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."

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September Runs: Typhoons and Trainings

Activities/Actions:
Walk, hike, bike & Run.

Note and reflections:

After Human Race last month, I started my training for a November race in Taroko (太魯閣). Yu-Hsiang rallied his friends to join us, and he got the total number of four (Group of Four) to register on the 15th before the registration was capped and closed. Yu-Hsiang and his friends will plan the trip, so that I will just follow them.

Within the last three weeks of the month we had been visited by three typhoons (Sinlaku [Goddess in Micronesian tongue], Hagupit [to lash or flog named by the Philippines], and Jangmi [Rose in Korean]), starting when Meng-Shin flew in and ending when she flew out. So, I dubbed her as a princess of typhoons; however, she could not control them. If the typhoons did not come, she would have more joys with the weather. The typhoons affected my training and also other activities (I did not bike for the two weekends and had taken bus more than I had ever done since February). Nonetheless, I still went on with my plan. I used a treadmill in the gym to run couple times for slope training. After all, we will run uphill in Taroko. No one trained with me this month, however.

Walk & hike
During the three weeks of MS visit, we did several walks in addition to a hike with Li-Ching and Yo-yo on a trail traversing through the four animal mountains. Yo-yo was a good hiker as always. He was even better than the last time I hiked with him at the beginning of the year, because this time he navigated and read the map. :) MS and I walked to many places including Keelung Miao Ko with Yun-Huei. [see An Adventure on Formosa for more detail]

The last day to stop my bike for a passing train in Taipei
On the 20th, all trains had their last day above ground level in the section east of Taipei Main Station. Many people crowded the entrance or a skywall bridge to see or say good bye to the last trains. Many with a camera in their hands. I took this opportunity to snap a photo and say good bye to the train too. After the 21st, I will not have to stop at a trail crossing I usually passed on the way to and from the office. Yu-Hsiang mentioned that it took ten years to have the trains under ground.

Celebrating my first 100 miles on Brooks Defyance!

On the 25th, Brooks Defyance reached its 100th miles ( Brooks Defyance). Great!

Wrist hurt from an accident lasted for three weeks
On the BBQ night with friends from the lab [see An Adventure on Formosa for more detail], I fell off the bike in front of a temple near Nangang Waterplant on the way home. The reason of this accident was that I did not see (or misjudged the distance of) a wall on the left side and hit it. Bruises on both legs, and my left wrist hurt. The right wrist was not hurt as much as the left one. This pain lasted me for three weeks until I stopped feeling the pain. I think that this is a sign of an old age--a small injury takes longer time to heal up.

Longing for fall weather
I miss running in a crisp fall day. This kind of weather in Taipei recently makes me want to run in a cool autumn day along the Lakeshore Path in Hyde Park, Chicago. It would have been nice if a day like that arrived in Taipei. However, Taipei weather is getting colder. But does this mean that more rain will come?

For the full activity log visit. http://www.mapmyrun.com/user_training?u=368516315439

Some photos:

9/14/2008
The eye of Sinlaku hits northeastern coast of Taiwan

9/22/2008
Hagupit South of Kenting

9/28/2008
Wind from Jangmi stroking outside my apartment. Note on the motion of the rain at the middle left of the photo.

9/29/2008
Branches fell off from a tree at a bus stop near Sinica by Jangmi's strong wind

9/29/2008
Road sign was broken by Jangmi

Jangmi made landfall

A map of three systems as Jangmi moving North out from the Island to Japan, Tropical Storm Higos (Chamorro word for "fig") moving through the Philippines, and Tropical Storm Mekkhala (Female angel of lightening in Thai) to hit northern Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.

9/20/2008

A train running below a group of people waiting for the last train above ground near Kunyang station

Construction near Kunyang Station; we are waiting to see a pretty scene soon.

9/20/2008
A camera man taking a photo of a commuter rail heading to Taipei Main Station

9/20/2008
Bamboo barricade will be taken down after today
and I will not have to stop my bike for a passing train anymore.

9/20/2008
Yo-yo enjoying on his dad's shoulders

9/20/2008
Yo-yo and Meng-shin taking a rest on a bench where we are closer to Elephant Mountain

9/20/2008
Uncle Ay, "you are doing something funny."

9/20/2008
Yo-yo enjoying a cob of corn at the bottom of Elephant Mountain.
We finished the hike!

9/21/2008
A morning ride in "Taipei International Car Free Day."
I ended up coming back early because the event started later than I expected.

Continue reading the rest...

Hike Ci-Sing Shan

Activities/Actions:

Hiked Ci-Sing shan; 1120 meters.
With Arnold, Gou-yan and GY's girlfriend

Stat:


Course condition:
Nice...

How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)
Physically 3
Mentally 4
About my nutrition 3
About my sleep 2


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

Note and reflections:

"Are you crazy?" A friend asked after learning that I would go to hike Ci-Sing shan in the afternoon right after 10K race. It was awesome to hike!! Thanks to Arnold along with Gou-yan and his girlfriend for taking me up there. The trail was very very well marked and paved. The weather up on the top was very nice to sleep so I did take a 30-min power nap after arrived on the top. However, the windy and foggy condition was observed on both peaks.

More on this trip at [An Adventure on Formosa].

Hike > Hills - Light / No Pack: Hike Ci-qing mnth

Date: 08/31/2008
Start Time: 13:05:00
End Time: 16:55:00
Time Taken: 03:50:00
Route: Ci-qing Shan
Laps: 1
Total Distance: 3.63 mi.
Workout Weight: 137.0 lbs.

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Photos:

The tallest peak is where we are going to.

Arnold, Gou-Yan and GY's girlfriend stepping up the well paved trail.

We choose to go to the highest peak first.

Foggy and windy on the top.
(a good condition for a nap after the 10-K race)

We are at 1120 meters above sea level. (see our hair)

Around 22C and no "bai-bai" on the top!

Arnold looking down from the second peak.

The winding down trail from the second peak.

Sweet nectar!

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