflections:
Since I missed a long run last Saturday, I decided to run with JJ and Yun-Huei on Monday followed JJ's call. We ran at a comfortable pace along the usual 3-mile river route. The run was great in a very nice weather. For the rest of the week, I ran alone and followed the schedule except the run on Wednesday that totaled 3 miles when I felt tired and hungry. Thursday and Friday runs were plowing on treadmill.
Fun Race
After a trip to Banciao I decided to do a 5K race set up on the 1 mile TaiChi route on Sunday night. The run was good in a nice weather and I tried my best. The record was good (3.11 miles for 23.05 min; 7:26 min/mile--max pace: 5:33 min/mile).
Eye exam
On Wednesday morning, I went to do a three-month doctor visit for my eyes at TaiDa Hospital. The visit was fine except a difficulty of finding a clinic because of the construction of its old location. The doctor said that the eyes are fine and their ocular pressure was great and asked me to continue the eye drops. I had felt a bit tried around the right eyes for some days of the past three months, but I guess it was due to a restless period.
Photos:
A section of southern wall on the platform level of Nangang Station.
A witch flying on the southern wall of platform level in Nangang Station.
Continue reading the rest...
Week 4 of Recovery (scheduled)
Monday: 3 mile run with JJ and Yun-Huei (Rest)
Tuesday: 5 mile easy run (5-mile easy run)
Wednesday: 3 mile run; 27:06.9 min (5 mile fast run)
Thursday: 7.46 km; 40 min on a black TM (5-mile easy run)
Friday: 3.3km; 19 min (2 mile jogging)
Saturday: rest (Rest)
Sunday: 5K race on 1-mile TaiChi route (23:05 min) (5K/10K Race)
Stat & Course condition:
TO BE UPDATED.
Note and reflections:
Since I missed a long run last Saturday, I decided to run with JJ and Yun-Huei on Monday followed JJ's call. We ran at a comfortable pace along the usual 3-mile river route. The run was great in a very nice weather. For the rest of the week, I ran alone and followed the schedule except the run on Wednesday that totaled 3 miles when I felt tired and hungry. Thursday and Friday runs were plowing on treadmill.
Fun Race
After a trip to Banciao I decided to do a 5K race set up on the 1 mile TaiChi route on Sunday night. The run was good in a nice weather and I tried my best. The record was good (3.11 miles for 23.05 min; 7:26 min/mile--max pace: 5:33 min/mile).
Eye exam
On Wednesday morning, I went to do a three-month doctor visit for my eyes at TaiDa Hospital. The visit was fine except a difficulty of finding a clinic because of the construction of its old location. The doctor said that the eyes are fine and their ocular pressure was great and asked me to continue the eye drops. I had felt a bit tried around the right eyes for some days of the past three months, but I guess it was due to a restless period.
Photos:
A section of southern wall on the platform level of Nangang Station.
A witch flying on the southern wall of platform level in Nangang Station.Continue reading the rest...
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Recovery Week 3 around LuGang and Pingtung
Activities/Actions:
Week 3 of Recovery (scheduled)
Monday: 4-5 mile walk in LuGang (Rest)
Tuesday: 5 mile run in Shetou (4-mile easy run)
Wednesday: run in South District of Taichung (5 mile run)
Thursday: Hiked Liting Mountain near Neipu (4-mile easy run)
Friday: 5 mile run in Pingtung and a walk in SanTiMen Village (Rest)
Saturday: Rest- aka lazy (FULL 60 min run)
Sunday: Rest - aka lazy (X-training)
Stat & Course condition:
TO BE UPDATED.
Note and reflections:
A full week of the long break had been in Shetou, Taichung and Pingtung before returned to Taipei for a weekend rest. A full day hike on crowded "big streets and small alleys" in historical district of LuGang brought me to many temples on Monday. As preparing to leave Shetou on Tuesday afternoon, I ran and Meng-shin biked along a 5-mile section of Northern irrigation canal before lunch. The run was in a great weather (but a bit too bright and sunny). Arrived in Taichung, I did a quick run around the apartment before leaving for Pingtung to visit Yun-Huei's and Azhong's families. Yun-Huei & Gin-Fang and the family gave us a warm welcome and fed use very well all three days of the stay--"a series of eating: light snack --> big course --> fruits --> tea --> dessert --> .. -->" according to Yun-Huei. Azhong and his family took us to LuGang for a big fest on Thursday after our hike up Liting (well not quite to the top due to a time limitation). Last day in Pingtung was started around 7:30a by a 5-mile run the house and a hike in SanTiMen Village during our visit to an aboriginal bead art center. A famous recent Taiwanese movie, Cape No. 7 (海角七號), used beads from this village. The village is also famous for its wild raised chicken. I came back to Taipei and took a weekend rest, which resulted in missing a long run and a Sunday X-training. However, I had kept an active holiday (despite 4-lb weight gain) .... "adhered to my schedule."
I really appreciated the welcome from friends and the three families (Meng-shin's, Yun-Huei & Gin-Fang's and Azhong's). Their hospitality made my second Chinese New Year in Taiwan another very-memorable experience. Special thanks to Meng-shin who accompanied me for the whole trip.
Photos:
Colorful pinwheel turning on LuGang Old Street.
Crowd of devotees at Tian-Ho Gong
Small and "Big" Kids sailing out on a dragon boat!
Dacing Station: I passed trough its gate several times.
At Chunghwa fan-shaped roundhouse.
Fan-shaped roundhouse in action: An engine car was moved from one rail to another rail.
Four buddies on their way to KaoHsiung. They played cards loudly on the train before asked to leave.
Grandma rolling dices. Sounds of rolling dices could be heard all over Pingtung City during New Year.
Yun-Huei tossing gifts for the girls at a Pingtung Nightmarket.
Hard or Easy Way. We climbed the hard one, of course, up to Liting Mnt.
Well, after climbing up a steep staircase they are smiling.
Meng-shin, Gin-fang, Yun-Huei's dad and Yun-Huei on our way down from the top.
Azhong and his parents brought us to DongGang for a big lunch of DongGang's famous dishes.
Black Sugar Cake Ice for dessert in Pingtung.
Evening fest at Gin-Fang's parent's house.
Gin-Fang's mom and "Obama."
Pingtung's hosts, Gin-Fang & Yun-Huei, at a microbrewery.
Meng-shin awaiting for her drinks.
Pingtung's Ba-Wan for a breakfast before leaving to SanTiMen.
Fire up! Bead making process in SanTiMen.
Various beads with special power (a belief of Taiwan indigenous tribes) at Dragonfly Beads Art Studio.
Meng-shin concentrating on her DIY "the pearl of eyes of red-gragon" bead creation.
A photographer and a bead-framed mirror.
On Taipei Express, "my family and I are going to Taoyuan."
Continue reading the rest...
Week 3 of Recovery (scheduled)
Monday: 4-5 mile walk in LuGang (Rest)
Tuesday: 5 mile run in Shetou (4-mile easy run)
Wednesday: run in South District of Taichung (5 mile run)
Thursday: Hiked Liting Mountain near Neipu (4-mile easy run)
Friday: 5 mile run in Pingtung and a walk in SanTiMen Village (Rest)
Saturday: Rest- aka lazy (FULL 60 min run)
Sunday: Rest - aka lazy (X-training)
Stat & Course condition:
TO BE UPDATED.
Note and reflections:
A full week of the long break had been in Shetou, Taichung and Pingtung before returned to Taipei for a weekend rest. A full day hike on crowded "big streets and small alleys" in historical district of LuGang brought me to many temples on Monday. As preparing to leave Shetou on Tuesday afternoon, I ran and Meng-shin biked along a 5-mile section of Northern irrigation canal before lunch. The run was in a great weather (but a bit too bright and sunny). Arrived in Taichung, I did a quick run around the apartment before leaving for Pingtung to visit Yun-Huei's and Azhong's families. Yun-Huei & Gin-Fang and the family gave us a warm welcome and fed use very well all three days of the stay--"a series of eating: light snack --> big course --> fruits --> tea --> dessert --> .. -->" according to Yun-Huei. Azhong and his family took us to LuGang for a big fest on Thursday after our hike up Liting (well not quite to the top due to a time limitation). Last day in Pingtung was started around 7:30a by a 5-mile run the house and a hike in SanTiMen Village during our visit to an aboriginal bead art center. A famous recent Taiwanese movie, Cape No. 7 (海角七號), used beads from this village. The village is also famous for its wild raised chicken. I came back to Taipei and took a weekend rest, which resulted in missing a long run and a Sunday X-training. However, I had kept an active holiday (despite 4-lb weight gain) .... "adhered to my schedule."
I really appreciated the welcome from friends and the three families (Meng-shin's, Yun-Huei & Gin-Fang's and Azhong's). Their hospitality made my second Chinese New Year in Taiwan another very-memorable experience. Special thanks to Meng-shin who accompanied me for the whole trip.
Photos:
Colorful pinwheel turning on LuGang Old Street.
Crowd of devotees at Tian-Ho Gong
Small and "Big" Kids sailing out on a dragon boat!
Dacing Station: I passed trough its gate several times.
At Chunghwa fan-shaped roundhouse.
Fan-shaped roundhouse in action: An engine car was moved from one rail to another rail.
Four buddies on their way to KaoHsiung. They played cards loudly on the train before asked to leave. 
Grandma rolling dices. Sounds of rolling dices could be heard all over Pingtung City during New Year.
Yun-Huei tossing gifts for the girls at a Pingtung Nightmarket.
Hard or Easy Way. We climbed the hard one, of course, up to Liting Mnt.
Well, after climbing up a steep staircase they are smiling.
Meng-shin, Gin-fang, Yun-Huei's dad and Yun-Huei on our way down from the top.
Azhong and his parents brought us to DongGang for a big lunch of DongGang's famous dishes.
Black Sugar Cake Ice for dessert in Pingtung.
Evening fest at Gin-Fang's parent's house.
Gin-Fang's mom and "Obama."
Pingtung's hosts, Gin-Fang & Yun-Huei, at a microbrewery.
Meng-shin awaiting for her drinks.
Pingtung's Ba-Wan for a breakfast before leaving to SanTiMen.
Fire up! Bead making process in SanTiMen.
Various beads with special power (a belief of Taiwan indigenous tribes) at Dragonfly Beads Art Studio. 
Meng-shin concentrating on her DIY "the pearl of eyes of red-gragon" bead creation.
A photographer and a bead-framed mirror.
On Taipei Express, "my family and I are going to Taoyuan."Continue reading the rest...
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Recovery week 2 (Taichung bike and Shetou Run)
Activities/Actions:
Week 2 of Recovery (scheduled)
Monday: Strength training for 40 mins (Rest)
Tuesday: 3-mile easy run on regular sinica route
Wednesday: 4 mile run on regular sinica route+1 mile route
Thursday: 3-mile easy run on a treadmill, plus walk to/from Chang-An Rd.
Friday: many quick biking and walks (Rest)
Saturday: biked to TaiChung Bike store as X-training (a 45-60 min run)
Sunday: 48 min run (X-training)
Note and reflections:
A long break during Lunar New Year started on Friday, and I am expected to be fed up. Prior to Friday, I closely followed the second week schedule. However, I switched Saturday and Sunday schedule. I used a long bike ride to Taichung bikestore as my X-training and a run in Shetou as my long run.
The bike ride with Meng-shin and Zhong-shin (MS's brother) started around 9:30 after breakfast under a clear sky and cool breeze of Saturday morning. I biked his friend's bike (), which rode smoothly. Zhong-shin knows staff at the store so I tried three bikes (Giant TCR-2, TCR-Alliance and ORC 3). They are all good, and if I would buy one from the store, I could take 10%off in cash or 15%off in-store appliances. Then, we biked back to meet the Bear for a ride to our lunch with James and Yu-Hsiang at a hot-pot place in downtown Taichung. The hotpot was delicious, and the conversation was lively. It was great to see the running gang again (Dumpling could not join us, though). Thanks to all for coming out to meet up, even though their busy New Year fest just hyped up.
On Sunday Meng-shin, Zhong-shin and I hopped on a commuter rail to Shetou for their family gathering to celebrate Lunar New Year! In the afternoon after a walk around the city downtown, I put on my running shoes and jogged due South on a path along the irrigation canal. Guava is a famous product of Shetou, though rice and other vegetables are also grown. The weather was very nice. I continued running South towards High Speed Railway Track (HSRT) with spurious greetings from barking dogs. Just after passing under the HSRT, I turned East along irrigation canal and then North towards HSRT section near the mountain side. I determined to go under the track and turn back to downtown. Actually, I did not know the route (but used the Garmin GPS to track my route). Eventually, I came back to the starting place and ran to Jiu She Elementary School to circle on the running track for two rounds. There was a 5-year-old boy on his Rollerblade and tried to compete with me. I gave him a signal to follow me, and he stopped after the half way of the lap after I passed by him. There were many people with kids at the playground. I ran back home and found Zhong-shin riding a bike to downtown. He said that it was great that I found the way back (Later, Meng-shin said that everyone was worried that I would get lost). After a quick shower, the dinner fest started and followed by Hong-bao giving. I believe that the Calories I had savored tonight were more than those I spent on my walk and run this afternoon. After the dinner, the tea circle (lao ren cha--tea of elders) was set up outside the house where a charcoal bucket at the center warmed our body but a cheerful conversation warmed our soul.
Stat & Course condition:
Date: 01/24/2009
Start Time: 09:40:00
End Time: 10:12:00
Time Taken: 00:32:00
Route:Taichung Bikeshop ride
Total Distance: 3.65 mi.
Burned: 139 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 08:46 (avg)
Speed: 6.84 (mi/hr) (avg)
Photos:
On Taroko Express, "My father and I are going to Taichung."
"Mei-mei, bu hao yi si," the boy says. (Little Sis, don't be shy.)
Yeong-shin joining Meng-shin and I for a beef on hot plate in a night market on Zhongxiao Rd. in Taichung.
A test ride (inside the shop).
Spicy hotpot with James, Bear and Yu-Hsiang.
"House": an exhibition at National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
The central building of Meng-shin's grandparents' san-ho-yuan ("three-section compound") attached perpendicularly on both wings by a series of living quarters.
Dishes at Children's table (aka. unmarried ones) on New Year's eve
"Gan-bei!"
Two brothers, Qi-Qi and Dou-Dou, toasting on cups of soda (their once-a-year opportunity).
A-ma gave Hong-bao to grandchildren (and me).
Zhong-shin gave Hong-bao to the brothers.
Continue reading the rest...
Week 2 of Recovery (scheduled)
Monday: Strength training for 40 mins (Rest)
Tuesday: 3-mile easy run on regular sinica route
Wednesday: 4 mile run on regular sinica route+1 mile route
Thursday: 3-mile easy run on a treadmill, plus walk to/from Chang-An Rd.
Friday: many quick biking and walks (Rest)
Saturday: biked to TaiChung Bike store as X-training (a 45-60 min run)
Sunday: 48 min run (X-training)
Note and reflections:
A long break during Lunar New Year started on Friday, and I am expected to be fed up. Prior to Friday, I closely followed the second week schedule. However, I switched Saturday and Sunday schedule. I used a long bike ride to Taichung bikestore as my X-training and a run in Shetou as my long run.
The bike ride with Meng-shin and Zhong-shin (MS's brother) started around 9:30 after breakfast under a clear sky and cool breeze of Saturday morning. I biked his friend's bike (), which rode smoothly. Zhong-shin knows staff at the store so I tried three bikes (Giant TCR-2, TCR-Alliance and ORC 3). They are all good, and if I would buy one from the store, I could take 10%off in cash or 15%off in-store appliances. Then, we biked back to meet the Bear for a ride to our lunch with James and Yu-Hsiang at a hot-pot place in downtown Taichung. The hotpot was delicious, and the conversation was lively. It was great to see the running gang again (Dumpling could not join us, though). Thanks to all for coming out to meet up, even though their busy New Year fest just hyped up.
On Sunday Meng-shin, Zhong-shin and I hopped on a commuter rail to Shetou for their family gathering to celebrate Lunar New Year! In the afternoon after a walk around the city downtown, I put on my running shoes and jogged due South on a path along the irrigation canal. Guava is a famous product of Shetou, though rice and other vegetables are also grown. The weather was very nice. I continued running South towards High Speed Railway Track (HSRT) with spurious greetings from barking dogs. Just after passing under the HSRT, I turned East along irrigation canal and then North towards HSRT section near the mountain side. I determined to go under the track and turn back to downtown. Actually, I did not know the route (but used the Garmin GPS to track my route). Eventually, I came back to the starting place and ran to Jiu She Elementary School to circle on the running track for two rounds. There was a 5-year-old boy on his Rollerblade and tried to compete with me. I gave him a signal to follow me, and he stopped after the half way of the lap after I passed by him. There were many people with kids at the playground. I ran back home and found Zhong-shin riding a bike to downtown. He said that it was great that I found the way back (Later, Meng-shin said that everyone was worried that I would get lost). After a quick shower, the dinner fest started and followed by Hong-bao giving. I believe that the Calories I had savored tonight were more than those I spent on my walk and run this afternoon. After the dinner, the tea circle (lao ren cha--tea of elders) was set up outside the house where a charcoal bucket at the center warmed our body but a cheerful conversation warmed our soul.
Stat & Course condition:
Start Time: 09:40:00
End Time: 10:12:00
Time Taken: 00:32:00
Route:Taichung Bikeshop ride
Total Distance: 3.65 mi.
Burned: 139 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 08:46 (avg)
Speed: 6.84 (mi/hr) (avg)
Date: 01/24/2009
Start Time: 11:10:00
End Time: 11:25:00
Time Taken: 00:15:00
Route:Taichung Bikeshop ride - back
Total Distance: 1.78 mi.
Burned: 65 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 08:25 (avg)
Speed: 7.12 (mi/hr) (avg)
Date: 01/25/2009
Start Time: 13:31:00
End Time: 15:04:00
Time Taken: 01:33:00
Route:SheTou-Walk
Total Distance: 1.97 mi.
Burned: 201 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 47:12 (avg)
Speed: 1.27 (mi/hr) (avg)
Date: 01/25/2009
Start Time: 15:39:00
End Time: 16:27:00
Time Taken: 00:48:08
Route:SheTou Run-1
Total Distance: 5.29 mi.
Burned: 573 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 09:04 (avg)
Speed: 6.59 (mi/hr) (avg)
Photos:
On Taroko Express, "My father and I are going to Taichung."
"Mei-mei, bu hao yi si," the boy says. (Little Sis, don't be shy.)
Yeong-shin joining Meng-shin and I for a beef on hot plate in a night market on Zhongxiao Rd. in Taichung.
A test ride (inside the shop).
Spicy hotpot with James, Bear and Yu-Hsiang.
"House": an exhibition at National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
The central building of Meng-shin's grandparents' san-ho-yuan ("three-section compound") attached perpendicularly on both wings by a series of living quarters.
Dishes at Children's table (aka. unmarried ones) on New Year's eve
"Gan-bei!"Two brothers, Qi-Qi and Dou-Dou, toasting on cups of soda (their once-a-year opportunity).
A-ma gave Hong-bao to grandchildren (and me).
Zhong-shin gave Hong-bao to the brothers.Continue reading the rest...
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