I suppose I should title this post, Running on Base in Japan because I’ve only ventured off-base once while jogging. The reason: my first day in Japan, I took a nasty fall off a curb. (Hey, it was nearly a foot up!) Due to the humidity, the curbs get slippery. And I twisted my foot coming off one. I’ve been babying it, still running lightly. Curious thing about that curb, I almost slipped off it again two days later! But rather than trying to stop my fall, the next time, I just fell under control.
While I’ve not been running far, I’ve been walking everywhere. Yesterday, my two-block stretch turned into a five mile marathon through a hilly neighborhood. God bless the iPhone, because without it, I would’ve ended up in Hiroshima, so lost did I get. I normally have very good sense of direction, but every instinct I have in Japan is 100% wrong. Is it possible that I’ve lost my magnetic connection to the earth?
And when I get tired of walking, I take a taxi back. Recently, one of my drivers was 90 years old. I really wanted to chat with him. To talk about all the changes he has seen while living in Japan, but we ended up just talking about sushi, which he loves to eat. (Note to self: sushi has longevity properties!)
A very aggressive Navy wife (married to a very chilled-out naval officer) told me that I have to run with her husband; he is looking for someone to push him. I told her politely that I do not like running with people. Sometimes I go fast and sometimes I go slow forever. It is all in the moment and I don’t know where I will be in the future in terms of my run. I always humor myself when running, I figure any exercise is good, right?
Lastly, to the guy who suddenly appeared on my trail this evening, all fresh-looking (after I’d been at it for some time.) Yeah, I caught you. Busted foot or not, I still don’t like people looking all tough while trying to lose me. (I may have issues when it comes to competition. Ah well, I could have worse neuroses. . .)
