From: azuradec Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2009 3:44 PM To: G et al Subject: Next year
Guys, really, supporters are more than welcomed! You can even be a volunteer at the check points - I want to come back next year to do the 100km! Can you believe it - I am now feeling left out not having completed the 100km?!
The award ceremony and party is taking place this evening. And then most of us are off to UB tomorrow morning. Sniff.
I am not doing much today - hanging out and rehashing yesterday's event.
From: azuradec Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 3:44 PM To: G et al Subject: Race day! I have taken a lot of pictures to share with you. Stunning vista-it truly is heaven here and I really think it should be a mandatory annual retreat. To answer your question: The marathon is organized - the other activities are DIY with facilities available. You will all have to come. Can you believe that I seriously entertained the thought of doing 100km?
Wewere told that if we thought we could do-it would be better to register for 100km and take the option of stopping at 42km rather than the other way around and not being able to - not being registered. I thought hey lets keep my options open- and registered for 100km. Haah. We were wokenup by Mongolian flutes (lovely!) at 3am this morning. We started ourmarathon at 4am. (We were also treated to a song and dance event last night, after dinner including throat singing).
It was cold. I knew the two mountains for the 42km was going to be tough- But didn't anticipate how tough it was going to be! Plus it had been raining - the trail was soft and swampy-not easy to run at all! I also realised during the 42km that it was v.much a climbing affair and that I was still struggling to breathe with the altitude.
I initially thought I would be able to finish the 42km in 6 hours (and maybe carry on for 60km or 75km and perhaps 100km), however realised along the way that SERIOUS effort was requiredto meet the cut off or respectable time of 8hours! I ran whenever I was on flat ground and only took small breaks while climbing the mountains (honest governor!) and arrived at the finishing line at around 1149am - with a bouncing rucksack on my back, an episode of losing one side of contact lens (replaced) and numerous falls. I'm not feeling as sore compared to post NY (still aching though as you can imagine from running and climbing for 7 hrs and 4o+ mins) but realised now that this is a different race altogether.
I think I did ok although ofcourse am already thinking I can do heaps better with more training.
Honestly - I really didn't entertain the thought of continuing with 100km once I reached 42km; (although now I think I should have gone for it..damn). I am now waiting for the 100 km superstars to come back. Lotsa love xxx
From: Azuradec Sent: 07/21/2009 10:21 AM ZE8 To: G et al Subject: Report - Continuation
Hello there
Wanted to send another report yesterday and the night before to keep the narration going but couldn't get any phone signals. Warning: long email.
Sunday was a brilliant almost perfect day.
I went out for a (breathless) early morning run [5km? 6km?] with my American ger mates (seasoned marathon runners I know now) and A (who stopped after a few mins - eh?). I struggled initially with breathing (1700m above sea level is my excuse) but got better. I like my American ger mates - they are goofy, warm and considerate and apparently have known each other for 18 years and have been running the world together. One is living in Singapore- the other one has traveled from California. Lovely to watch them banter.
I hooked up with the 2 Danes from the van after breakfast (the man with the library card and one of the race organizers)- the man with library card proved to me that he did indeed have an espresso maker-contraption with him [which he mentioned in the van he would use to make me become addicted to him..hmm].
We went for a 6 hour hike, which involved some mountain climbing. The man with the library card loaded his heavy rucksack with stones before we ascended. I came up last-but received praises of "not bad" which I basked in and requested be repeated to others during the remaining of the day (the race org. sort of ignored me; the man with the library card offered to sign a show-off certificate to save time and effort).
Library card man asked me during our hike whether I rode horses. I said no. "You don't ride, you don't ski, you don't fish....whatever do you do?" He insisted that I should try horse trekking come Monday morning with him and offered to be my coach.
We came back from the hike super hungry -we refueled.. Library card man suggested yet again that I jumped into the freezing lake with him and make a quick dash into the sauna to have the "perfect experience" (no doubt a Scandi one). For some reason (having just read 'man's search for meaning' ???) I agreed.
* * Yesterday - the library card man and I and a number of other people went for a three hour horse trekking around the lake and mountains which was fantastic-although I have to say I was super nervous for first half.
* * Today - The the library card man suggested we go kayaking and fishing this morning to trounce the others who had caught two fish. He produced a snazzy fishing kit and we paddled out. We caught nothing - he said he was exercising his 'catch and release' strategy. We spent the remaining afternoon sitting in the sun - blanket on the ground; story books out - our van mates came by to get their medical sign off and the man with the library card suddenly transformed into a serious MD.
Second race briefing -done and dusted. We will wake up at 3am on Wed morning and start running at 4am. It's all very serious. GULP.
Early morning running view
Espresso - my daily fix sorted
While out horse riding
Setting out to fish (zero catch) Race day beckoning
From: Azuradec Sent: 07/19/2009 12:32 AM ZE8 To: G et al
Subject: Report from Khovsgol
Hello there - I have arrived safely to the camp. It is BEAUTIFUL. And when I say beautiful, it really is an under statement. Blue skies-green hills-pristine lake. The wilderness reminds me of Zimbabwe. We left UB on a charter flight at 3pm and landed at Moron(Moron?) about two hours later. Then 8 people into a van for the four hours ++ drive up to the camp.
I found myself in a van with jovial people .. we were cracking jokes and insulting each so much that I was laughing most of the time (and thus was not sleepy at all!).
Most of the jokes centered around:
(1) the authenticity of the 2nd camp doctor who is claiming to be a surgeon but seems to spend most of his time climbing mountains, fishing, diving and horse riding (he brandished a medical card - we think its a library card)
and (2) someone who was needing the loo badly (where? where?) who disapproves of ipods - wanting to buy an alternative mp3 player (how refreshing!)
We arrived at the camp late - dined in a ger - briefed of the coming days - and brought to our designated gers. I am sharing it with 3 others - a Malaysian woman (fancy that!) and 2 lovely American women (running partners).
Its cold outside but not (yet?) unbearable. No idea how to charge phone - no electricity - only generators in the evening.
Will likely switch my bb off when not using to save battery.
Love XXX
PS the rain yesterday in UB turned to become a full torrential hail storm which lasted some 3 hours. Wet wet wet.
Have decided to post the emails instead of rewriting ------
From: Azuradec Sent: 07/17/2009 03:07 PM ZE8 To: G et al
Subject: Report from UB
Greetings from Ulaan Baatar, or should I say 'UB' as they say it here. Arrived around 10++pm here last night after transiting in Seoul. Greeted by one of the race organisers, someone super pleasant I have been emailing to. Waited with her for the other person to show up. I'm staying at XHotel in UB for 2 nights -my room has arm chairs decorated with doily (spell?). The red tap produces cold water and the blue tap provides scalding hot water -I discovered this when I jumped into the tub and put my head first under the shower expecting cold water (not a sensible thing to do I know).
There were a number of blackouts last night-I was puzzled when it happened the first time but got used to it after the forth time. I'm sitting in a cafe(?) -trying to hide from the heavy rain-not unlike those in KL-- I was walking, exploring the city centre when it started drizzling. I made it to this covered area just in the nick of time-very lucky. I pointed to "Mongolian tea" (tea with salt and milk according to my lonely planet) on the menu but was told they only have 'mac tea fruit'.
The guy came with a glass of hot water, sachet of powdered tea which he emptied into my glass.
Never mind I have had a local lunch-hungry and walked into a cafe(?) and pointed to a pix for lunch which turned out to be something like fried bread with mutton(?) and a plate of mashed tatties, carrot, mutton(?) Sausages and 2 heaps of rice with chili sauce. It was not bad. Still raining heavily and getting chilly-no one guaranteed good weather. Love Xxx Exploring UB
I have not been spending as much time in front of the computer these last couple of weeks. I've also been useless in all forms of desk bound activities e.g. posting letters, writing proper emails - sorry to those I am owing. I don't know what it is - restlessness? I just can't stay in front of the computer long enough these days..wanting to be on the go all the time. That or read a book.
So, rain forest festival was a lot of fun. I got back to HK, unpacked, packed... and now I'm typing from the internet lounge at Incheon airport - waiting to board my flight to UB. I have to say that I am liking (i) KAL's flight attendants uniform - in particular the starched scarf and hair pin. Trendy non?and (ii) internet lounge despite not knowing how to switch the computer from Korean to English mode.
So - I will be in UB for 2 nights. And then on another plane to the North for the 42km run on Wednesday. I have butterflies in my tummy. I want to do well, but am aware that I haven't trained as hard as previously (notwithstanding my bruised toes and missing nails). I am reminding myself that the most important thing is to enjoy the challenge and adventure and that I will be running in beautiful surroundings. ...so que sera sera.
I've been busy at work mostly. And then there was the every other gym session and the regular runs. And the long runs on the weekend? 30+km Phew. I've lost my toe nails. Not to say I have not been on the net (nor to see Kenji)- for I have - checking face book and twitter regularly - only not here. Which is a shame, because I am really liking this new site (although have to admit to also missing the old 5 years old site -RIP). It inspires me to draw. It even inspired me to put up drawings on the walls of my flat. This hasn't happened for 4-5 years!
Recent Comments