The Kitchen Sink or Sometimes a Run is Living Life

Distance: 5.1 miles
Time: 1:17:20

After a wimp week of making excuses about the cold and rain, I hit the pavement today. This was my first walk-run since last November. When I think of "going for a run" it is usually with a distance/time goal and specific training tasks along the way, like speed work, tempo run, sprints, hill training, yada, yada. Now, honestly, you know I suck at some of it--like my speedwork is Jack's turtle run, and hill training sometimes becomes survival training--but I do make the effort.

But sometimes "going for a run" just becomes living life. Today was one such run. First, I was trekking to A4 translation to drop off some stuff. On the way, I passed the Yonsei University Traditional Folk Music Drumming Team out practicing on the Soccer Field. One of them recognised me (even with the new white hat I was sporting) and waved me over. Kim Young Ho offered me the drum, because he knew I liked to bang on it (yes, they know me, I like to watch and cheer them on). So after an embarrassing routine--embarrassing for me, they were laughing hysterically, I jogged on. My friend Jack had just seated himself at the snack tent in front of the A4 translation entrance, so, of course, we had a chat and a fish snack.

Later, following the boulevard and then up toward Bongwonsa Temple, I got a little lost, stopped to visit with a wonderful little lady--never understood a word she said, but she did point in the right direction, and loved my beard and laugh. Of course, I was laughing as I was telling her not to pull it, just stroke it. Next stop was the observatory and since I was there, a quick 10 minute workout on the Yonsei Amphitheater steps. After my heart calmed down--and a restroom break, I took off toward the back campus. I thought it would be fun to run down heart attack hill instead of up it. Well, you don't --at least I found out I don't, can't-- "run" down a hill that steep.

At the bottom, I pounded through the intersection just as a bus bounded past. Close call. Up the hill to check in on the construction project and then into the final stretch through Yonhidong. KEB Bank Manager spotted me and waved me down. He had a great time kidding me once it clicked with him that I was out running because I wanted to do something so silly as a marathon--only "crazy people" do that type of thing. So, I told him his bank ought to sponsor me and give generously to the cause. Knowing the culture here, I'll probably get a fruit basket in April.

So, I'm not deceiving myself. I really didn't get a run in today. But I did enjoy living! While poverty often brings misery to one's life, it cannot stop the human spirit from living life. Poverty can consume one's efforts and the struggle to survive can be mundane, routine, painful and/or goal driven --just like some runs I've done. Joy, however, even in the worst of economic, political, and social circumstances, comes from living and loving. My run was filled with both.