Today's run was for Lacey. She stepped up and I stepped out. You can help too, just click and donate!
It's easy to find reasons to not run. Especially when you're in Bangkok.
...
I'm in Bangkok for a teacher's conference. I'm learning a lot during the day and spending the nights catching up with friends that have spread out around the globe. It's been a lot of fun, but it can be distracting from my running program. I lifted off from Indira Gandhi International Airport at 5:35 am on Thursday. Believing Thursday was a wash, I spent the afternoon at the pool, doing some reading about reading. As I walked past the gym, I was suddenly inspired to hit the treadmill. A quick elevator trip of 28 floors up and 28 floors down and my workout desire stopped cold. I had already made up my mind that I wouldn't dedicate a treadmill run to Lacey, but her advanced math and science background would have helped as an additional motivator. I had been planning a four mile run, and I was ready. The treadmill though, was only prepared for me to work out in kilometers. After an embarrassing amount of mental wrangling, I was able to push start. Thursday, it turned out, was not a wash.
Friday was. There was no way I was running Friday morning. Sorry Lacey. I know that you'd understand how a trip to Mikkeller might inhibit a morning's workout.
I resolved to not let it happen two days in a row. So last night, I was bound and determined to run this morning. Undeterred by my friends' unwillingness to join me, I called for a 6:30 wake up call. The incredulous tone of operator's voice when he repeated the time for the wake up call almost made me second-guess myself, but I said, "Yes," and drifted off to sleep.
The unintended theme of today's run was one mile for each hour of sleep from the night before. I'll let you do the math on that one dear readers. The hotel is not too far from Lumphini Park, which seemed like a good destination for a run. The first leg of the run went down the street where every stray dog in Bangkok seems to live. Luckily, the Thai street dogs seem to adopt the "Mai Pen Rai" attitude of their compatriots and there was no doggie drama. The next leg was a little less than a mile along Rama IV Road, a major Bangkok street that cuts through the Central Business District. The city was just waking up, so not too much was happening this early in the morning. I did stop to snap a pic of this huge wat and the nice clean streets.
It's easy to find reasons to not run. Especially when you're in Bangkok.
...
I'm in Bangkok for a teacher's conference. I'm learning a lot during the day and spending the nights catching up with friends that have spread out around the globe. It's been a lot of fun, but it can be distracting from my running program. I lifted off from Indira Gandhi International Airport at 5:35 am on Thursday. Believing Thursday was a wash, I spent the afternoon at the pool, doing some reading about reading. As I walked past the gym, I was suddenly inspired to hit the treadmill. A quick elevator trip of 28 floors up and 28 floors down and my workout desire stopped cold. I had already made up my mind that I wouldn't dedicate a treadmill run to Lacey, but her advanced math and science background would have helped as an additional motivator. I had been planning a four mile run, and I was ready. The treadmill though, was only prepared for me to work out in kilometers. After an embarrassing amount of mental wrangling, I was able to push start. Thursday, it turned out, was not a wash.
Friday was. There was no way I was running Friday morning. Sorry Lacey. I know that you'd understand how a trip to Mikkeller might inhibit a morning's workout.
I resolved to not let it happen two days in a row. So last night, I was bound and determined to run this morning. Undeterred by my friends' unwillingness to join me, I called for a 6:30 wake up call. The incredulous tone of operator's voice when he repeated the time for the wake up call almost made me second-guess myself, but I said, "Yes," and drifted off to sleep.
The unintended theme of today's run was one mile for each hour of sleep from the night before. I'll let you do the math on that one dear readers. The hotel is not too far from Lumphini Park, which seemed like a good destination for a run. The first leg of the run went down the street where every stray dog in Bangkok seems to live. Luckily, the Thai street dogs seem to adopt the "Mai Pen Rai" attitude of their compatriots and there was no doggie drama. The next leg was a little less than a mile along Rama IV Road, a major Bangkok street that cuts through the Central Business District. The city was just waking up, so not too much was happening this early in the morning. I did stop to snap a pic of this huge wat and the nice clean streets.
As I got closer and closer to Lumphini Park, I started noticing Thai Army outposts and my vague awareness of what was happening in the park slowly started to become more and more concrete. Lumphini Park has become the temporary home of anti-government protesters. There were people everywhere, with high levels of organization. Tent cities, water distribution, toilets, showers and more were helping to keep the peace in the park. There were plenty of early-morning risers walking and jogging along the paths in this rare green space in the urban sprawl of one of Asia's largest cities. Distracted by the throngs and the business of the place, I ended up adding a bit more to the run than I intended to. As I was leaving the park, an old Thai gentleman was on the stage singing a song, warming up the crowd. People seemed to love it and I would have loved to have taken a short video, but I was hesitant to take photos in the park.
I headed back to the hotel, showered, breakfasted and got back to work bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Thanks for the motivation to keep me running!
This run belongs to Lacey! Thanks for helping out!
I'm dedicating runs to raise money for a campship in memory of my friend Ty Taylor at YMCA Camp Miller. Click here or here to donate. Please make sure you choose the Ty Taylor Campship option. And please let me know if you've made a donation so I can thank you!
RUN STATS:
Distance - 4.7 miles
Time - About 36 minutes
Soundtrack - Wolf Parade, Apologies to the Queen Mary
I'm dedicating runs to raise money for a campship in memory of my friend Ty Taylor at YMCA Camp Miller. Click here or here to donate. Please make sure you choose the Ty Taylor Campship option. And please let me know if you've made a donation so I can thank you!
RUN STATS:
Distance - 4.7 miles
Time - About 36 minutes
Soundtrack - Wolf Parade, Apologies to the Queen Mary
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