Running to Winter

Today, I went for my first run in a week, bridging the 8km gap between Sansou (staff accommodation) and Hirafu.  For a little under an hour, I experienced rain, clouds, wind and blazing hot sunshine. All the while, two thoughts are going through my head:

a) This hurts.

b) I hope this isn’t radioactive, Fukushima rain.

Truth be told, I went through the classic lows and highs I think all runners experience.  You start off hating it, mid-way through you feel like a hero descended from the Greek heavens and by the end you bask in an exhausted endorphin glow. Let’s get this straight: I do not consider myself a good runner. I clunk through it with heavy legs and short breaths. What I lack in skill and grace, I make up for in perseverance. In the end, it’s all in the name of fitness. I want to ski better, faster and harder this year.

I walk by my ski boots every morning before heading off to my desk job. It’s T-97 days to the ski season; bring it.

Farm right in front of Sansou 

Rainbow excitement

Jump!

A cloud veiled Yotei

Itching to get these back on