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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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)

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.

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