TGIF

It's Friday, which means it's happy hour!

Of course, with monks not being able to drink alcohol, we drink "monktails": Red Bull and Coke.

Caveat: Do not underestimate the effects of the "monktail". These things are so potent with sugar and caffeine it might even have a stronger effect than taking a shot of hard liquor! Naturally, an overdose of this drink will cause severe heartbeat, diabetes, toothache, cavities, and sugar overdose.

In any case, it's good to get back into the usual tradition :)

Rewind: Angkor Half Marathon Dec. 1, 2013

I think I left off my posts the day before the Angkor Half Marathon  so let me pick up the story from there again. (This post is going to be more or less a race report so just scroll down just to see the pictures if you're not interested ;)) 

The race itself was fantastic. There's nothing more magical than seeing and running through historical monumental establishments and edifices. Another great feature was that everyone living in surrounding villages  came out to watch.  Many were running along with us and cheering for us. It was a great festival for them as well, especially for the kids who were high-fiving all the runners. The race was also in conjunction with the wheelchair race so I saw a few runners help to push and motivate the wheelchair racers which was also a nice interaction to see.

There were of course a few major issues that the race itself needs to work on! 1) few of the porto potties broke and let's say things were overflowing. That was not a nice sight to see before the race 2) There are no visible restrooms along the course 3) They actually started the race EARLY. This was a first considering most races get delayed due to logistics. I believe there was an announcement but it wasn't made very clearly and many racers were still waiting in line for the restrooms when it started or were simply confused about what was happening. There was no time to panic. I had to be sangfroid and rushed myself and my coworker over to the starting line immediately. Thankfully, we had microchips so the race was calculated whenever we stepped over the start line. Nevertheless, I had to do a lot of catching up to the other runners since I started about 3 minutes late than the other runners. In the beginning I was stemmed by a raft of slower runners which I am still a bit bitter about!

Nevertheless the course itself was nice as it was almost entirely flat. The forest, temples, and monuments created a nice shade for most of the course which was a blessing as the sun factor is quite big in Cambodian weather.  I'm glad my coworker and I trained in the searing local weather since it prepared us so much for race day itself. The temperature was actually only. about 20-25 degrees which is chilly in Cambodian standards. Nevertheless as many of the runners overwhelmingly came from colder climates, it seemed like they were struggling in the warmer weather. I wished I had a long sleeve running under the tree-shaded areas yet I saw many runners sweating profusely which was a surprise!
 
The runners themselves equally galvanized me during the race. Since the race was sponsored by Japanese organizations, needless to say there were many Japanese runner tour groups that arrived to participate in the race. Being the tech-savvy and running crazy Japanese people as they are, many were in professional high tech running attire and running with their latest DSLR models around their necks as well. Mind you, I was running quite fast but these runners ran along with me, stopped every half mile or so to take photos for a few seconds, and then start sprinting again. It was an amazing simultaneous running/photo taking session. It also made me embarrassed as a fellow Japanese person for not taking any pictures during the race!

Results: 1:41:27 
I'm a bit sad I couldn't go under 1:40 but not bad considering I started the race 3 minutes late, had a stomach ache most of the race, and couldn't adequately train in the best environment!

Rather I'm proud of myself I got through my training as best as possible all while juggling my job, studying for the GRE and Khmer, and adjusting myself to a totally new country. I was demur at first whether to participate in such a big race but I'm so glad I did. Also as the race benefits disabled people from land mines, it was a good way to give back to a great cause. It's especially important since about 5% of the population is said to be affected by landmines. Moreover, it was a sentimental climax to end my first session in Cambodia which I have grew very fond of in the last 3 months!

The Life of a Monk

I've slowly been getting back into things here the past few days by hanging around at the school and the day-to-day activities that go on. 

Monks are always a great inspiration to me when I am working in Cambodia. And I am not trying to be bias because I am a Buddhist or because I work with them. Just their lifestyle itself is amazing and also extremely difficult. They wake up in the wee hours of the mornings for prayers and following arduous precepts throughout their day and their career as a monk. They are forbidden to eat in the afternoon, have a personal reference, own transportation (e.g. bicycle, motorcycle, car), and touch or look at a woman. They are hard working students as well as servants to their temple and community until late at night. And yet they never try to proselytize their way of living or religion. Moreover, they never complain and always have a positive outlook on life. 
Yet they have their shortcomings too and they know it. They are not saints; they are human as was the Buddha. Everyday for them is a day of practice to become enlightened and I truly look up to how they strive for it in everyday life.


There's a new English teacher that has joined the staff, Ven. Nen. I asked him how things were since it's only been a few weeks since he's ever started teaching. Very good, he said with any hesitation --as if saying that today's meal was good or the weather is good. 

"Do you have any difficulties teaching?" I asked again. "It's your fist rst time teaching it must be hard at times." 

Again without hesitation he answered with a smile, 
 "It is my duty in society to educate my people. So no, it is not hard at all" 


Their unsullied noble hearts and placid diligence never fail to amaze me.

新米の英語教師（兼お坊さん）、ネン先生が授業後にホッとした表情で職員室に戻ってきたので、先生の仕事はいかがですか？と聞いたところすかさず「良好です」とのこと。

その返答があまりにも淡々としていたので少し心配になって、「何か困ったこととか大変なことがあったらいってくださいね」とフォローしたら

「簡単な仕事ではありませんがこの国の人たちに教育を与えてあげるのが僕の使命ですから」

 と笑顔で答えてくれました。

 +｡**(ﾟﾉД｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡・*｡+ﾟ



・・・相変わらずこの国のお坊さんたちには頭が上がりません!

Advice to Runners in Cambodia

As mentioned in my previous entry, it's not easy to train in Siem Reap. In addition to the atrocious road and air quality conditions, facilities and items essential for serious runners are also lacking.

One important lesson I learned living in Cambodia is being able to "wing" it. It may not be the best option but you have to learn how to deal with it and do the best with it. A little bit of creativity and nifty ideas go a long way.

Gym and Weight Training

A good part of my training usually involves a good amount in the gym. I find core training just as important as LSD's (=long slow distance) to maintain my endurance for long distance running. I also do adjusted speed workouts on the treadmill for accuracy. 

Gyms are not exactly a paucity in Siem Reap per se but really there are only 2 options: 1) A local Cambodian local gym (2000R~4000R per entry) in which looks more like a formal tool shed. It is occupied mostly by local Cambodian men pumping weights. Plus, no AC 2) Expat oriented gym with membership $30~. Both were out of the question for me. 

Instead I resorted to yoga classes twice a week to build on my core. There's a plethora of yoga classes (it seems to be the "it" thing amongst expats at the moment) offered at many hostels and expat cafes. I also found a "massage parlor" with a simple gym facility on the rooftop that had a stationary bike machine and simple weights in which I negotiated to use for $2/session. 

At least I get a nice view from my "gym"

Nutrition

There's many theories on marathon nutrition so don't take my word on how to properly eat --I simply do what works for me. I usually increase my simple carbohydrate intake by 25-30% a month before the race. I then switch to a protein-high diet about 2 weeks before the race as my training schedule starts to taper down. 2-3 days before I switch back to a carb-rich diet to do my last minute fueling for the race. 

The problem in Cambodia is that the weather is so hot that it is simply hard for me to eat before I start gagging (My  California adjusted body can only tolerate mild weather so any extremities will make my body shut down). Fortunately Cambodia being a former French-colony there's an abundance of bakeries. I took advantage of a few of them in which I would buy a whole baguette and try to finish it throughout the day. Either or, I would buy 2 nompang-pate (Cambodian style sandwiches) to eat as a snack. 

Getting substantial protein is also a problem. Training is usually the only time when I eat meat (I'm an ex-vegetarian and usually eat more fish) but finding good quality meat here can be problematic unless you resort to imported expensive meat in expat supermarkets. Local foods such as dried fish, beans, and peanut butter were all great alternatives. In addition I would "splurge" to buy canned beans for extra protein intakes.

Side note on "Whole Foods" and "Trader Joes" -like products

You know what I'm talking about, you health-nuts: Organic wheatgrass juices, CLIFF bars, whey protein powders, raw bars, running gels. Sorry to break the news to you guys, but there is none available here. As international shipping doesn't really work in Cambodia unless 1) you have a PO box and 2) you want to risk of your package getting inspected/open and stolen), you need to stock up when you go to Bangkok or somewhere overseas. I raided Trader Joes when I was back for Christmas last month. 

Hydration

Training in 10k plus weather can really take a toll on you, especially in the searing heat. It's usually advisable to carry a camel pack or a portable water bottle on your runs. The thing is, I hate carrying extra equipment on me other than my running sunglasses and Garmin. When I ran in Tokyo, I relied on street vending machines and FamilyMart/7-11/Lawson's in which all I needed was my Suica card that acted as my electronic payment card. Obviously with no such luxury or technology available here, I resorted to carrying around a running fanny pack (trust me, those things are lifesavers for carrying gel packs, keys, iphones, etc) and carrying small amounts of cash to buy bottled water on the road. There's usually few vendors on the street selling ice cold water, red bull, and coke in water coolers for 500-2000R.

Clothing & Equipment

Luckily, I've bought and brought all my running equipment from home.  As for shoes, there's plenty of ersatz Nike Airs floating around at local markets. However, I strongly advise not to buy counterfeit athletic shoes since they can really mess your feet up in extreme physical activity. This is especially true in Cambodia where roads are not paved and hence very injury prone. My best advice is to go shoe shopping when you get a chance to go to Phnom Penh or Bangkok. It's been the trend the past few years to wear low-cushion/barefoot shoes but if you're going to be running in Cambodia I strongly recommend impact-free higher cushioned shoes just because most of the roads are dirt paves. 

For running attire, there's an official Adidas store in Siem Reap but unfortunately not many other options are available. Although, you can try looking for clothing at Old Market. Since cotton based clothing will only make you heavier with all the sweat, I strongly advise you against to run in them. NIKE dry-fit clothing is really nice for these sorts of weather but if that's expensive the Target athletic line is a great alternative and good quality for the price. Also, I know it's hot but I strongly advise to cover your legs/arms when you run in order to be considerate of the modest dressing code here and more importantly running under the harsh sun in bare skin will create wrinkles no matter how much sun-block you plaster on! I usually wear UV-protect clothing from Uniqlo. It's inexpensive and the material is light and sheer so you won't sweat through them. Nevertheless, don't forget to put on water-proof sunblock all over your body before going out in Cambodia everyday! Hats and sunglasses are also a plus to minimize the sun rays and heat. 

Contrary to running shoes, I don't spend a lot on running attire. Running clothes have become fashionable in the last few years but I don't see them doing much to improve my running other than the fact that I gain a little bit of self-esteem while running hideously and sweating profusely. Frankly I'd rather use that extra money to buy a nice pair of pumps or jeans when I am NOT running. 

In all, it makes me realize how fortunate America is in terms of athletic facilities and options. At the same time it's sad that much of the American population aren't utilizing it to its full potential. So with that note, start signing up and making use of those great gyms in the US!  Even 24hour fitness seems like a luxury when you are on the other side of the world.

Back to Cambodia

I apologize for the lack of entries the past two months. Things have gone through in a whirlwind. In the time that I haven’t posted I finished 1 half-marathon, traveled back and forth through four countries, finished seven graduate school applications (10 essays, need I say more?), conscientiously studied for the GRE, and celebrated Christmas and New Years with family and friends. And now, I'm back right where I started in Siem Reap Cambodia. Whew! Busy but needless to say, it's been a riveting experience.

I've been back to work forthwith but I'm still trying to resettle in so I also wanted to take the next few posts to look back on my life the past two months as well as fill you in on my second half of my adventures back in Siem Reap with gusto!

For now I would just like to say Happy New Years as well as Happy Lunar New Years!

Home Coming

I truly apologize for the lack of entries the past three weeks. Things have been a bit chaotic wrapping up things at work in Cambodia, stopping by Korea, coming back home to San Francisco, and most of all taking my GRE and all that fun stuff applying to grad school.

 

I do promise to post things slowly within the next few weeks into the new year. But for the mean time, I am enjoying my time back home with family and friends with all the festivities. I was even home for Christmas...my first in seven years which was quite special and emotional. I would just like to give a quick shout out for a Happy Holidays and Happy New year to everyone! What an amazing year I've had for 2013!  

 

 

Is Running A Luxury?

As many of you already know, I am running the Angkor Wat Half Marathon in tomorrow. I've been training the past month and a half and I just wanted to write some thoughts down before the big race.

I've been spoiled running in the unsullied streets of Tokyo the past few years so it's certainly been a challenge to run in Siem Reap.  or one thing, you have to run very early to avoid the searing heat and av heavy traffic. The best time is to start around six o'clock, just when the sun rises so waking up at five is essential. The roads are bumpy, dusty, and muddy so watching your footsteps is vital. Also you have to keep your eye on and dodge your way around motorcyclists, cars, cyclists, and stray dogs. It's like running in an obstacle course in some ways!

Nevertheless, it's been a joy to be able to run here. I love to run as I watch the sun quietly rise over Siem Reap river.  The city slowly come to life with vendors making their way into the streets and tuktuk drivers chatting away with iced coffees in hand. 

Beautiful sunset...one of the very few times I've gone running in the afternoon since it was a cool day. Otherwise I'll be melting.

I've realized I've been running for more than half my life now. I don't run everyday but when I try to schedule in runs and races when I can and it's something that I truly enjoy. But ever since I've started running in Cambodia, I've seriously started to wonder why I run and what motivates me to run.

 Let me start out that Cambodians hardly run. They don't even walk fast; they saunter.  In a hot country like Cambodia in which people try to avoid the heat as possible, why volunteer oneself to go running and get drenched in sweat under the sun? Hence the reactions of the locals watching me run are hilarious. Motorcyclists watch me as they pass me and continue to do so after they pass me, turning their head around. Old grannies stare at me with mouths wide open as if witnessing a ridiculous antic. Young construction workers interrupt their work and look up at me as I pass by (no whistling) with quizzical looks on their faces. And to be clear, I am pretty sure it is not because of my running attire nor my appearance since I cover all my arms and legs and I run with no makeup.

But as humorous as it is, I can't stop to wonder what they think of me as they see me run.  People here eke out long work hours, usually from seven o'clock in the morning. They certainly do not have the luxury to go for a run as I do. Many are in tattered clothes and needless to say there is no money to buy shoes let alone running shoes.

It's a...bridge. But I wouldn't be surprise if it collapses any day

In developed countries, many run to lose weight or get a better body. But in a country in which a third of the children in the nation are malnourished, putting food on the table is the more important issue at stake. I can't help but think that by going running out in the streets, I am flaunting myself as a rich, self-centered, vain, complacent foreigner. And to an extent, it is true. I do run to get fit. My running shoes cost anywhere from $40~$120, an amount equivalent of a month's worth of food to an entire family here. And though I do live frugally, I do not have to worry about what and how my next meal will be served.

But at the same time, it is no doubt that exercise is important and should be incorporated in every one's daily lives. However, it is certainly true that being able to exercise and taking care of my body is a huge luxury. Many people in developed countries hold gym memberships, participate in organized sports, and enter extraneous competitions such as marathons (which are quite expensive by the way. An average marathon entry fee is about $90). People are constantly conscious of their appearance and body image whether it is through peer pressure, celebrity media, and/or cultural influences. A huge number and women in developed countries suffer from depression or eating disorders because of it. Some even go as far as going on extreme diets and going through baiatric surgery. Yet the majority of the people in this world have much more dire issues to worry about.  

I've ruminated over this issue for the past few weeks. But I've concluded that I will not make myself guilty over the fact that I am not one of them. And it will certainly not hinder me from going out to run in Cambodia. I will rather think how fortunate I am and appreciate for what I am able to do. As painful and painstaking running and training can be, how grateful that am I that I am able to take the power to exercise. How wonderful it is that I have full limbs with a healthy, injure-free body to be able to move freely in full strength. This is especially true in a country in which at least 2% of the population are disabled from a landmine accident.  For all the times I have moaned that I have to wake up early for my run or dragged myself to the gym, I now know that I will not take it for granted and go do it with gratitude.

And on the same note, while I will be sure to enjoy running my race tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Registration...dun dun dun