Last Week of January

This month has passed by in a blur. First with our race and then with a couple of unfortunate events afterwards that have kept us on our toes. 

The first of these events was a stomach bug, or possibly food poisoning - it was difficult to determine. The half marathon took place on a Sunday morning. By early afternoon, E was complaining that she didn't feel well. She fell asleep uncharacteristically on the living room sofa. At around 3pm, her sister woke up from her nap having had an accident. As I was running to change the baby and the sheets, I heard E wake up crying. By the time I ran back to the living room, it was too late: she had thrown up. It was a double disaster. Turns out, I was next in line. By bedtime, I had the same symptoms as E. Needless to say, it was a rough night. 

The bug lasted 24 hours, but it took a few days longer for our energy and appetites to return. This was three weeks ago now. I went for an easy run a week later and just didn't feel up to it. Whether it was the exertion from running the race or the fatigue from being ill, I have had little motivation to exercise. I don't feel the restlessness I usually feel after a few days of not exercising. And even though I ran a half marathon just a few weeks ago, the training has left me depleted. You would expect such training to leave you in great running shape, but my runs are slower and shorter than before. 

The second thing was that my husband broke his wrist after a fall from his bicycle. He fell trying to put his mittens on while cycling. At least he won't need surgery. We learned from the experience that emergency room medical service in Japan cost about $200. It took three and a half hours to undergo two rounds of imaging and an examination. Not too bad considering it was late at night when there are fewer doctors on service. 

With all that behind us, I've belatedly been thinking about New Year's resolutions. Although I do set goals for myself, they are not always in the form of New Year's resolutions. This year, however, is my first new year in a new country, so I've been thinking more about how last year went and how I want this year to go. 

My first is to engage in activities I enjoy rather than complete tasks that I feel should be done. One of my biggest pleasures in life is reading, and so my goal is to find three classics to read, three works of fiction, and three of non fiction in the next few months. My first classic is Au Bonheur des Dames, or The Ladies' Paradise in English, by Émile Zola. I've read excerpts for school assignments a long time ago. It is also a particularly intriguing topic for me living in Japan, where the department store and department store culture still flourishes, and women are still the center of that microcosm. My first nonfiction is Becoming by Michelle Obama. I'm almost done reading it. It is a wise, uplifting and grounding read. If you have any suggestions for good books, please leave them in the comments!

While Tokyo is known for great winter weather, it has been cloudy more often than usual these days. This is actually my preference. Coincidentally, it's also my perfect reading weather. So I will leave you here to finish my book with a cup of coffee. 

Beyond Two Kilometers: Setagaya Park

In terms of both population and geographical area, Tokyo is a massive city. It would take more than two hours to drive from some parts of the Greater Tokyo Area to other parts. However, our living radius, the area in which we live, work, and play, is much smaller. Our neighborhood, like all neighborhoods in Tokyo, operates like a self-sufficient town. There are least five grocery stores within 1 km from our home. E's school is less than 2 km away, and so most of her school friends are nearby as well. The grandparents are less than 1 km away. There are also countless services such as dry cleaners, dentists, medical clinics, flower shops, etc., within a short walk away. Compared to Chicago and probably most American cities, there are more independent businesses in Tokyo. Therefore, there is more competition and variety of businesses in each neighborhood. We don't all have to drive to the one Whole Foods or mega Target servicing a larger area. Cycling is also a favorite mode of transportation, so distances are measured in terms of cycling or walking rather than driving. 

We have no practical reason to leave our two kilometer bubble. While this is convenient a lot of the times (especially with little kids), it can lull you into a complacent routine that lacks novelty and exploration. This weekend, with winter temperatures being relatively warm, we decided to leave our bubble and visit Setagaya, a neighboring ward of Shibuya. We buckled our kids onto our electric bicycle and headed off to Setagaya Park. 

I have been wanting to visit Setagaya Park, but I didn't know much about it. We arrived around 10 am, and unlike most parks in our neighborhood, it was surprisingly uncrowded. We were greeted at the entrance by a large abstract fountain and some ducks. 

There were tons of activities for kids. The kids first tried the pedal go-carts. It was free and there was no line, a rarity in this city. It had real lanes, pedestrian walkways, traffic signs, and working traffic lights. It tickled me that the kids solemnly abided by all these rules. The kids drove on the left, yielded to "vehicles" as the signs designated, and stopped at red lights for a full minute before speeding off when it turned green. As there was no age minimum, M gave it a go. Although she loved it, she was too short to reach the pedals and not coordinated enough to steer. I pushed her and steered, which was slightly stressful because I'm not great at driving on real roads, and this resembled the real thing too much. The size of the carts was much more suitable for E, who also enjoyed it very much. We guided her a bit with the traffic signals. Based on their experiences, the ideal age for enjoying these go-carts is 4-6 years old. 

Next to the go-carts was a model steam train. You can't go inside the compartments, but you can climb onto and between the cars to examine it up close, which E found endlessly amusing. 

The model train and go-carts are located near the main fountain. Also near the fountain is a play gym with swings, slides, a sand pit, and a few bouncy cars. On the other side of the park is a second, larger play structure. Near this is a mini train that kids can ride. It goes around in small loop with real train sounds and a crossing guard who, to the kids' delight, puts down the crossing rails as the train passes. It is free for kids under 6 years old and 100 yen (less than one USD) for everyone else. 

By the time the kids finished the ride, it was nearly noon. The park had a couple food trucks as well as a decent concession stand. Since it was a nice day, there were lots of park goers picnicking outdoors. We went to a restaurant called Fungo just across the street from the park. Fungo is a small diner-like restaurant with hot and cold sandwiches, burgers, soups, and salads. Just the basics, but all decently made. The proximity to the park makes it the most convenient option for winter dining. Across the street is a pie shop called Granny Smith Apple. They sell whole pies and slices. We tried the English Custard and Rum Raisin flavors. The slices were small but delicious. 

E had wanted to explore the larger play complex, so we headed there after lunch. It so happened that a story teller was there reading to a group of captivated children. The storytelling was enhanced with music and sound effects. Whether it was impromptu or scheduled, it was very charming and the sort of thing I love encountering. 

By this time, my kids were tired out from playing. Two and a half hours was not enough time to explore the entire park, but we have more than enough reason to return. E spent the first half of the bike ride home negotiating her way out of a nap and promptly fell asleep for the rest of the way home. 

Half-Marathon Sunday

Earlier today I just ran - and finished - my first half-marathon. I love the feeling of finishing a race. I previously wrote a post describing what it was like to train for a half-marathon. Towards the end of my 15 week training period, I was feeling mentally demotivated. I love running but was getting tired of the training regimen that dictated my week. Each week I would complete one long run, one speed run, one tempo run, and one recovery run if I had the time. I also made myself do strength training every week to prevent injury. And yoga once a week to soothe the muscles. 

The last two weeks before a race is suppose to be the tapering period, where you reduce your mileage and allow your body to recover. It's a good thing that my tapering period coincided with Christmas and the New Year. Who wants to be exercising all the time when there is so much delicious food to eat? I still had to do something, just not as much as before. With all those long runs farther and farther away in the rearview mirror, however, I was doubting my ability to reach my race goal. Trust the training, my husband would tell me. 

I reluctantly got out of bed around 6:45 am this morning to eat breakfast. It seems like Japanese races, like the Japanese work place, starts later than their American counterparts. Our 9:30 am start gave me plenty of time to eat and digest. I ate a small bowl of muesli, an onigiri, half a banana, and an espresso. We were out the door and on our way by 8 am, as the race site was 45 minutes away by metro. 

Japan has a long and intense tradition of long distance running. Whereas races in Chicago were fun events, sometimes even family events, races here feel more serious. I think it is far more common to be a casual runner who runs races for fun in America. And so when we arrived at the race site, everyone looked serious and professional. At the start line, my husband practically sprinted off, turning around to wave good-bye. 

The hardest thing about long distance running is that you are not fully in control of what happens to your body. You can push through 5 kilometers with as much as speed as you can muster, but 21 kilometers requires preparation, restraint, and a bit of estimation. The most difficult part of the first few miles was not allowing the environment and adrenaline to get the better of me. I had to hold myself back when I wanted to run faster. I had to focus on my own running and save enough energy for the rest of the race. But I also didn't want to go so slowly as to look back on my pace and have regrets. It was an ongoing conversation I had with myself throughout the race. 

It was a sunny and relatively warm winter day - great running conditions, though I would have preferred some clouds. Since the sun dehydrates you more quickly, I grabbed a cup of water as I passed a hydration station. Let me tell you, drinking water from a cup while running is a skill by itself. It's not something I usually do, and I was terrible at it. What I drank was half water and half air. I felt a giant air bubble in my chest as the water went down. 

I peaked around mile 8. At that point, my muscles were warmed up and engaged. I had plenty of energy left and felt I could run my fastest. I also knew from practice runs, however, that my energy deteriorates rapidly after mile 11. This part of the run, the third quarter, is the ultimate balancing act. You want to run full out, but you know that you shouldn't. Turns out my husband went full speed ahead, and though he burned through his energy earlier than planned, he had enough physical and mental resolve to push through the pain and reach the finish line. 

I played it safer. I felt in control at the end of the race in the sense that I did not need to stop. My husband later told me that I looked a little too relaxed. I probably could have pushed myself more, but the problem was, I couldn't physically see the finish line, and even with 400 meters to go, the risk of burning out was on my mind. Regardless, by the end of a race, all you can do is keep moving. It's hard to gauge how fast you are even going by the end. The training takes over, and all you can do is go along with the journey. 

In the end, I reached my goal of finishing under two hours. My official time was one hour and fifty-five minutes, or about eight minutes and forty-eight seconds per mile. It was a great experience...and I think I would do it again. My husband far exceeded his goal and finished in one hour and thirty-seven minutes.

The best thing about finishing a race is eating afterwards when the food tastes extra good. We stopped by our local Shake Shack on our return for a little taste of home. The rest of this Sunday will be filled with lots of water, some Netflix, and if you know me, just a little bit of ice cream. 

Happy New Year from Japan

New Year's in Japan is perhaps the biggest holiday of the year. It is when businesses close, employees enjoy a longish stretch of vacation, and winter holidays begin for students. Cities become emptier as residents, especially younger ones, return to their families to celebrate the New Years. There are a lot of Shinto traditions embedded in the celebrations, but I'm not familiar with those since my husband's family does not really observe them. Nevertheless, New Year's decorations everywhere reflect this distinct Japanese aesthetic.

Modern arrangement waiting to be picked up at my favorite flower shop in Tokyo's Jingumae neighborhood.

A more traditional New Year's arrangement.

More traditional decorations for the New Year. 

This year, we are also leaving the city for a more rural setting. We are headed to the mountain town of Karuizawa. If you read my summer posts, you will recognize it as a place we have visited before. Karuizawa is a family favorite because, as a mountain town, it is cool in the summer and good for downhill skiing in the winter. On previous trips, we borrowed my in-laws' car, but both my kids, especially E, have been getting car sick recently. They are more sensitive to the jerky zippiness of electric cars. The curvy mountain roads don't help. Maybe it is an age-related thing too? 

Anyhow, we decided to take the Shinkansen this time. It was both girls' first time riding it. E was super excited. In my opinion, the best part about riding the Shinkansen is choosing a bento to eat during the ride. Shinkansen trains always depart from large stations offering a dizzying array of bentos and snacks. E spotted a Shinkansen-shaped bento and of course wanted that. While it was not the most delicious choice, it was an adamant one, so we got it. It was insanely crowded in Tokyo station. The ride lasted just over an hour compared with a two-and-a-half hour car drive without traffic. 

E has been asking me why it does not snow in Tokyo. Born and raised in Chicago with interludes in Minnesota until she was four years old, the girl knows only snowy and frigid winters. She is naturally suspicious of a balmy sunny Christmas. Here in Karuizawa, she finally got her snow. It snowed all day on New Year's Eve, covering the trees, sidewalks, and slopes with a fine, powdery snow. 

A side street in Kyu-Karuizawa, or old Karuizawa

Karuizawa is a ski town. It has its own ski resort and is a good base for day trips to other resorts. The gentle local slopes are good for beginners and intermediate skiers. E dappled in downhill skiing last year with her grandpa. I think she enjoyed spending time with her grandpa more than the skiing itself. This year, we enrolled her in a group ski class, hoping that learning with other kids would be more fun. E, unlike her sister, harbors reservations when it comes to physical activities outside her comfort zone. The great thing about kids is how much they manage to surprise you. E quickly warmed up to skiing. On the second day, she almost gave up on skiing in the afternoon. With a little nudge, she decided to ski after all. It's a good thing she did, because she made the most progress that afternoon and ended the day on a high note. I want to ski tomorrow too, she proclaimed. 

Enjoying toddler ski school.

Skiing with grandpa. 

New Year's Day in Karuizawa began with sunshine and blue skies. My husband's mother and grandmother had spent the previous two days preparing a traditional New Year's breakfast, called Osechi Ryori. It is served in a lacquered black and red vessel called jubako. I think foods eaten for Osechi Ryori are designed to last a few days so that it can be prepared ahead of time. This way, everyone can relax and eat together on New Year's morning. 

Burdock root, carrots, chicken, lotus root, and mountain yam stewed in a dashi broth.

An assortment of fish cakes, rolled egg, sweet chestnut, fish eggs, and abalone.

Ozoni, New Year's soup: daikon, carrot, fish cake, toasted mochi, chicken, yuzu, and Japanese herbs.

New Year's Day in Karuizawa: cold and sunny with one fox sighting (no photo though). Wishing all of you a happy, healthy, and all around better year in 2022!