A Rough Day

Well, while I am glad to have every day that I am given, today was in the rougher area.

I woke up pretty early today (5:30) with some exciting things ahead of me- today was the first day for the running club. I have been running often on my own, the the Kansai Gaidai Running club is a fun group of people led by an American lawyer/ possible alcoholic- turned professor at KGU. The club is designed for people who haven't run more than fifty feet at once in their life, and by the end of the semester, everyone runs at least one 10K (minimum). Everyone who has joined the club has been successful. The club's program is based on the following book, designed by professors in Iowa. http://www.amazon.com/Non-Runners-Marathon-Trainer-David-Whitsett/dp/1570281823 Pretty cool stuff.

The running club meets outside the international students dorms at 7AM, which means an hour and twenty minute commute for me. I do have to say, it was beautiful watching the navy sky melt into pinks and lighter blues on this crisp, Japanese morning. It was my first sunrise in Japan, and yet for a brief moment, I felt like I was back in Mississippi heading to an early morning PT with my flight. Odd flashback, I admit. Things started well, except that the west gate of my campus, which I was hoping to use to cut through to the east gate and the student housing was closed. Problem. Instead, I wound up running the two miles to the student housing in order to make it on time... After everyone had met up, we split up into two groups: intermediate and beginning. The intermediate group began running for the nearby river walkway for a beautiful run in the crisp morning. It was a great trail, and many other Japanese people were beginning their days with long walks, jogs or dog-walking along the same river. The run was going well, and seeing the distance we were running reassured me that it would be a very do-able one. However, just before reaching the turn around point, pain exploded in my right knee, and I realized I had strained my ITB, a common injury with runners, and one I have always had an issue with. Figures, I wouldn't warm up enough and would hurt myself- rookie mistake! No problem, just walk back, stretch it out.

However, as I began my 2-mile and a half walk back to the train station, I realized a complication I hadn't seen before. In America, if my knees started acting up, I would either continue to work out another part of my body, or else I would just drive home and ice it/ stretch it out. However, I was up against a very hilly, long distance, hour-long commute. And by the time I got back home, I could barely walk. I iced my knee while eating breakfast, did some stretches on it, but I was still having some pretty good pain. After soaking it in a hot shower, it felt better, and I could even climb the stairs pretty well. I resolved that class would be a go, and headed out for school again, knowing the relief from the heat of the water would only be temporary. Unfortunately, it was even less temporary than I had hoped it would be. Before I got to school I could barely walk once again.

To make matters worse, I was followed by a shady, toothless Japanese man all the way from the train station. It would figure that because I was running late, I would get off at a station that I don't usually get off at and be followed by a strange man. At first he seemed innocent, simply surprised to see a foreigner. He asked the usual questions, 'where are you from? Are you a student?' Then he started commenting on how young I was, and that I was beautiful. Hm... 'thanks...' Then he started asking thinks like 'would you like to get some coffee now? Do you have a cell phone? Where do you live in town? Do you want me to show you around?' I began responding with 'wakarimasen', which means 'I don't understand'. He then began asking me if I liked Japanese men and if I would like to kiss one. I told him I was married to an American. This is a white lie recommended to us by the University should we encounter shady men because this symbolically transforms us into an off-limits object. He then said I should kiss him and at that point, I dodged into the middle of the road, avoiding traffic, and reached the other side of the road and safety of the campus. The guards at the gates check students, so I knew I was safe after that. Needless to say, I took a different path home, utilizing a different train station.

Also, something I am happy to do turned into a bit of a trial on this rough day. Since I eat very large breakfasts and dinners, for Lent I decided to trade in my lunches for a piece of fruit instead. Today it was especially hard added on to all the other frustrations/ pain I felt.

Needless to say, I will not be running the rest of the week, and probably should not have tried to walk back to school today. My leg is swollen and my entire thigh feels like a rock. That'll teach you to stretch before you run!

I did get some mail from friends today, and mail always makes the day better:) Thanks all for listening to my troubles,

-Sarah