Back in the U.S.S.A.

So, much like a blackbird singing in the dead of night, I'm back in the States for the time being, and I've already gone out for my first hometown run with a brand new pair of Asics that were anxiously waiting at home for my arrival. I found a good deal on last year's model and scored big on the cheapness scale for such quality kicks. I also found a birthday card on my bookshelf from 2 years ago with $30 stuffed inside it, Good Day Sunshine! There's a younger version of me who is pretty pissed right about now, but as for the older me, I'm Happy Just to Dance with You on that dude's untilled grave with a freshly cobbled pair of giddiness clogs.

Substitute Giddiness Clogs

I know the barefoot running craze is picking up more steam than a combination Robert Fulton invented, Ozzy Osbourne penned, steam engine crazy train, what with all the vibrams and biomechanics debate, and I did put some serious thought into diving into the deep end (or is barefooting technically the shallow end?), now that I no longer hold fast to the splintered rungs of a rope ladder training schedule, but for long distances, I like my soles cushioned. I did, however, switch up my shoe choice a bit: I'm back to Asics, after a long stint in Nikes, I feel like I've come back home, twice now this week, to comfort country.

So it's been 3 months since I last hit the streets of Oreland, our last dance was to a song whose lyrics I've half forgotten, but a beat that is ingrained in my being all too well. That is to say, in plain English, the route, which I spent many snow covered miles training on for the marathon, is something I'm far too familiar with, however, I had forgotten the topography of the land, like just how many hills I have to run up (and, sure, OK, down) to get through a run around Oreland. I guess I was spoiled by the basically flat kilometers Japan welcomed me with. It's always kind of a mental shock when you head out the door expecting to accomplish a carefree 3 miler, but your legs are mad at you for not being as easy as your muscles remember. This does bring up the question, shouldn't a flat course marathon be easier to accomplish when all your training was on hillier ground? I suppose it technically should be easier, and that's probably partially why the first half of the marathon was a breeze, and indeed the video of me passing 19 miles with a frenzied optimism seems so bizarrely appropriate, but there's a lot more than just running that goes into a marathon. For a first timer, there's nothing that really prepares you for those final 6 miles, they kind of even the playing field.

I'm not exactly sure how long I'll be staying in the States. I will be returning to Japan at some point, hopefully soon, before I forget too much Japanese, but for now, I'm back to the basics. I broke out the old screen shots of my Google map running routes I used for training, and am hitting the slopes in the off season, as it were, so thankfully, there's far less snow. Finally, I should mention that Schwinny Cooper has broken my heart, simply by being broken herself. Let this serve as fair warning to all who dabble in finding a bike on Craigslist...make sure you know enough about bikes before buying second hand, or take someone with you that does. I know that seems like common sense, but I let my excitement cloud my judgement when I thought I found the perfect bike. Since I bought it, my bike has been a constant pain in the backside with all the problems it surprises me with. Though this blog is not about complaints, so I send a gentle shuteye sigh subtly out the side of my mouth for the frustration over my broken bike, and then...move on.

Next up: The Jersey Shore...for runners.