Next race?

So Trail Trouble is looking for more races in exotic places...

Amy likes the road races, but I think I will always prefer the trails. My legs are much better suited to the mountains.

Our list of potential destinations includes:

1) Africa
2) Australia
3) New Zealand

We would just like to be pretty sure it won't be hot. No more races in Singapore ever again!

Long Fook Hing Wei

So the death march turned out to be, well, almost delightful...

The highlights:

1) Barreling down Stage 3- flying past all sorts of people as fast as could be. i rediscovered my gobi legs!
2) Walking up the monkey road and making small talk to the guy next to me and having him respond to me in the dark, "Oh hello, Kathryn how are you?" I still have no idea who that was!
3) Potato and Leek Soup at the support stops
4) Flying down Shatin Pass and looking out at the lights on HK
5) Finishing in 18 hours 51 minutes...

So I didn't die. It really helps when you are properly nourished and not hungover... AMAZING.

My team Long Fook Hing Wei (say it outloud it doesn't mean anything) turned out to be an incredible group of motivators, jokesters and rabblerousers...All I can say is, "ARSE!"

Positive motivation for the death march...

Do we think there will be hot guys wandering the trails?

Hmm...maybe it is a good idea to go fast...

Transcontinental Training Partners...

I was up at 5:30am getting ready to meet my Trail Trouble partner when I saw a bbm chat from my friend Clare from Hkiss. I was just in Newport for Clare's EPIC wedding. Seriously, we started dancing with a mariachi band at noon on Friday and didn't stop dancing until Sunday after brunch with only a short pause for the ceremony and champagne toast. One of the best parts of the wedding was meeting all of Clare and Tom's friends from different parts of their lives. Given how small the universe is, of course, their next door neighbor in Newport is my Trail Trouble partner's best friend Sangell from growing up.


So Clare informed me that she was sitting in her kitchen drinking tea with Sangell trying to motivate to go for a run. I told her I was late (as usual) for my morning run and bootcamp combo with my Trail Trouble partner.


And I couldn't help but laugh that we are 13,000 miles and 13 time zones apart and yet, here we are, the four of us, all working out together. Now there is motivation. AWESOME.


I love technology.

The Next Race...

Suddenly the question for me (and a lot of my friends) is, "What is the next race?"

What is the next challenge? Where are we going next? What distance will this one be?

So the answer for me is easy- Trailwalker. 100km up and down mountains in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It's for a good cause. I'm actually going to raise some funds, and somehow I found a team that is looking to do it in 20 hours. Most people aim to complete their first Trailwalker in under 24 hours, but again, moderation is not my forte. It's a terrible, terrible idea and my body is going to hurt for days afterwards, but I feel like it's one of those quintessential HK things that you have to do.

But then what?

I've got a 15km reservoir race on Dec 6th. I've tentatively signed up for Atacama. My Trail Trouble partner wants to do a race in Australia. I think I should probably try a marathon, and my two best friends in HK are addicted to biking and triathlons. There's a crazy Action Asia adventure race in December. Maybe I should learn to orienteer?

Or maybe it's time to take a nap... hmm, that sounds least likely of all.

Tails

These furry tails might be the best yet...

Furry Animal Costumes

Furry animal costumes are awesome. I have been converted. Kate was kind enough to share her elephant costume with me. It was excellent. There were so many furry animals- we had monkeys, giraffes, dogs, pigs, ducks and even a caterpillar. Halloween parties are much better than Maclehose hikes...

40km through the woods at night is really not the way to end Halloween weekend.

Lesson learned for next time- more sleep, less alcohol, more water.

Halloween Costume

So now that I have reclaimed my life, what on earth am I going to be?

My Trail Trouble partner is looking to do Blades of Glory. I'm going to a superheroes and villians party. I always want to be She-Ra.

Back story- a few years ago, I had a She-ra dress custom made for me. Basically all of my childhood dreams came true, and my life has not been the same since. It's really hard to find anything that I like as much as She-ra.


Rainbow Brite? Punky Brewster? A psycho ultramarathoner?

Reclaiming my life...

So I have been training for a race or a hike or an adventure basically non-stop since March...and I have to say the process of training, the long runs to Shek O, the hours of hilltop hiking have all been transformative. It has been wonderful to set goals and work towards them.

But I finally hit my wall. I have one last big race before the end of the year- Trailwalker. It's 100 kilometers over the largest hills in Hong Kong. It's going to be hell and I have no idea why I agreed to do it.

We have a night hike scheduled for Saturday night. Saturday night is Halloween. Finally I put my foot down. This girl has got to go out. I need to dress up, dance, and DFMO.

Costume ideas anyone? Shake the glitter...

More Trail Trouble...

Yup that's us at the finish...just so you have some proof that we actually did it...

Oh yeah

And there are prizes!!!!!

But in a sad twist of fate, in the safest place on earth, they were stolen...

:(

Trail Trouble

So it's been an intense couple of weeks with long runs and hikes and cross training, but we finally went to Singapore for our crazy race this weekend.

I just want to begin by reminding myself why we decided to do this race:
1) Shorter distance than the Gobi
2) Trail Race
3) Singapore is flat
4) By October it will be fall and cool


So those first two were true, but the second two were not.

I am pretty sure the race organizers found all of the hills in Singapore and included them in this race. I am also thinking they talked to the big guy upstairs and asked him to turn the heat up a notch just to make sure no one thought this was going to be easy.

And easy it was not. It was hard as hell.

We started with a gear check at 6am. I had an early morning contact lens disaster but fortunately I brought an extra set. The gun was off at 7am and we were on our way.

It was a long and hot course, but in my typical fashion I met a bunch of people along the trail including:

1) A pediatric oncologist
2) A real estate agent
3) A Sri Lankan civil service member
4) A banker (ALWAYS)
5) A ship broker

If you ever need any of these professions in Singapore let me know. I've tried to block out much of the course but there were all sorts of animals including monkeys lining the path to cheer/steal food from us.

The last ten kilometers were tough! Direct sunlight, hills, roots, and 100 degree heat. I tripped and did a somersault on kilometer 8km, but as we came around the reservoir to the finish I found a little reserve of energy and sprinted to the finish.

Just a little over 7 hours...amazing...

My partner Amy Small won the whole thing for the women. It was awesome.

Oh yeah and we came in first place....not bad for our first ultramarathon...

Running around Suburbia

Wildlife I passed:

1) Cardinals
2) Deer
3) Wild Turkeys

Whole new running life experiences:

1) Sidewalks
2) Less than 200% humidity
3) No pollution

I could get used to this...

Pining for the Moon

Three days. Four countries. Five flights. 20,000+ miles. Started on a beach in the South China Sea last Sunday wrapping up over Jamaica Bay Saturday afternoon with interludes in Xintiandi street stalls and Apujeong soju parlors. Power plants and coastlines bookmarking strong flavors and personal frontiers.

This week I cartwheeled across shark nets in the Lamma Channel. I raced old men on bicycles through the streets of the French concession. I danced down the Incheon aisles.

Following last Sunday's moonless night, I've found the soft warm glow before Pearl Tower and after PowerPoint presentations. I have been pining for the moon- imagining a dark and distant dream could be better than the fiery sun that sits squarely on my street.

I am finally figuring out how to enjoy the sun's warmth and embrace the constant joy that sits inside me.

I'm going to Graceland.

Addicted?

Lately I've had a lot of people asking me, "So are you addicted now?" My response always comes out as a hedge, something along the lines of, "Ah, um, I don't know. I don't think so."

Growing up in the "Just Say No" 80s, the word addiction instantly conjures images filled with vials of crack cocaine (if they even come in vials) , needles, and strung out people writhing on the ground of burned out factory buildings. Clearly my American youth was filled with after-school specials and made for TV movies.

But how could I possibly be addicted to running? The first time I answered the question, "Are you a runner?"in the affirmative was last week in my office building elevator when someone spotted me with a Raidlight backpack. How do you go from existential hesitation before a simple question to full-fledged addiction?

That would seem a bit much to me.

So I decided to check out the warning signs of addiction:

1. Usage increase- well i'm now running 4-5 times a week

2. Change in personality

3. Social withdrawl- i definitely don't go out like i used to

4. Ongoing use- first thing I did when I got to Shanghai was to go for a run.

5. Time spent obtaining the drug- i spent hours planning runs and looking for new gear.

6. Change in Daily Habits or appearance- my schedule has changed and hopefully I look a little different.

7. Neglects responsibilities- i definitely would rather run than do dishes.

8. Increased sensitivity- i get super grumpy if I haven't had a satisfying run.

9. Blackouts and forgetfulness

10. Defensiveness

I' m over 50% on the warning signs.

Uhoh...It's true- running does make me feel better and helps me cope with challenging emotional situations. After a long day at work, I wake up craving the solititude, the movement, the free space in my head, and the endorphins which pump through my body. My lifestyle is altered ; my priorities are rearranged; my approach to everything from friends to work to food is different.

But for now I'll stick to enthusastic, excited, or exhilarated about, by, or from running rather than addicted to it. I'd like to think that I'm still in control.

**Addiction is a very serious condition, and addiction to drugs, alcohol, prescriptions, gambling, and the internet are all harmful to you and your loved ones. If you need help, seek out the support of professionals who are qualified to assist. I am happy to help in indentifying the appropriate resources if you need someone to help you navigate.

Of course, if you're just having a lousy day, you are always welcome to run with me.

The Why

It's funny- two months after the race, and people are still asking me, "Why?"

I generally offer one of the following explanations:

1) I wanted to see Kashgar.
2) Why not?
3) I did not want to be the big bridesmaid.
4) I decided to try work/life balance.
5) I wanted to see what HK had to offer outside of Al's Diner.
6) Thought I might meet some interesting people.
7) Quarterlife crisis.
8) Get back to being an athlete.
9) An excellent excuse to buy shiny new gear
10) Find some free time to think about what's important.

All of these are sort of true and sort of simplistic.

At least with the Singapore race, the answer is easy:

Singapore is flat, and I have an awesome team name.

Oh yeah and I wanted to see if I might possibly like this sport of running...

The answer: YES.
(see previous post)

I am now officially a runner...

Middle toenail on the left foot: GONE.

Three plus hours of running: DONE.

Officially a runner? ABSOLUTELY.

Great weekend.

Thursday Twins

That's Trail Trouble's triathlon training buddy powering through the end of the Twins. What a beautiful morning...It's sometimes hard to believe we're still in HK.

Sir Cecil is my Homeboy

I just want to say that Sir Cecil is my homeboy. His "ride" makes up a solid chunk of most of the long runs I do these days. Running on the relatively flat and picturesque path, weaving above the melee of the northern section of HK Island, this morning it occurred to me, " Who is this Sir Cecil and what was he riding?"

So I looked him up. Thank you very much Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Clementi

Very smart guy. Turns out he spoke fluent Canto and Mandarin and he also read Sanskrit. I love the old colonial governors. They were definitely adventurers. Some of the highlights of his tenure include the abolition of female maid servitude and the resolution of the HK-Canton labor strikes. Most importantly, he left an excellent walking/running/ jogging path.

Go Cecil...Now I need to find out about his lady... she has a whole separate ride. Giddy up!

Baby steps

So suddenly there are lots of people (that I actually know) who are pregnant and having babies...

A fellow bridesmaid from my best friend's wedding just had a little girl; a camp friend just had her second boy; two classmates from my study abroad year are due before the end of the summer; and one of my favorite HK couples is expecting Baby K in the next three weeks (my money is on August 16th for that lucky kid).

Wow. It's incredible to think about. It's really exciting.

One of my own friends from babyhood had her first child over two years ago. Suddenly that newborn plays baby basketball with her dad and twirls around in tutus like Meredith and I did when we were her age. It astounds me to watch (via facebook) how quickly she grows and learns. When I first met her she could barely lift her head, but sure enough, she learned how to roll over, then crawl, and now it seems all she does is dance. What an adventure.

I am deeply in awe of all of my friends as they bring these incredible new people into the world, and I'm trying to take some inspiration and a page out of their playbook by approaching some of my goals with patience and baby steps.

I tend to jump into the deep end head first (with a couple of front flips first if I can manage it), but this time, I'm trying out a new approach- taking time to slowly build up my strength, my endurance, and my skills. Last week I added spin and interval training to the agenda. Next week I plan to join a running clinic to improve my technique. I'm also adjusting my eating and sleeping habits. I ate pineapple today!

It's scary. This weekend I'm off on my first solo 25km run. In some ways I'm tottering, unsure of the next step and wondering just how far I'll make it.. But I bet 25km in the blistering heat and HK pollution is less painful than childbirth...so I'll stick to this adventure for now and keep that in mind when I want to quit.

22km in 35 degrees

...And that is what you get. Trail trouble's butt print...

Trail Trouble convened our weekend escapade below Parkview at 7am on Saturday morning. A number of our HK compatriots were heading in the opposite direction ie home to their beds as Amy can attest when she drove past Home Base.

We loaded up on Gatorade and Pocari Sweat before assuming our usual trek down the Round the Island Route. Knowing the route made things a little bit easier and after the first two big hills, Mt. Butler Road and Sir Cecil's Ride, we started to cruise. The two tall troublers led the way as usual, but we know our meet up points, a quick splash in the waterfall and off we go again...

To hit the full 22kms, we decided to run all the way down Shek O Road. It's a nice run except that in order not be creamed by buses and legions of bikers you have to run in direct sunlight. No breeze, no shade, no sidewalk...It was hot and humid and the only relief was filled with exhaust when buses and trucks passed by. But still we made it and were filled with a massive rush of exhilaration.

The ipod measuring our distance got run over by a car at 21.7kms so we probably went a bit beyond 22km but who cares...It was painful and the API was definitely in the high range on Saturday so we may be doing more harm to our lungs than good to our muscles, but we definitely finished with a huge sense of accomplishment and some massive bottles of water in town.

Hard to believe that our Singapore race is going to be more than double that. Next week we'll get to the halfway point- 25km on the agenda...let's hope it rains...

One week away from old(er)...

Email to a Gobi friend:

"I’m really looking forward to this weekend. I’m shipping my brother out to Sai Kung for BBQ, so he can have some fun (and I can hit the hay). He’s only 24 so still needs to rage all the time…ah youth…anyway...squash tonight. Long run and a movie tomorrow. Hiking and swimming on Sunday.

When did I become an adult? Oh wait, that’s not until next week when I turn 27…sheesh…"

That's almost believeable...

It's been so long since last we met...

...lie down forever lie down. That is the opening line of the Georgetown fight song, and it seems rather apt following my month long hiatus from blogging. It's been a crazy month. I've said goodbye to a LOT of friends, entertained visitors, and recruited a new roommate- my brother Chris. As usual, I've seen the standard business trips and an awful lot of rain.

But we're just under three months away from my next race- The North Face 100 in Singapore. I've teamed up with my friend Amy, who legs are about as long as my entire body, as Trail Trouble- greatest team name ever! This time, I'm actually going to do some significant training and aim to run the entire race. The point of this is to figure out if I actually like these ultramarathons, or if the appeal of the Gobi lay more in the escape from my blackberry and spectacular scenery.

So now, basically I'm back trying to figure out the meaning of my life and get some exercise at the same time. There's new urgency as friends get married, have babies, and head back to the US, and I move firmly into my late 20s on August 16th and need to look hot in all those bridesmaid dresses.

Trail Trouble's training has gotten off to a bit of a slow start due to typhoons and travel schedules, but independently we have explored cities ranging from Tokyo to Istanbul (NOT Constantinople...ha) in our running shorts and asics. We enlisted lots of training partners and hopefully will be more than ready come Oct 24th...

Nap time

So I've been telling myself that I would sit down this weekend and put my thoughts together in a succint summary that captures the race with all of its ups and downs, triumphs, defeats, and life lessons. But really, a memory is a living breathing thing, and each time I tell the stories or answer questions, my view shifts, so rather than a penultimate account, I am going to try and put a couple of "thoughts" together as they come to me.

Case in point- I was feeling strong and powerful for most of the race. When asked how I felt afterwards, I repeatedly said that I felt great and hit a new level of physical fitness.

Until today that is... I hiked the Twins and wanted to do nothing except to crawl up into a little ball and take a nap. So much for physical prowess.

Still it was an incredible feeling when I got to checkpoint 7 on the long day and decided to race the clock home, or checkpoint 3 on day 3 with feet wet and blistered, through pure determination I made it to camp in under 7 hours. I definitely broke some physical barriers even if that type of strength is elusive today.

Wheels up

Giddy up...

Here we go..

While in the desert, friends can email messages of support and encouragement via the Racing The Planet website. Any all and all messages would be greatly appreciated as I take on the greatest physical challenge of my life. You have two options:

- Click on this link and you can email me: http://www.4deserts.com/gobimarch/rtpgmtp.php?SID=3&SBID=RC14

- Read my blog updating my progress here- http://www.4deserts.com/blogs/comptetior_blog_new.php?pid=NTA5&blog=10 the link on the bottom right that says, “Comments” in light blue. At the bottom, there is a little form where you can enter your name, email and comments. Enter the security code, hit submit and voila. It’s a little more public but I know for sure I can see this.

I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful and supportive group of friends around me and look forward to catching up with you all in person, over the phone and over email once I'm back in HK the week of June 23rd.

Much love,
Kathryn

Patriotic Toes

Lord only knows what they will look like post race...

Tornado

When I was a little kid, one of my favorite games was called Tornado.

The premise was simple- spin around and around and around until you fall down. Whoever falls down last wins. So long as you play on grass, everybody wins; that dizzy feeling is great.

I sort of feel like I'm in the middle of a game of Tornado with last minute gear checks, project handoff at work, and all the remaining errands- buy Crocs, check; pedicure, check; pack normal clothes for post-trek, uhoh still to do.

I am really looking forward to falling into my Dragonair seat tomorrow and taking a deep breath before the game resets with an 8kg pack on my bag.

Dear Mom and Dad,

As promised, here is a link to my trip blog http://www.4deserts.com/blogs/comptetior_blog_new.php?pid=NTA5&blog=10 and an explanation of how to send messages while I am on my trip. I will be sure to give you a call in Beijing , where I am staying with friends, but after that, I'm not sure how well my phone will work. Why don't you try posting a comment today so that we can make sure it works before I go incommunicado?

We’ve already talked about most of this, but I thought I would put logistics in writing in case any questions come up. So the trip that I am doing is called Racing the Planet. Basically they set up these treks all around the world to show people really interesting and culturally significant places while getting some exercise. Some of the people on the trip are super hardcore athletes and run the entire thing. For those superhumans, this trek is actually a multi-day ultramarathon, so Racing The Planet has put together an awesome medical team that includes a doctor from NASA. How cool is that! I'm sure they will also help mere mortals like me who will be walking the whole thing. Hopefully blisters will be my only reason to seek out their help... So between the medical team and my expat insurance, you have absolutely NOTHING to worry about from a health and wellness perspective. Plus I've put together a spreadsheet with all of the food I'm bringing which includes calorie content, so I will be well fed.

I arrive in Kashgar around 4pm on Friday afternoon and hopefully will get some time to check out the town. As I mentioned last night, the Chinese government is in the process of razing the city to protect it from "earthquakes." It’s a total shame, but I am so glad that I get to see it before the historical City Center is gone. Here a link to the article if you're interested: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/world/asia/28kashgar.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=kashgar&st=cse

Dad, I really wish you were going to be here with me. I think this sort of place would be right up your alley. Apparently there are tons of ruins scattered all over the region from the old Silk Road days. When I’m home I will get you this great book about all the 19th century explorers. You will love it. Mom- apparently the market is incredible. I will break out the camera and post pictures on Facebook (although I doubt the fruits and vegetables will be spectacular as Rennes ) and look for lots of pretty silks and presents for you. As with all of my trips, I think to truly understand the local culture, some quality time in the public houses is required, and apparently the teahouses and bars in Kashgar do not disappoint. I will save that expedition for the end of the trip though.


So Friday to Saturday, we're in a hotel, and then Saturday we are bused out to camp, and we get started on the trek Sunday morning. Basically imagine the Billings’ tents but coed and substitute the Taklamakhan desert for Lake Fairlee . No waterskiing, but we should still have the gorgeous night skies, plus the people I’ve met doing the trek so far are wonderful.

Every day we go through a different type of landscape. The first day we'll see canyons, and the rest of the week will range from dunes to spectacular natural arches. Part of the fun will be discovering new areas. The trek ends on Saturday, followed by a celebration dinner back in Kashgar. Once we get into camp at night, I'll have a chance to go to the cybertent and hop on the Racing the Planet website to let you know how I'm doing. I can't access regular email but you have two options:

1) Click on this link and you can email me: http://www.4deserts.com/gobimarch/rtpgmtp.php?SID=3&SBID=RC14

2) Or click the link on the bottom right that says, “Comments” in light blue. At the bottom, there is a little form where you can enter your name, email and comments. Enter the security code, hit submit and voila. It’s a little more public but I know for sure I can see this.

I know you guys think I’m a little crazy for picking this as my vacation, but you also thought I was a little crazy when I decided to move to Hong Kong at 23 and think about how much you love HK now! You guys brought me up to take risks and make good decisions. I promise not to drag you to this remote region of China . :)

Of course, it’s only because of your love, support, encouragement, and 100% faith that I’m able to take on these incredible challenges. Besides the strong appeal of unplugging my Blackberry for 8 days, I guess this is another chance to push outside my comfort level, see a new (and quickly disappearing) part of the world, and learn a little bit more about myself along the way. Strangely, I suppose this adventure is sort of another milestone on the road to adulthood (despite my continued attempts to delay that reality for as along as possible).

I am so lucky to have you both in my life, and it has been so fun to share the crazy stories from training with you. (I did a quick Google search and confirmed the desert is free of monkeys, so no worries there!) In all my wanderings through the woods these last couple of months, I have often thought how fun it would be if we could all be 26 at the same time, exploring this gigantic world together. Those logistics would be difficult, so I’m glad that I have inherited your adventurous and independent spirits instead.

I will be thinking of you (and probably how much I wish we were back at the Metropole in Hanoi ) over the long trip and look forward to giving you both big hugs in just a few months.

Much love,
Kathryn x

Drumroll please...

My bag is now down below 8kgs. Less than18 pounds for those on the English system...

That's a substantial improvement from the 22 pounds that I was looking at on Sunday night. In addition, almost everything fits inside the bag...

Serious progress. Just about 24 hours til takeoff...

Deep Breaths

I have been completely giddy about the entire Gobi endeavor for the last week or so. Maybe it was just the sugar high hangover from "testing" all the snacks this weekend, but yesterday I could not sit still. Just ask shower man- we had an extensive debate on the efficacy of deodorant wipes after three days without a shower. He won; they didn't make the cut. Sorry boys...

Today, though, I find myself in a quiet moment. There is still a lot of work to be done- both in my usual Hong Kong life and in preparation for the Gobi. I've been diligently crossing off the to-dos from my list, packing and repacking, counting the calorie content of Cheez-Its, and preparing to part with my dignity. Still I am overawed by the enormity of what is about to take place- the landscape, the race, the people, the journey...

I hate that I sound like VW commerical.

Only five days til the gun goes off...Go Gobi...

Two Gobi Goals

1) Enjoy the actual race itself a little bit every day despite the inevitable pain.

2) Take lots of pictures (especially now that I have an awesome new red Canon Ixus camera).

More Packing Advice...

From my friend who showers three times a day:

I bet you've packed way too many toiletries. You should only be bringing a toothbrush and toothpaste. Seriously. Deodorant! Ha! You guys are all going to stink anyway! The day before we left for those NOLS trips we'd all have to weigh in then go through all our stuff with the leaders of the trips. They'd always take about 25% of peoples stuff out. Girls were the worst offenders with all their makeup and toiletries. Totally unnecessary!

Side note- that is the largest number of exclamation points I have EVER seen him use in written correspondence.

Packing: AFTER

It is a miracle that the bag closed. Now I just need to figure out how to eliminate about 2kgs of weight...hmm...

Packing: BEFORE

This is how I spent my Sunday...

New Gobi Worry

Who will I sit next to on the long bus ride out to camp on Saturday?

Uhoh...Back to grade school all over again...

Dumb Move of the Weekend

Move: Dancing in my work pumps at electro-pop show in Beijing

Result: Painful blisters on the top of my big toes

Side note- Beijing music scene, good friends, and Pet Conspiracy make for a very fun evening regardless of blisters

Nationality Patches

Wednesday I dropped off my shirts to have the 4Deserts and nationality patches sewn on the sleeve. Sounds like a simple enough exercise, but of course, nothing is ever simple for me, and so I had a bit of an existential crisis while thinking about what nationality patch to put on my clothes.

Displaying an American flag in many parts of the world can be an incendiary act. I am especially reminded of that sitting in Beijing today, 20 years after Tiannamen Square, where I am prohibited from accessing twitter, youtube, and even my blogging website. I can only write this post by accessing an international network via Citrix.

I am proud to be an American and proud of what the US flag represents especially the values of liberty, justice, and freedom of speech, but then I thought about the prospect of getting lost in the desert. The far western corner of China is home to many of China's military installations, and while it is IMPOSSIBLE that I will run into any of them, that other American value, pragmatism won out, so I will be sporting the HK flag on my arm.

Plus after three years of weekends spent in LKF, I think my future campaign to be POTUS is pretty much doomed anyway...

Encouraging email of the day

From an old Hkiss pal:

Can you pls look into getting a satellite phone?! At least we'll be able to recover your body... and an almost new satellite phone! :)

Packing Practice

My friend J is prepared for everything. We affectionately call her "Mom" because she is incredibly thoughtful and remembers all the little pieces of daily life that we overage adolescents of HK have a tendency to forget- tissues, tylenol, thank you notes, etc.



J has been exploring Asia over the last several months and staying with me between jaunts to India, Nepal, Laos, Bangkok, Burma, and Bhutan. J is the ultimate houseguest- she makes coffee in the morning, runs errands, does dishes, and brings home mint chocolate chip ice cream- Amazing. But I am most grateful for the extended tutorial in packing which I've enjoyed over the last three months.



Initiation happened 7s weekend; we stumbled out of the south stands to J's apartment to sort through old clothes, books, beauty products, and lord only knows what else. It's a blur but three days later, she emerged. Her life downsized from 12 types of suntan lotion to 2 and ten bottles of cold medicine to none. It was an important first step.



Before her India-Nepal-Bhutan adventure, she sat on my living room floor, and we debated the merits of dresses, running shorts, purses, and pain pills. We made sure that J was prepared for trekking in two bags, which she could carry herself. Several hours, outfits, and glasses of wine, later, J was on her way.


The crowning moment came last night. In less than twenty minutes, daydress, sportswear, swimwear, and evening clothes for three weeks in Bali were slotted into their appropriate pockets. Guidebooks, medication and toiletries were prepacked and all she took was a carry on.

I can only hope that Wednesday night as I frantically pack my bag, I can focus on such concise and exact packing.

So let's see, guess I don't need the blackberry charger in the desert, right?

In the Running is on the Today Show

Very exciting news about my charity...

In the Running's Erin Sprague has been selected for SELF Magazine's 2009 "Women Doing Good" award. Her classy mug is featured in the June issue of the magazine, which is on newsstands now. In addition, Erin will appear with the two other winners on the TODAY Show with Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb during the 10am hour on Tuesday, June 2nd.

http://www.intherunning.org/

Taper Tip of the Day

Eat plenty of protein from now on, keep walking/running but less intense and stretch a lot. Oh and pray.

-Peter Dunn

Zen and the Art of China Travel Planning

In most places, if you want to book a trip, you have two options:

1) Find the flights at the cost and times you want via a myriad of airline aggregators, enter your credit card details, and voila, off you go.

2) Call the travel agent, have a conversation about your goals and vision for travel, and they send you an itinerary. Again, voila, off you go.

Traveling in China is never simple though.

You try to book the flights yourself, but the price increases several thousand USD if you decide to pay with a credit card. You try to use the travel agent, but they won't book the flight because you are 10 minutes short of the minimum connecting time. Also they won't answer any of your questions, and the itinerary they send will not start or end in the correct location.

Next time, I will book earlier. (I tell myself that every time.)

In the meantime, I am trying very hard to remember that this is all part of the adventure. Sure, I am probably going to be stuck in the Urumqi airport on the way home. I know my bags are not going to make the connecting flight to Kashgar. And most likely, I will be stuck paying a change fee when my flight from Beijing is delayed and those extra ten minutes would have been helpful.

But at long last, I confirmed seats , and the journey of 250kilometers begins with a double engine Boeing 757 across the great Mongolian plain...

MDI- Monkey Defense Initiative

As a child of the 80s, this is also popularly know as "Trail Wars."

Lessons in Canto

I've lived in Hong Kong for three and a half years and speak about five words of Canto. It's shameful. One thing that I have mastered in Canto though is the art of "Jo San" or good morning, and it is one of my favorite parts about hiking in Hong Kong.

Most mornings, I find myself in the company of elderly trailwalkers and tai chi ladies. I wander down the paths of Hong Kong and am constantly greeted by a singsong, "Jo San!"

I've taken to preemptively engaging my fellow trailmates with a booming "Jo San" regardless of whether they are Canto or not. Given the success of my efforts with Jo San, it is time to take my trail talk to the next level. I think the following phrases would be most appropriate/ helpful:

1) Good afternoon (Jo san only applies until noon time.)
2) How are you?
3) Beautiful morning.
4) Enjoy your hike.
5) Watch out for the rabid monkeys and stray dogs we just fought off...

Must make a serious effort to learn number 5 before heading back to the Sha Tin Hills.

In The Running from Gold Coast to Gobi

It would be an outright lie if I said I have never run a long distance race. At summer camp, my co-counselor Kate F and I did a handful of 5km fun runs with the FAMOUS Larry Drew through Thetford, Vermont in 2000.

I enjoyed them so much it took another 8 years before I would run again. Only the chance to be part of a successful Guinness World Record campaign could have possibly gotten me back into the running game (the post race trip to the Whitsundays with two close friends didn't hurt either).

So I went from the Gold Coast Half Marathon last summer to six marathons over seven days across the Gobi Desert this year. Screws loose? Definitely don't have any of those...

And so I have finally gotten my act in gear to support a charity, which is a total no-brainer. I am raising money for In The Running, which is an organization, started by my Guinness World Record holding (and very inspirational) friend, composed of individuals taking on hard core, international endurance challenges while raising money/publicity for grassroots organizations encountered along the way.

Check out the story of Guinness World Record holder, Erin Sprague, and this phenomenal organization at http://www.intherunning.org/

Top 5 pieces of gear that baffle my helper

1) Body Glide
Discovered in the top drawer of my nightstand.

2) 5kg bag of rice
Found a note attached, "Me cook?"

3) Fold up plastic Origamibowl
Filed away in my bookcase next to the used notebooks.

4) Packets of Gu
Relocated to my medicine cabinet next to the free samples of Kiehls moisturizer

5) Trekking poles
Slotted in between the 7 iron and the sand wedge in my golf bag

Clearly this woman thinks I am insane and disturbed. I'm starting to think that she might not be wrong.

Gobi Girl and the Holy Gear

My typical Hong Kong Saturday night features a pilgrimage that sets out from the Globe and then meanders its way from Solas and Wagyu on Wyndam Street down to the bowels of LKF for jello shots at Al's Diner back up the hill for dirty dancing at Dragon-I capped off by the cover band at Dusk til Dawn. Interludes at Le Jardin and Mint are regular features in my search for... hmm... What is it I am looking for until 4am most weekends? (Clearly a topic for a different blog.)

This weekend featured a very different path although included many similiar features of a typical Saturday night. This time the quest was clear- finalize my GEAR. In case you hadn't noticed, most RTPers are obsessive about gear. (A big thank you to Matthew Chapman for his amazing blog entries on this particular topic.) They plan it out at a level of detail rivaled only by bridezilla planning her wedding. Friends, transition your cost per guest model to calorie content per gram, and you get the idea.

As all adventurers, I started out close to home- Park and Shop, where I saddled up to some familiar items: peanut M&Ms and granola bars adding ramen and instant coffee to the routine. Mmmm. Nothing like comfort food. From there, I decided to strike out in search of a shiny new outfit at Mammut. I found a couple of cute suits but left disappointed as nothing held any lasting interest. I then went to trusted friend Protrek where I was sure to find direct delivery of just the stuff I needed in neat colors- new hat, sunglasses, origamibowl, body glide, socks, bum bag and more. Much like Al's Diner's I way overdid it. After the euphoria at Protrek, I got a little lost along the way and ended up waltzing around a pair of Polar watches at Pure, but better judgement prevailed, and I headed to dark side- ie Mong Kok, to round out my collection- trekking poles, watch, red flashing light, sleeping bag, sleeping pad and everything necessary to ensure a good night sleep.

Much like any other Saturday night, I returned home late, completely spent. Shoes, clothes, purse, keys, and now purchases strewn all over the floor of my aparment. Me passed out, face down on top of the covers. I guess it's reassuring that my weekends haven't changed that much.

As usual, my quest continues- anyone know where I can buy safety pins?

Crabby after Seven Soggy Hours

My goal of 60km yesterday was thwarted by the Hong Kong monsoon. VKHF and I hit the trail at about 6:30am making our way along the Round the Island Race trail. Fortunately it was not raining when we started, or else I might have spent the day watching 30 Rock on a treadmill at Pure. Hmm...come to think of it...that doesn't sound so bad...may do that today instead of Tung Chung to Mui Wo.

Highlight of the day 1)- watching the sheet of rain sweep down over Shek O Peak and pelt us on the exposed part of Hong Kong Trail. Painful.

Highlight of the day 2)- VKHF being attacked by a crab on the trail. (See picture above.) She wasn't really attacked but he did put out his pincers. Come to think of it- what on earth are crabs doing on mountain trails?

Interesting discovery- my GoLite backpack is NOT waterproof. While I don't think that will be a major problem during Gobi (you know the whole desert, no rain thing), thank goodness VHKF brought a ziplock bag or else I would be purchasing yet ANOTHER Blackberry Bold.

Hiking in the monsoon isn't so bad actually- minus the pelting rain part. It keeps you cool and "hydrated". The only problem is your feet. I was trying my 7th different type of sock- Injini toe socks, but to be honest, I don't think it would have mattered what I was wearing; there was no escaping wet feet, and my baby toes blew up. Given that I didn't get any blisters in NEW places, Injini socks may just be the answer to my prayers. After seven hours, feet felt excruciating; I was soaked; and thunder and lightning lit up the sky, so I packed it in at about 35 kms.

Other exciting developments:
1) I tried Gu for the first time and found that I LIKE IT!
2) I wore my gaiters, and they proved very helpful for keeping out the dirt and pebbles although they hug my ankles in a rather unflattering way.
3) VKHF did her longest hike ever and was inspired to go buy hiking shoes.

Capped off the day with dragon boating practice at the Pickled Pelican as the Coast Guard wouldn't let teams out on the water given the size of the swell and the high potential for capsizing. We practiced paddling on our bar stools, and the team hydrated with a tower of Carlsberg. Definitely my preferred way to dragon boat. I stuck to an Early Grey tea, but am psyched for Thursday. Looking forward to the first Tuen Ng festival that I will remember in its entirety. Now that is a feat!

Reading Rainbow

I love buying books, and I blame LeVar Burton.

On several occasions over the last month, I have wandered into Page One and thrown down my credit card for a couple of great Gobi (and running related) reads. I am strong believer in preparing for vacation by buying books about the place and people that I will be visiting. Normally, it's the buying that is important; the reading tends to be secondary, often happening on the plane ride back from the exotic spot I've just visited. See Kathryn's trips to Cambodia, Japan, and India for reference.

This time though, in light of my significantly reduced social life, I'm actually going to be well read BEFORE I get to my destination. Plus who can afford to carry a book's extra weight on their back for seven days?

So far my recommendations are:

1) Foreign Devils on the Silk Road

Great history of the British, French, Russian and Japanese adventurers who rediscovered and pillaged the lost Buddhist cities of the Taklamakhan desert.

2) Fixing your Feet

How to book for managing all the aches and pains associated with your feet.

3) Night Train to Turkistan

New recommendation from one of my clients- just got this one.

4) What I Talk About When I Talk About Running- My latest purchase

Murakami's personal memoir about the impact of running on his life

5) Walking the Gobi- On my wish list

Helen Thayer's memoir of her three month trip across the Gobi- makes me glad I'm only going for 7 days!

After reading all these guides, I'm finally beginning to realize just how treacherous this trip is going to be (or at least how bad it was in the 19th century)... Too Bad LeVar didn't have an episode about how to prep for a multiday ultramarathon- maybe I'd be in better shape if he had. Time to head back to Protrek and Chamonix to finish getting my gear.

More on this later...

Milestones

Five years ago today I graduated from COLLEGE. Wow.

If you told me five years ago, that I would live in Hong Kong longer than I've lived anywhere other than Jersey, I would have laughed.

One year ago, I was flying home for my baby brother's college graduation and best friend's wedding.

If you had told me then that I would spend seven days wandering through the Gobi desert, I would have asked what you were smoking.

Three weeks from today I will be flying to Kashi. Wow.

After being introduced to multiple ultramarathoners, I'm starting to understand why people spend six months training for this, but I am going to continue to think about this as an extended hike (and tent party), which is how I explained it to my mother.

Here we go...Giddy up.

Spiderwebs and Stairs

So my blackberry began beeping at 5am. I looked outside at the pitch black sky thinking, "Why on earth is my alarm going off?" I rolled over. Ten minutes later I shot out of bed with the sudden memory of my 5:30 rendez vous with VKHF before setting off to tackle the Twins. It's Thursday. It's what we do.

So off we went up the steps. Miserable as usual but with a whole new obstacle.

SPIDERWEBS. They were awful. They were everywhere. It's like the humidity launched a legion of Stanley spiders onto Wilson Trail stage one.

I made VKHF go first. I'm not really afraid of spiders, but she's taller and pays much more attention to details like that. Plus my view of arachnids is muddled somewhere between Charlotte's Web and Arachnophobia, so the thought of getting ensnared in a spiderweb and possibly have a spider crawl all over me was just too much to handle that early in the morning.

VKHF removed all of the spiderwebs from the trail. We were the only people out at that ungodly hour so she had no choice. Most of them she spotted and was able to gently move to one side of the trail or the other, although, she definitely bodychecked a few.

I wasn't so thrilled about the spiderwebs, and VKHF wasn't so thrilled about the stairs. Not our happiest hike, but she got me past the spiderwebs, and I got her up the stairs.

How many more weeks til this crazy quest of mine?

Remind me not to learn Uighur

In the Uigur language Takla Makan (the part of the Gobi where our race is) means "go in and you'll never come out"

SWEET

Handstands and Backbends

Endurance sports have never been my forte.

I was a gymnast, then when my body gave out at the ripe age of 13, a high school and college springboard diver. The swim coach at Hotchkiss spent four years trying to get me to join the medley relay, but staring at the bottom of a pool while drowning never sounded appealing. It still doesn't. I like the challenge of convincing my body to try something new. After college, I graduated from diving to yoga and wakeboarding (with a NYC interlude of cocktail chugging).

Why then have I spent most of my waking moments over the last three months (outside the office) pursuing an endurance sport- pushing myself to walk, run, hike longer, faster, harder?

BEATS ME.

I went back to my favorite yoga class for the first time in three months this morning. I had almost forgotten just how much I love handstands and backbends.

Wonder what Sam would say if I asked to cartwheel across the Gobi?

Om.

Fear, Loathing, and Happy Valley

FEAR
I started the day reading all the updates from the Namibia race. The current Four Desert race started and concluded with a crazy technical climb into and out of the Grand Canyon of Africa. In America, don't we use mules (and helicopters) for this sort of thing? Competitors who fall into my fitness and speed level took 13-15 hours to complete 38kms. Wow must add mountain climbing to the workout routine...

Mental note- figure out where the Grand Canyon of China is and make sure not to go anywhere near it.

LOATHING
I love my job. I work for a great company filled with smart people, and we do interesting work for challenging clients. Some days though nothing seems to work out quite like it should. You do everything possible to make it better and things only seem to get worse.

Yesterday was one of those days. I loathe those days.

HAPPY VALLEY
After my endless work day, I headed to the Valley for training- squash match and run. I endured an intense 45 minute-schooling by my teammate (a 40+ mother of two with a full time job), who reminded me that while my fitness has improved (take squats and lunges off tomorrow's strength plan) , my squash shots still need lots of work.

Then I headed out to the heat and humidity. I blitzed around the track in old squash shoes and new ipod. I ran 10km fast. Phew, feel much better about the rat race.

Apparently, training goes a long way in the urban jungle too.

Monkey Business

I was up at 6am on Saturday morning. Very Kind-Hearted Friend once again dragged herself out of bed to accompany and encourage me on this crazy quest of mine. On the trail by 7:45 and seeing some of the most varied and distinct parts of Hong Kong. We started in Yau Tong village, which is a fishing village just off of Hong Kong harbour on Kowloon side. Tiny lean-tos and shacks hide some of HK's great seafood spots. As VKHF said, "This is where I thought I was moving when I signed up for China."

Then up the stairs. I am convinced that Wilson is a bad British word for step. Stairs stairs and more stairs. 18kms of stairs with 7kgs on my back. BLECK. But I made some discoveries which include- Pocari Sweat and the proper functioning of my water bladder. Apparently if you use your teeth it is much easier to get the water out. Who knew...

We wandered past hillside farms in the valley that could have easily been in Laos or Cambodia. Animal statues on the side of the trail. Old ladies doing Tai Chi on mountain perches. Pretty peaceful.

After the hills, I decided to press on solo for an additional 8kms of easy rambling- read water catchments. This part of the hike went above Shatin in the hills. Halfway through the trail I came across a family of monkeys sitting in the middle of the trail. They were adorable, picking the flies out of each others' hair and eating berries. As I came upon the trail they scampered off into the woods. I walked a little further on and then looked up into the trees and realized that they were full of monkeys. Literally there were hundreds of them. The trail was scattered with monkey poop and berry remnants.

As I came around a corner, a baby monkey popped on the trail not more than three feet in front of me. Mama charged right out of the woods after me. I ran shrieking and fortunately managed to escape being bitten or clawed (without having to jump into the water catchment). I spent that last 2kms of the hike avoiding monkey poop and trying to convince the monkeys to get out of my way...

There's no place like Hong Kong Island...

The Twins Take Two

So I woke up this morning while it was dark. At 5am. Well actually, I woke up every hour from 1:151 am until 5am because I was so worried that I would not wake up. But anyway. I met my kind, motivational friend in front of Cafe O, taped my battered baby toe, and hopped in a cab to the south side of the island.

As the sun rose over the eastern ridge of the island, we climbed and climbed and climbed- up two mountains, across a reservoir, past the pink Parkview castle, and back down into the city of 8 million people.

Birds sang. Clouds parted. I ate a Luna Bar and used my (water) bladder. Hiking is so much better with new toys and no backpack.

Now, I want a nap.

I think I am going to run up the peak to for Book Club. Who wants to join me?

Fringe Benefits

On the upside of all this training, I can now make it through bootcamp and tough squash matches without dying. At bootcamp the sprints, squats and pushups are still miserable, but at least I'm not the puddle of flesh lying on the ground in the fetal position at the end of the session.

That said; my ability to win squash matches is not enhanced in the least. I can now make it to the ball in the back corner but I have still not figured out how on earth to scoop it out of there.

Something to focus on post Gobi...

Weekends and Water Catchments

I'm not going to lie. I am a social creature, so the solo sessions on the treadmill with my backpack (and 5kg bag of rice) flailing around, trying not to fall off are not so much fun. Last week I dragged one of my kind friends night hiking through the wilds of Pok Fu Lam and the Peak. Headlamps are awesome. Landslides mid-trail are not.

This weekend said friend was kind enough to lead me up the Twins, otherwise known as 1000 steps, which seriously underestimates the number of steps. We started at 8:30 am. I had always thought that only anorexic girls and psycho ultra exercisers would get up early on the weeekend to subject themselves to this type of torture. I definitely fall under the psycho category- ultra exerciser is a stretch, and anorexic is impossible. I currently practice eating. That's right practice. Practice when I eat; what I eat; and how much I eat while I walk. It's important to know what gives me energy and what slows me down. Peanut M&Ms and Nature Valley Granola bars win big points in my book. The dehydrated meals that I will carry through the Gobi do not.

But it's not just about climbing the hills, you got to clock the kms too...so my friend descended to the metro for a relaxing afternoon complete with foot massage, and I veered onto the Hong Kong Trail for stages 5, 6, and 7. These are generally considered to be "easy rambling," which I have now learned is code for walk straight along a really large ditch called a water catchment.

Water supply is an issue here in HK (as it is everywhere in China) and so the HK government has devised an ingenious system to manage landslides during the rainy season and simultaneously collect water for use by HK residents. There is an extensive series of ditches along the sides of hillsides all across HK. See wikipedia for more detail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_supply_in_Hong_Kong.

The water catchments offer extensive flat hiking space for the psycho ultra hikers but it means miles and miles of walking with a view that consists of tall bushes and bamboo to your right, concrete hill sides to your left, and stagnant water at your feet. I spent 12 kms on Sunday studying the difference between the concrete that makes up the catchment and the concrete that is used to hold back the hill. Thank goodness for massive Canto hiking tours and electric blue butterflies to help vary the view.

I HATE water catchments, but you know what I hate more? The third set of 1000 steps at the end of the "easy rambling" trail to get you out of the ditch.

Getting going...

Way back in March, one of my friends J met a woman who was racing six marathons over seven days across the most remote section of China's Gobi desert. Essentially it's a self subsistent race- carry all your food, carry all your gear, carry all your clothes. Don't die.

Did I mention sevens days over 250 kilometers in the windiest desert in the world?

I thought to myself, "Well I've always wanted to see Xinjiang province and what a cool personal challenge. Neat-o." So here we are four weeks away from the starting line and I'm starting to wonder what I was thinking.

Originally, J was going to join me for the Gobi March before leaving Hong Kong for business school; however, this overachiever quickly realized she prefered living la vida loca, traveling to exotic destinations, and enjoying her freedom. Running, walking, and hiking 100kms per week was not on the agenda nor do I blame her!

So I am going to set off into the desert by myself, and this is my sad attempt to stay motivated and remember the benefits of training for this crazy race even when my feet are three times the normal size and covered in blisters. (The only benefits I see so far- not dying and the Gobi desert- neat-o.)

Happy Hiking!