40 days from now, I will be rocking the Daegu Marathon. I finally got signed up for it this week.
I wish I could say that I thought of this amazing tip, but I did not. My friend, Sara, passed it along to me this summer (I think she may have gotten it from one of her running friends). I love my Garmin. It is a great running watch. I do not love standing outside in the cold darkness at 4:53 AM waiting for my Garmin to "locate satellites" so that I can start on my 10 miler. {not that I ran 10 miles before school on Monday morning...yeah, I would be okay with that never happening again in my life}.
Running Tip Tuesday: How to outsmart your Garmin
1.) Turn on your Garmin.
2.) Place it in a windowsill.
3.) Go put on your running shoes on or whatever the last step of your "getting out the door for a run" routine is.
4.) Grab your Garmin (which has now located satellites) and run out the door, down the stairs, and out the other door before your Garmin realizes that it is inside.
*If you have stop to use the restroom in between steps three and four, you are going to have stand still for 60 seconds once you get outside to let Miss Garmin relocate. Just sayin'
Happy Running!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Brunch Menus
We have had a busy weekend! We had people over for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. In case you can't tell, weekend brunch is my favorite meal to have people over for. It is quite amazing to be a foreigner in Korea. Church does not start until 2 PM. So you can have people over for brunch and then go to church together.
Here are the menus from this weekend (partially for future reference for myself)
Brunch Menu #1:
Easy Breakfast Casserole - We halved this and put it in an 8 x 8 pan. Our add-in was chicken (because that was the only cooked meat hanging out in the freezer on Friday night when I was trying to pull our ingredients together).
Vanilla Muffins with Cinnamon Crumb Topping - I have yet to get my muffins to look like the picture, but they are delicious nonetheless!
On Saturday this is all we had, but we have served this same menu before and added Makeover Fruit Pizza to the menu. Anytime we make this fruit pizza, we get compliments from others about it.
On Sunday, we tried some new recipes (and pulled out some goodies, but oldies).
Brunch Menu # 2:
Nourishing Wife-Saver Breakfast Casserole - I think we just called this "egg bake". We added a lot more onion and mushroom than what the recipe called for. We also cooked some ground pork (because it is the cheapest meat I can get my hands on in this country). Ian says, "if there is no meat than it is not a meal", hence the pork. Anywho, it turned out great. I really like the toasted bread crumbs, that added a little somethin'-somethin' to the dish.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls - I almost do not want to share the link with you. Seriously, you will make these cinnamon rolls, take a bite, and then blink several times because you are still on earth and not in heaven. The first time Ian made these for me, I was like, "I must marry this man. Any man that make cinnamon rolls this good is a keeper." (Okay, so I knew I was going to marry him before the cinnamon rolls, but it added another pro to the pro/con list...not that I was keeping a pro/con list...ugh, I am so awkward.) What I am trying to say is this: Make the cinnamon rolls, eat the cinnamon rolls.
Parfait - when we were thinking through our menu, we wanted to add one more dish that incorporated fruit. So we layered granola, fruit (strawberries and bananas), and yogurt in cups. It was a great addition to the meal.
If you live in Korea and are thinking to yourself, "I don't have an oven, I can't make this stuff." - victimize yourself no longer. Assume Victory, my friend. Brunch Menu #3: You can totally make the parfaits and serve french toast or pancakes with it. You can open your home/apartment without an oven, I promise.
So there you have it...some ideas for brunch. I think this goes un-said, but serve coffee with each menu. You can buy decaf at Homeplus (just in case your friends are nursing or prego.) Your guests will thank you.
Here are the menus from this weekend (partially for future reference for myself)
Brunch Menu #1:
Easy Breakfast Casserole - We halved this and put it in an 8 x 8 pan. Our add-in was chicken (because that was the only cooked meat hanging out in the freezer on Friday night when I was trying to pull our ingredients together).
Vanilla Muffins with Cinnamon Crumb Topping - I have yet to get my muffins to look like the picture, but they are delicious nonetheless!
On Saturday this is all we had, but we have served this same menu before and added Makeover Fruit Pizza to the menu. Anytime we make this fruit pizza, we get compliments from others about it.
 |
| I took this picture the last time we had people over....before my camera breathed its last. |
On Sunday, we tried some new recipes (and pulled out some goodies, but oldies).
Brunch Menu # 2:
Nourishing Wife-Saver Breakfast Casserole - I think we just called this "egg bake". We added a lot more onion and mushroom than what the recipe called for. We also cooked some ground pork (because it is the cheapest meat I can get my hands on in this country). Ian says, "if there is no meat than it is not a meal", hence the pork. Anywho, it turned out great. I really like the toasted bread crumbs, that added a little somethin'-somethin' to the dish.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls - I almost do not want to share the link with you. Seriously, you will make these cinnamon rolls, take a bite, and then blink several times because you are still on earth and not in heaven. The first time Ian made these for me, I was like, "I must marry this man. Any man that make cinnamon rolls this good is a keeper." (Okay, so I knew I was going to marry him before the cinnamon rolls, but it added another pro to the pro/con list...not that I was keeping a pro/con list...ugh, I am so awkward.) What I am trying to say is this: Make the cinnamon rolls, eat the cinnamon rolls.
Parfait - when we were thinking through our menu, we wanted to add one more dish that incorporated fruit. So we layered granola, fruit (strawberries and bananas), and yogurt in cups. It was a great addition to the meal.
If you live in Korea and are thinking to yourself, "I don't have an oven, I can't make this stuff." - victimize yourself no longer. Assume Victory, my friend. Brunch Menu #3: You can totally make the parfaits and serve french toast or pancakes with it. You can open your home/apartment without an oven, I promise.
So there you have it...some ideas for brunch. I think this goes un-said, but serve coffee with each menu. You can buy decaf at Homeplus (just in case your friends are nursing or prego.) Your guests will thank you.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
China - part 4 (the Great Wall, my thoughts, and everything I have missed)
Okay, here we go! Hopefully I can wrap up the rest of our China Vacation! {Here are parts 1, 2, and 3 if you want to check them out.}
The part of the Great Wall we saw was called the MuTianYu Great Wall. I think the name refers to the area of China that the wall is found in. I was so happy that there were so few people on the wall when we were there. It was so cool to take in the massiveness of the wall in silence. There were of course, vendors on the wall trying to sell us tons of stuff and yelling "one dollar, one dollar, onneee dooolllllaaarrr!" (Best "one dollar" find of vacation: T-shirt with President Obama on it wearing a communist hat. I highly doubt it was one dollar.) But by that point in time, I was over them. I got really good at saying "no thank you" just as many times as they said, "hey, hey one dollar!".
We did quite a bit of walking on the wall. There were "watch towers" every so often. Back in the day, soldiers would live in these towers to protect China from invasion (or at least that is what I think the tour guide said). There were some really steep parts to the wall - this was surprising to me. At some points, I felt I was walking up stairs that would have been impossible to climb up if you were any shorter.
Tuesday 01/31/2012 - Shout to Grandpa K! I am not sure how old you would be if you were still kicking today, but I think it would have been like 95. Anywho, I thought of you.
We ate a delicious breakfast at 7:15 A.M. (it may or may not have included bacon!). The part of the Great Wall we went to see was about a two hour drive out of Beijing, so we loaded up at 7:45 and headed out. We got to the parking lot right at 9:45, listened to some directions from our tour guide, and elected not to take the cable cars up to the wall. We hiked for about 20 or 30 minutes and arrived at the Great Wall of China! {Insert: my camera died during vacation and so all of these pictures were taken on my phone. which was free. (yeah for free phones!) so use your imagination.}
The part of the Great Wall we saw was called the MuTianYu Great Wall. I think the name refers to the area of China that the wall is found in. I was so happy that there were so few people on the wall when we were there. It was so cool to take in the massiveness of the wall in silence. There were of course, vendors on the wall trying to sell us tons of stuff and yelling "one dollar, one dollar, onneee dooolllllaaarrr!" (Best "one dollar" find of vacation: T-shirt with President Obama on it wearing a communist hat. I highly doubt it was one dollar.) But by that point in time, I was over them. I got really good at saying "no thank you" just as many times as they said, "hey, hey one dollar!".
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| Ian told me on our second date that he was going to go to China. I thought to myself, "yeah, right - that is never going to happen". Four years later, here we are. That was kinda a long story to put as a caption. Sorry about that. |
We did quite a bit of walking on the wall. There were "watch towers" every so often. Back in the day, soldiers would live in these towers to protect China from invasion (or at least that is what I think the tour guide said). There were some really steep parts to the wall - this was surprising to me. At some points, I felt I was walking up stairs that would have been impossible to climb up if you were any shorter.
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| Obviously, this picture is from TravelChinaGuide.com, but I think it illustrates how steep some of the stairs were |
Some parts of the wall were not steep at all. The wall really seemed to conform to the top of the mountain itself. It was breathtaking to look out on the surrounding mountains, blue sky, and amazing scenery.
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| This is inside one of the watch towers, looking out - some beautiful mountains. |
We ended up finishing on our time on the wall a bit earlier than our tour group's appointed lunch time, so we went to Subway (eat fresh!) and ate way too many of their cookies! Oh man - Subway cookies - America, you are a great nation and I am so glad you have found your way to the Great Wall of China. We still managed to eat the more traditional Chinese lunch and then headed back into Beijing. (Ian and I may or may not have eaten the remaining Subway cookies on our drive back to Beijing. I forget how good America can taste sometimes.)
For our last night in China, we decided to go to Pizza Hut. I can not recall at this moment what kind of pizza we ate, but it had the cheesy crust! Have I mentioned how delicious American food is? We had a great dinner discussing hypothetical questions. (i.e. would you rather be blind or deaf? If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? etc, etc, etc). In Korea, Ian can eat a whole pizza (the crust is made from rice and the pizzas are not very filling). I can eat a whole pizza (and maybe some ice cream, too). But we, together, could not eat the Pizza Hut pizza - weird. I know, I know, I remember all the fun details of vacation.
Wednesday 02/01/2012 - The alarm went off at 5:15 and by 5:35 we were on our way to the airport. We went through immigration, check-in, and security all in about 30 minutes. So we had some extra time on our hands. Being good Americans, we went to Starbucks, bought coffee and scones, and played War. Ian won. (I was undefeated thus far on vacation.) The flight went well. We got through Korean customs so fast! It was a good travel day for us. It felt good to be home again.
My thoughts on China:
I want to be realistic but not overly critical. If you are an American, living in America, I would not suggest that you go on vacation to China. If you are living in Asia, then yes, you might want to check China out. It was pretty cool to see the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall. The people of China are {insert a diplomatic word here for "rough around the edges"}. I felt like I have adjusted to life in Korea - I know that there will be men who pee on the street and people who stare at me. However, children pooping on the side of the street when there are public restrooms within a few feet and people trying to take advantageous of us is a little outside of my comfort zone for the time being. Maybe if I lived there for awhile, I would adjust. Like I said, realistic but not overly critical.
For our last night in China, we decided to go to Pizza Hut. I can not recall at this moment what kind of pizza we ate, but it had the cheesy crust! Have I mentioned how delicious American food is? We had a great dinner discussing hypothetical questions. (i.e. would you rather be blind or deaf? If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? etc, etc, etc). In Korea, Ian can eat a whole pizza (the crust is made from rice and the pizzas are not very filling). I can eat a whole pizza (and maybe some ice cream, too). But we, together, could not eat the Pizza Hut pizza - weird. I know, I know, I remember all the fun details of vacation.
Wednesday 02/01/2012 - The alarm went off at 5:15 and by 5:35 we were on our way to the airport. We went through immigration, check-in, and security all in about 30 minutes. So we had some extra time on our hands. Being good Americans, we went to Starbucks, bought coffee and scones, and played War. Ian won. (I was undefeated thus far on vacation.) The flight went well. We got through Korean customs so fast! It was a good travel day for us. It felt good to be home again.
My thoughts on China:
I want to be realistic but not overly critical. If you are an American, living in America, I would not suggest that you go on vacation to China. If you are living in Asia, then yes, you might want to check China out. It was pretty cool to see the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall. The people of China are {insert a diplomatic word here for "rough around the edges"}. I felt like I have adjusted to life in Korea - I know that there will be men who pee on the street and people who stare at me. However, children pooping on the side of the street when there are public restrooms within a few feet and people trying to take advantageous of us is a little outside of my comfort zone for the time being. Maybe if I lived there for awhile, I would adjust. Like I said, realistic but not overly critical.
 |
| That wraps up China for us! |
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Running Tip Tuesday
I can not believe that there are just 6 weeks and 5 days until my marathon! Training is going pretty well. I got 50 miles in last week, including a long run of 20 miles. This week is a recovery week which I am greatly enjoying thus far.
Running Tip Tuesday: Pick a plan that works for you
After being in the running world for awhile, this one seems obvious to me. If you set a goal of running a 5k, marathon, or just getting into better shape then, think about what works well for you. Personally, I like to do my long runs on Saturdays or Sundays. I enjoy taking my day off during the week. I do not feel confident lengthening my long runs by more than a few miles at a time. I know myself as a runner. I know my weekly schedule.
When I was looking for a marathon training plan, I thought I had struck gold with a training plan that gave me Fridays off, a medium-long run on Saturdays, and a long run on Sundays. It seems so perfect to have Fridays off. Usually we do not have to leave for church until 1:30 or so on Sundays, leaving plenty of time to do my long runs in the morning. The plan did not work well for me at.all.
So I tweaked it. I moved my day off to Thursday. I do my medium-long on Friday and go long on Saturday. I love my training plan right now. If I ever run another marathon, I will probably pull this training plan back out and use it again. I have found that a training plan that does not work for me ends up making running feel like a chore and not as enjoyable as it should be.
Happy running!
What do you think- what components do you consider when picking out a training plan?
Happy running!
What do you think- what components do you consider when picking out a training plan?
Friday, February 17, 2012
China - part 3 (Daqin Pagoda, Peking Duck, Forbidden City)
Since I am currently desk-warming, I am going to try to finish up our China vacation. Check out part 1 and 2 if you missed it.
Sunday 01/29/2012 - Nestorian Pagoda Day!
For today, I am just going to copy straight from my journal: So far in Xi'an, we have not seen blue sky. Everyday seems hazy or foggy - the pollution makes my eyes burn and throat hurt. My amazing husband said, "it is like living in a chimney" - I agree.
Today we drove a little over an hour out of the city. We saw the Daqin Pagoda. It was a really steep, muddy, and snowy hike up to the pagoda. Buddhist monks live there now. You would miss the pagoda if you did not know what you are looking for. [End of journal entry for the day.]
When we were exploring the pagoda, there was a Bible verse hanging in the back of mind, but I could not quite recall it. Romans 1:19 & 20, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made...".
It was so ironic to me. We were looking at a building made by Christians for Christians and there were Buddhist people sitting all around me. Yet I knew that the Spirit of God was there with us. He indwells within Ian and me. The same Spirit that indwelt with believers 1,370 years when this pagoda was built.
After we got back to Xi'an, we found a Peking duck restaurant and dined on some delicious duck. We, of course, finished the meal off with some American ice cream (got to get it while I can!). If you go to China, eat the duck. It far exceeds Korean duck. In China, we were served some sauce to dip the duck in (you can dunk your duck - hahaha). To me, it tasted like barbecue sauce. To Ian, it tasted like the sauce that baked beans are served in. Whatever the sauce is, Koreans need to find it and start serving it with their duck. Sunday night, we packed our bags and went to bed relatively early.
Monday 01/30/2012 -
We woke up early, found the first airport shuttle, and headed to the airport. I don't remember too much about going to the airport, I think we had a pretty speedy check-in, security etc. What I do remember is that I was looking forward to breakfast on the airplane. It was a weird refried bean (or something like that). I ended up trying one bite and drinking some coffee to suppress my apatite.
We got to Beijing, checked in to our hostel, and found some lunch. Then we ventured out to do some sight-seeing. {Insert: the high for the day was 25 degrees and it was windy. Don't go to Beijing in January.}
We saw the Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square. The Forbidden City is where the emperor lived back in the day. It really is like a small city - it goes on, and on, and on, and it just keeps going. I think you could spend most of a day here exploring rooms and halls. There is a lot of "harmony" going on in the Forbidden City. There is the Gate of Harmony, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony...you get the idea. If you do end up going to the Forbidden City in January - do not fear. There is a Tous Les Jours inside the Forbidden City. They have cheap and delicious hot chocolate. It does wonders for you after your toes and fingers are almost numb.
We ended the day at our hostel, reading, snacking, and drinking warm beverages. I read Unbroken on vacation and Ian read On the Incarnation. Then when we finished, we switched books. I am so glad I am married to a reader! {And to someone who encourages me to read books from 4th Century Christians}.
I had originally planned to put Tuesday in this post as well, but I am going to save that for another day. So I guess this is the end of part 3. Hopefully Part 4 will be done shortly!
Sunday 01/29/2012 - Nestorian Pagoda Day!
For today, I am just going to copy straight from my journal: So far in Xi'an, we have not seen blue sky. Everyday seems hazy or foggy - the pollution makes my eyes burn and throat hurt. My amazing husband said, "it is like living in a chimney" - I agree.
 |
| We may have done some slipping and sliding on our walk up to (and down from) the Pagoda |
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| I wish we could have gone in the Pagoda, but alas, it was not an option. |
It was so ironic to me. We were looking at a building made by Christians for Christians and there were Buddhist people sitting all around me. Yet I knew that the Spirit of God was there with us. He indwells within Ian and me. The same Spirit that indwelt with believers 1,370 years when this pagoda was built.
After we got back to Xi'an, we found a Peking duck restaurant and dined on some delicious duck. We, of course, finished the meal off with some American ice cream (got to get it while I can!). If you go to China, eat the duck. It far exceeds Korean duck. In China, we were served some sauce to dip the duck in (you can dunk your duck - hahaha). To me, it tasted like barbecue sauce. To Ian, it tasted like the sauce that baked beans are served in. Whatever the sauce is, Koreans need to find it and start serving it with their duck. Sunday night, we packed our bags and went to bed relatively early.
 |
| Notice the sauce. Photo from ifood.tv |
Monday 01/30/2012 -
We woke up early, found the first airport shuttle, and headed to the airport. I don't remember too much about going to the airport, I think we had a pretty speedy check-in, security etc. What I do remember is that I was looking forward to breakfast on the airplane. It was a weird refried bean (or something like that). I ended up trying one bite and drinking some coffee to suppress my apatite.
We got to Beijing, checked in to our hostel, and found some lunch. Then we ventured out to do some sight-seeing. {Insert: the high for the day was 25 degrees and it was windy. Don't go to Beijing in January.}
 |
| In front of the Forbidden City |
We ended the day at our hostel, reading, snacking, and drinking warm beverages. I read Unbroken on vacation and Ian read On the Incarnation. Then when we finished, we switched books. I am so glad I am married to a reader! {And to someone who encourages me to read books from 4th Century Christians}.
I had originally planned to put Tuesday in this post as well, but I am going to save that for another day. So I guess this is the end of part 3. Hopefully Part 4 will be done shortly!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
China - part 2 (Stele Forest, Big Goose Pagoda, Lantern Festival, Terracotta Warriors)
I am hoping that part 2 and 3 are a bit more exciting for you then part 1 was! Here we go:
Friday 01/27/2012 - One of the joys of vacation is sleeping in - which we did today (beside the firecrackers going off at weird times in the night and early morning!). We started our day with a walk to the Stele Forest (which is a museum of sorts).
We mainly searching for the Nestorian Christian's tablet. We were successful in finding it! {Honestly, I had a kinda hard time finding a site to give you a brief and true overview of the Nestorians. I found this one - not perfect, but should help you out some.}
We then braved a public bus to go see the Big Goose Pagoda. I feel like I could write an entire blog post on public buses in China. Pros: It is 1 RMB per person per ride. (that is $0.16 in the good ol' USofA - cheapest bus ride ever). I can't really think of any other pros...it made me much more thankful for public transportation in Korea.
The Big Goose Pagoda is really cool.
We ate Papa John's before going to explore the pagoda (I feel like I could write an entire blog post about American pizza - without pickles, sweet potatoes, or corn on top it. Thank you Lord for western restaurants in Eastern countries!)
One aspect that I really liked about the Big Goose Pagoda and surrounding temple areas was that it was still in progress. Well not the pagoda, that was completed about 1350 years ago, but the temple area near it. We always see temples/shrines completed. It was so cool to see exposed wood before they painted. I thought it was beautiful in its simplicity.
We ended the day heading back towards Xi'an (another opportunity to be thankful for crosswalks in Korea and public transportation). We decided to check out the City Wall and the Lantern festival taking place on it.
It was so cool! The city wall goes all the way around the center of the city. I think it is about 10 miles all the way around it. (If you are there in October, they have a marathon on it!) It is hard to describe how massive the wall is. It is huge. There were fireworks going off and there were tons of big "lanterns". We had fun comparing the lanterns from different continents (and the cultural stereotypes). This goes without saying, but it was cold. Oh man, it was cold. But the lanterns made it worth it.
Saturday 01/28/2012: Terracotta Warrior Day! Yeah!
We skipped the offered tours and went the frugal way. You can walk to the bus station for free, take a bus ride for about a dollar per person - do not be alarmed if the bus is pulling out of the parking lot and people are still hopping on...that's how they roll in China (pun intended). And an hour later, we arrived. Upon arriving at the Terracotta Warriors, you have the joy of wading through 5 or 6 people who insist that you need a tour guide and they are the perfect choice ("Even Chinese people who come here, get tour guide.") and a half a mile of one dollar, one dollar, one dooolllaaarrr tourist traps, before you can actually enter and see the Terracotta Warriors. We started at the beginning with viewing pit 1, first. It was awe-inspiring to me.
There are so many soldiers! One of the reoccurring thoughts I had while in China was "how could they do this before technology?!?!?!" It amazed me how precise and extensive buildings, walls, and soldiers could be made.
After some more viewing and trying to avoid heckling, we headed back into Xi'an. Just in case you are feeling a little bit drowsy on the long bus ride back, feel free to play the ABC game. Yes, there are fewer signs in English along the road, but there is a gold mine of q, x, and z to help the game go quickly.
For dinner, we headed to the Muslim Quarter. We had the most delicious sandwich in the history of ever. (insert me making my Korean, "waaaaaah!" sound here). Basically it was pulled pork on an English muffin - that is the best description I can give. I do have some pictures of the Muslim Quarter, but my camera was on its deathbed by that point in time, so the pictures are pretty grain-y. (major sad day.) Oh well - we have the memories.
I think that wraps up Friday and Saturday of the China adventure.
Friday 01/27/2012 - One of the joys of vacation is sleeping in - which we did today (beside the firecrackers going off at weird times in the night and early morning!). We started our day with a walk to the Stele Forest (which is a museum of sorts).
We mainly searching for the Nestorian Christian's tablet. We were successful in finding it! {Honestly, I had a kinda hard time finding a site to give you a brief and true overview of the Nestorians. I found this one - not perfect, but should help you out some.}
 |
| Here is a website telling you what the inscription on the tablet says in English. |
We then braved a public bus to go see the Big Goose Pagoda. I feel like I could write an entire blog post on public buses in China. Pros: It is 1 RMB per person per ride. (that is $0.16 in the good ol' USofA - cheapest bus ride ever). I can't really think of any other pros...it made me much more thankful for public transportation in Korea.
The Big Goose Pagoda is really cool.
 |
| It is not foggy, just smoggy :) |
One aspect that I really liked about the Big Goose Pagoda and surrounding temple areas was that it was still in progress. Well not the pagoda, that was completed about 1350 years ago, but the temple area near it. We always see temples/shrines completed. It was so cool to see exposed wood before they painted. I thought it was beautiful in its simplicity.
 |
| No red paint yet...a work still in progress |
 |
| Since Picnik is closing up shop in April, I have this compelling need to make a lot of collages between now and then. |
It was so cool! The city wall goes all the way around the center of the city. I think it is about 10 miles all the way around it. (If you are there in October, they have a marathon on it!) It is hard to describe how massive the wall is. It is huge. There were fireworks going off and there were tons of big "lanterns". We had fun comparing the lanterns from different continents (and the cultural stereotypes). This goes without saying, but it was cold. Oh man, it was cold. But the lanterns made it worth it.
Saturday 01/28/2012: Terracotta Warrior Day! Yeah!
We skipped the offered tours and went the frugal way. You can walk to the bus station for free, take a bus ride for about a dollar per person - do not be alarmed if the bus is pulling out of the parking lot and people are still hopping on...that's how they roll in China (pun intended). And an hour later, we arrived. Upon arriving at the Terracotta Warriors, you have the joy of wading through 5 or 6 people who insist that you need a tour guide and they are the perfect choice ("Even Chinese people who come here, get tour guide.") and a half a mile of one dollar, one dollar, one dooolllaaarrr tourist traps, before you can actually enter and see the Terracotta Warriors. We started at the beginning with viewing pit 1, first. It was awe-inspiring to me.
There are so many soldiers! One of the reoccurring thoughts I had while in China was "how could they do this before technology?!?!?!" It amazed me how precise and extensive buildings, walls, and soldiers could be made.
 |
| This would be the beginning of the end for my camera :( |
For dinner, we headed to the Muslim Quarter. We had the most delicious sandwich in the history of ever. (insert me making my Korean, "waaaaaah!" sound here). Basically it was pulled pork on an English muffin - that is the best description I can give. I do have some pictures of the Muslim Quarter, but my camera was on its deathbed by that point in time, so the pictures are pretty grain-y. (major sad day.) Oh well - we have the memories.
I think that wraps up Friday and Saturday of the China adventure.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Eating and Drinking on a Long Run
This past weekend I ran 9 miles Friday after school, 18 miles Saturday mid-morning, and 3 miles on Sunday morning. (WootWoot for a 30 miler weekend!) A big help in getting in those 30 miles was good fuel, before, during, and after my runs.
I am still learning about proper fueling while running high mileage. I did not even start to eat while running until last year when I was marathon training. But this is what I have learned. Eating and/or drinking while running helps me out. Especially after the 90-120 minute mark. I have also learned that the company that makes my running fuel wants to earn money, so I do not necessarily have to follow their guidelines (no offense to GU energy gels, I am just saying I don't need to consume 4 gels to run 18 miles, 2 will do just me just fine).
Running Tip Tuesday: Eating and Drinking on a Long Run
As long as you fuel properly, you will not have weird stomach cramps or need 928420398 bathroom breaks while running (I may or may not have thought this before I started).
15 minutes before a long-long run (for me this a run that will last longer than 2.5 hours): take a one or two gulps of some GU followed by a couple sips of water (I leave this opened GU packet at home and grab another unopened one to take with me - it keeps my hands/mittens cleaner while I run)
45 minutes in: sips of water (if I am thirsty)
7 miles in (somewhere around an hour or so): take another one or two gulps of GU, followed by some water
10 miles in: more sips of water
13 miles in: more sips of water
14 miles (2+ hours): another one or two gulps of energy gel, two big gulps of water
16.5 miles: if I am feeling very fatigued then I finish off my GU packet and sip some water with it, otherwise I am focused on just finishing.
After I get home: finish off the GU packet I started before my run
Rest of the day: drink {water} like a camel
I did not start out in-taking two whole GU packets before/during/after my runs. I started with just one and I was so scared about getting stomach cramps that I would take it on 10 milers with me and just have one small gulp after about an hour. I really eased into it. I also think running with a water bottle that is half Gatorade half water is a great way to get in some electrolytes but not upset your digest system too much. (I think mixing the Gatorade in with the water helps the water to not freeze so quickly - not that I ever have frozen water bottle issues :) )
I do have more to say on the subject, but I will refrain for the time being. You can totally eat and drink (wisely) while running! You can do it!
Happy Running ya'll!
I am still learning about proper fueling while running high mileage. I did not even start to eat while running until last year when I was marathon training. But this is what I have learned. Eating and/or drinking while running helps me out. Especially after the 90-120 minute mark. I have also learned that the company that makes my running fuel wants to earn money, so I do not necessarily have to follow their guidelines (no offense to GU energy gels, I am just saying I don't need to consume 4 gels to run 18 miles, 2 will do just me just fine).
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| I think this is from here, although I kept finding a link to a link . Anywho, good fueling helps me to crush the wall! |
Running Tip Tuesday: Eating and Drinking on a Long Run
As long as you fuel properly, you will not have weird stomach cramps or need 928420398 bathroom breaks while running (I may or may not have thought this before I started).
15 minutes before a long-long run (for me this a run that will last longer than 2.5 hours): take a one or two gulps of some GU followed by a couple sips of water (I leave this opened GU packet at home and grab another unopened one to take with me - it keeps my hands/mittens cleaner while I run)
45 minutes in: sips of water (if I am thirsty)
7 miles in (somewhere around an hour or so): take another one or two gulps of GU, followed by some water
10 miles in: more sips of water
13 miles in: more sips of water
14 miles (2+ hours): another one or two gulps of energy gel, two big gulps of water
16.5 miles: if I am feeling very fatigued then I finish off my GU packet and sip some water with it, otherwise I am focused on just finishing.
After I get home: finish off the GU packet I started before my run
Rest of the day: drink {water} like a camel
I did not start out in-taking two whole GU packets before/during/after my runs. I started with just one and I was so scared about getting stomach cramps that I would take it on 10 milers with me and just have one small gulp after about an hour. I really eased into it. I also think running with a water bottle that is half Gatorade half water is a great way to get in some electrolytes but not upset your digest system too much. (I think mixing the Gatorade in with the water helps the water to not freeze so quickly - not that I ever have frozen water bottle issues :) )
I do have more to say on the subject, but I will refrain for the time being. You can totally eat and drink (wisely) while running! You can do it!
Happy Running ya'll!
Uncharted Territory
Ahem, this is going to be a post of uncharted territory for me. But it is my blog so that means I can write about whatever I want. I won't be posting this to Facebook, but if you happen to stumble upon this post, feel free to read, comment, or ponder the following.
Just my thoughts ya'll.
When Ian and I were dating, he would open the car door for me. He would walk on the street side of the sidewalk. He would do lovely and sweet things for me. Some people {not everyone} would say, "Just wait until you are engaged..." like he would stop doing those things once we were engaged or married. Well then we got engaged, and he still opened the car door for me. He still walked on the street side of the sidewalk. He would still do lovely and sweet things for me. Some people {not everyone} would say, "Just wait until you get married...".
Well then we got married. (Do I need to insert a rant about "oh you are still in the honeymoon stage"...You can just insert in your brain). Folks, he still does lovely and sweet things for me. He carries the heaviest grocery bags all the way home and does not complain. He works hard to provide for us. He takes responsibility and leadership in our family. He probably does more lovely and sweet things for me, than before we got married. And still some people say, "Just wait until you have kids...". I married the best man I have ever met in my life. He has become my best friend too. I seriously doubt that he is going to stop doing lovely and sweet things for me. (But if he does, we will cross that bridge when we come to it, instead of critically evaluating every action "oh maybe he is finally turning into that man that does not do lovely and sweet things for me anymore...that was just before we got married").
Here is where the uncharted territory part comes in (good Lord I am blushing already). I decided early on our marriage that I was not going to be a "I have a headache. I am tired. I am {put any excuse in you would like}." wife. I was going to be an honest, communicating wife. Ian is so great about sitting with me in coffee shops and chatting about matters of my heart. I would be SO HURT if I started sharing something that has been on my heart and he rolls his eyes, and says, "okay, let's just make it quick. I have a headache. I am tired. I am fill in some excuse." You can connect the dots and blush along with me now.
I am not trying to be legalistic here. I am trying to be real. I am trying to provide a different perspective than what American culture has shoved onto me for the past 20 years.
And still there are women who hear my perspective, give me the look and say, "oh just wait until you have kids, then you will really be tired". (I may or may not think this in my brain when I hear this: Did your husband still find time to connect emotionally with you after you had kids? I certainly hope so)
Love is a choice. Joy is a choice. How we spend our time is a choice. How tired we are is a choice.
I will get off my soap box now. Oh yeah - by no means are we perfect. We still need grace and have a lot of lesson to learn. But we are striving.
Just my thoughts ya'll.
When Ian and I were dating, he would open the car door for me. He would walk on the street side of the sidewalk. He would do lovely and sweet things for me. Some people {not everyone} would say, "Just wait until you are engaged..." like he would stop doing those things once we were engaged or married. Well then we got engaged, and he still opened the car door for me. He still walked on the street side of the sidewalk. He would still do lovely and sweet things for me. Some people {not everyone} would say, "Just wait until you get married...".
Well then we got married. (Do I need to insert a rant about "oh you are still in the honeymoon stage"...You can just insert in your brain). Folks, he still does lovely and sweet things for me. He carries the heaviest grocery bags all the way home and does not complain. He works hard to provide for us. He takes responsibility and leadership in our family. He probably does more lovely and sweet things for me, than before we got married. And still some people say, "Just wait until you have kids...". I married the best man I have ever met in my life. He has become my best friend too. I seriously doubt that he is going to stop doing lovely and sweet things for me. (But if he does, we will cross that bridge when we come to it, instead of critically evaluating every action "oh maybe he is finally turning into that man that does not do lovely and sweet things for me anymore...that was just before we got married").
Here is where the uncharted territory part comes in (good Lord I am blushing already). I decided early on our marriage that I was not going to be a "I have a headache. I am tired. I am {put any excuse in you would like}." wife. I was going to be an honest, communicating wife. Ian is so great about sitting with me in coffee shops and chatting about matters of my heart. I would be SO HURT if I started sharing something that has been on my heart and he rolls his eyes, and says, "okay, let's just make it quick. I have a headache. I am tired. I am fill in some excuse." You can connect the dots and blush along with me now.
I am not trying to be legalistic here. I am trying to be real. I am trying to provide a different perspective than what American culture has shoved onto me for the past 20 years.
And still there are women who hear my perspective, give me the look and say, "oh just wait until you have kids, then you will really be tired". (I may or may not think this in my brain when I hear this: Did your husband still find time to connect emotionally with you after you had kids? I certainly hope so)
Love is a choice. Joy is a choice. How we spend our time is a choice. How tired we are is a choice.
I will get off my soap box now. Oh yeah - by no means are we perfect. We still need grace and have a lot of lesson to learn. But we are striving.
Happy Hearts Day!
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| China 2012 |
Thursday, February 9, 2012
China - part 1 (hostel, Bell Tower, DQ)
Here are my memories from our recent vacation to China!
Wednesday 01/25/2012 - I woke up really early. I was exhausted, but I got up and did my tempo run before we started our day of travel. We rode a bus, another bus, a plane, and another plane before arriving in Xi'an, China. We found our hostel and settled in for the night.
Thursday 01/26/2012 - I would say this was our most unproductive day of vacation. We did a lot of walking. It is a long story, but here is the short version: You can only buy train tickets from Xi'an to Beijing when you are in China. So we tried to buy train tickets. It was still Chinese New Year. (Seriously, who has a holiday for seven days. I thought Korea was generous with three day holidays but seven whole days? What the junk?) We ended up buying plane tickets. All of this took up most of our day. Still a good day. Still found a way to Beijing from Xi'an. We did get to see the Bell Tower.
The Bell Tower is in the middle of the downtown area. We climbed up a few stories and got to see a cool view of the city.
We ate at Dairy Queen! This may or may not have been the best part of my day. They got my order right! It was delicious. They played some music from the 90s in English while we ate our ice cream. This is what vacation is about ya'll.
We did eat "authentic" Chinese food too...I'm not sure where Koreans ever got their idea of "Chinese" food from. It was a yummy dinner.
And that was our first two days in China. Hopefully I am feeling motivated and get part 2 and 3 done quickly!
Wednesday 01/25/2012 - I woke up really early. I was exhausted, but I got up and did my tempo run before we started our day of travel. We rode a bus, another bus, a plane, and another plane before arriving in Xi'an, China. We found our hostel and settled in for the night.
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| {Just in case you ever find yourself in Xi'an, China. Check out this hostel. Best hostel I have ever stayed in, in my life!} |
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| A brush-up on the lay-out of China. Map from gujiefu.wordpress.com |
Thursday 01/26/2012 - I would say this was our most unproductive day of vacation. We did a lot of walking. It is a long story, but here is the short version: You can only buy train tickets from Xi'an to Beijing when you are in China. So we tried to buy train tickets. It was still Chinese New Year. (Seriously, who has a holiday for seven days. I thought Korea was generous with three day holidays but seven whole days? What the junk?) We ended up buying plane tickets. All of this took up most of our day. Still a good day. Still found a way to Beijing from Xi'an. We did get to see the Bell Tower.
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| The Bell Tower is in the center of town. Cars drive in a circle around it. |
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| View from the Bell Tower {no, it is not foggy, it is smoggy} |
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| Here is the actual bell of the Bell Tower and some cool designs we saw on the beams and walls. |
We ate at Dairy Queen! This may or may not have been the best part of my day. They got my order right! It was delicious. They played some music from the 90s in English while we ate our ice cream. This is what vacation is about ya'll.
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| Oh Dairy Queen, how delightful it was to be in your presence! |
We did eat "authentic" Chinese food too...I'm not sure where Koreans ever got their idea of "Chinese" food from. It was a yummy dinner.
And that was our first two days in China. Hopefully I am feeling motivated and get part 2 and 3 done quickly!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
A word or two {or 148} about Grace
Well it is Tuesday, which means it is time for a running tip! I was planning on writing about incorporating drinking and eating into your long runs, but then I changed my mind.
Running Tip Tuesday: Grace, not Perfection
I took today off from running. I normally don't take Tuesdays off {I like to take Thursdays off}. I have run the last six days. I have done my long runs. But my runs have been sluggish. I have felt mentally drained. It is just one of "those" weeks. I am praying for a better attitude and more motivation in the days to come. So this week, I am giving myself some grace. I am taking Tuesday off. I am cooking a yummy healthy dinner and going to bed early. And I am running tomorrow.
We strive for grace {or balance you could say} - not perfection.
Happy Running!
Running Tip Tuesday: Grace, not Perfection
I took today off from running. I normally don't take Tuesdays off {I like to take Thursdays off}. I have run the last six days. I have done my long runs. But my runs have been sluggish. I have felt mentally drained. It is just one of "those" weeks. I am praying for a better attitude and more motivation in the days to come. So this week, I am giving myself some grace. I am taking Tuesday off. I am cooking a yummy healthy dinner and going to bed early. And I am running tomorrow.
We strive for grace {or balance you could say} - not perfection.
Happy Running!
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| sign from fisher kids via pinterest.com |
Thursday, February 2, 2012
A Vacation from Vacation
We got back from China yesterday.
Today I have been sitting on the floor (our floors are heated) checking email, drinking copious amounts of coffee, listening to podcasts, and essentially, doing nothing.
Here are two photos for you:
I promise more stories and photos from China are to come!
Today I have been sitting on the floor (our floors are heated) checking email, drinking copious amounts of coffee, listening to podcasts, and essentially, doing nothing.
Here are two photos for you:
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| CHINA HAS DQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| It also has a Great Wall |
I promise more stories and photos from China are to come!
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