I finished my first marathon of 2013! Yay! Buuuut…

I didn’t beat my personal record of 2:00:42. Instead I got this:

Not bad at all, but I was really aiming for under 2 hours. I thought I ran a much stronger run than my last event (Santa to the Sea – didn’t blog about it, bummer!) and I wasn’t as exhausted and wobbly at the end of it. I have to admit though, the Guu really helped me get up those hills and keep pushing. I’m proud that the only times I walked was to finish my cup of water, because I know from experience that water would go up my nose if I drink and run…

One of the many reasons why I enjoy participating in big races like this is because it’s one of the few ways where I’m able to make myself nervous. Running is a battle between me and my personal best, and I obviously want to strive to beat my record every time I run. I want to push myself harder and faster, so that I have a new time to battle against for my next run. I also seem to do much better in big races than when training by myself – most likely because of the level of energy and high spirit of fellow runners around me.

        I struggled the most at mile 10. I was low on energy, nibbled on my last bit of Guu, and it was HOT. I nearly decided to walk when I heard a runner behind me cheer himself on,

“Let’s go J! It’s just one more lap around the Rose Bowl. You can do it J!”

At first I thought he somehow knew me and was rooting me on, but then I noticed that this was his way of giving himself a pep talk – and it worked for me too! I think he really helped me push through the last 3 miles.  I ran by his side (without making any sort of communication) until we reached the last 0.1 mile when he started cheering himself on. He sped up and finished a few seconds before me.

My utmost favorite part about running the half marathon is approaching the “FINISH” arc. I’ve noticed from my last 3 half marathons that I get an extensive kick of energy and I typically sprint to the goal – and it feels great! Spectators rooting me on and photographs being taken really add to wanting to finish strong at the end.

1 down, 4 more to go this year!

READ ABOUT MY FIRST HALF MARATHON

Welcome, 2013! After months of scares that the world might end in 2012, humanity lived the day to greet you after all!

This leaves me no choice but to plan my year ahead. I find it helpful to make resolutions that are measurable – that way I know that I’ve accomplished my goal instead of feeling ambiguous about it at the end of the year. And I figured that I’m more likely to stick to them once I share them with the world. So without further ado, here is what I’m aiming for this year:

• Run at least 5 half marathons

• Bring my weight down to 105lb by exercising regularly and eating healthy

• Visit at least three new cities

• Learn to dance the swing

BONUS GOAL:
Run a full marathon by end of 2013. If not this year, I’ll run the LA Marathon in Spring 2014.

Let’s start this year with a smile and high energy. Optimism and positive thinking will turn 2013 into a good year

As 2012 gradually concludes, I’ve found myself spending plenty of time pondering about this past year. While I like to self-reflect throughout the year, December is when I typically tend to hone in on both the good and the bad, and how I could have done something differently. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t have many regrets this year and fortunately the positive outweigh the negative – but I tend to get a little bit harsh with myself to prep myself for an even better 2013.

So, I’m a believer of New Year’s resolution. But before I can tell the world wide web what my 2013 goals would look like, let me share with you some incredible moments from this year, in no particular order, that made me happy:

• I ran 2 half marathons when I was only expecting to do one
• I ran the second half marathon in 2:00:10; 4 mins faster than my first!
• I visited a friend in New York that I haven’t seen in 10 years
• I gave my blog a brand new look and taught myself how to code on WordPress
• I’ve built great relationships with my coworkers and I consider them my close friends
• I traveled to a new part of the world with my mom
• I completed the 21-day Beachbody Ultimate Reset program that taught me how to eat healthy
• I traveled to the Midwest for the first time
• I submitted a story for an anthology project called “Within Worlds” that will be published in March 2013
• I watched my friend plan and put together a beautiful wedding – it was the first wedding that I attended
• I’ve learned to not be afraid to speak my mind and to craft my sentences carefully
• I’ve built new relationships with people and enhanced existing ones, and cut out those who were making me unhappy
• I learned how to make Guinness cupcakes with Bailey’s frosting
• I went on my first limo ride
• I taught myself how to use Photoshop and Lightroom
• I made my first buck off of my photography!

What is your biggest accomplishment this year?

“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” - John Bingham

Today I reached a new milestone and accomplished my New Years resolution. I ran my first half marathon at the Malibu Half Marathon – the longest distance that I’ve ever ran and I did it without stopping!

I woke up before the crack of dawn – 4am – and made it to Malibu by around 5:30am. It…was…freeeeezing! I wondered why I had decided to put myself in this situation, and envied people who were smart enough to wrap themselves in trash bags to keep warm. As I sat on the shuttle that was taking us to the starting line, I saw an incredible sunrise that lit up the ocean – something I don’t see everyday! I started feeling more motivated to start my 13.1 mile run and joined in on the cheer as we arrived at the starting line, only to find out that we had an hour to wait until our 7:30am wave time.

5…4…3…2..1…Go runners!

Mile 1-3: I had a fast start, I was running at a 9:05 pace which I typically don’t do. I wasn’t used to the altitude so I wasn’t sure if I should speed up or slow down on downhills. I was careful not to land too hard on my knees but I think I went a little bit too fast. My shins started hurting which forced me to slow down a bit. But I just kept going and hoped that it would eventually go away.

Mile 4-6: I ran at a very steady 9:25 pace. I tend to do a mental 3-point check when I run: breath? heart? legs? I felt good in all 3 areas so I knew I was running in good shape. At around mile 5, I saw the first steep hill coming up and I mumbled to myself: “oh god here we go”. The big hill looked like it stretched on for miles, and it got me exhausted just by looking at the road ahead. Uuuugh I was starting to breathe pretty hard at this point. I had my first energy shot gel after the first hill – those things are gross but helped me get my energy level up.

Mile 7-9: I started developing a strategy on making the most out of these deadly hills. I pulled my hat down, looked down at the road and tried not to look ahead. My peripheral vision was the road and other people’s feet in front of me. I also made up a chant in my head that pretty much went like this: “just keep running~ just keep running” Simple, I know but it helped me put one foot in front of the other. I think I started adding various beats to my chant that eventually made it sound like music. This kept me going for about 2 miles, with the help of another energy block.

Mile 10-12: 3 miles to go and I was still at a very steady 9:25 pace. I haven’t had much water during the race because I couldn’t figure out a way to drink and run simultaneously without getting water up my nose. I threw my cup to the side of the road and accidentally splashed the runner next to me – whoops! The cheers from spectators continued to pump me up as I did the last, but biggest, hill. But with my new strategy, I was surprisingly running fairly fast. Once I reached the top of the hill, I started hearing cheers and megaphone announcements in the distance, and I knew that the finish line was only a stretch away.

Mile 13.1:  The last mile really is the hardest. So close but yet so far! But as soon as I saw the big bubbly “FINISH” sign, I sprinted. I ran the fastest out of my entire run and I wanted to finish strong. As I approached the arc, I felt a sudden rush of joy and an incredible feeling of accomplishment. I DID IT!! WOOHOO! As soon as I got my medal, all I wanted to do was SIT and STRETCH!

And then I saw my incredible friends!

There’s not a better feeling than seeing the support from friends when you’ve just accomplished something new. And thank you to all of you who cheered me on via Facebook and text messages – it means a lot to me!

I spent the rest of the day icing my right knee and massaging my shins. But bring it on, more half marathons! I’ll do at least 5 in 2013!

]]> http://www.chasinghiromi.com/my-first-half-marathon/feed 2 http://www.chasinghiromi.com/la-4-living-situations-in-5-years http://www.chasinghiromi.com/la-4-living-situations-in-5-years#comments Wed, 24 Oct 2012 09:15:09 +0000 Janice H. Reinold http://www.chasinghiromi.com/?p=1445

My 5 year anniversary in Los Angeles quickly came and passed. I feel like an old fart when I think, “wow – how has it already been that long?” but in all truth and looking back on those years, I realize that a lot really did happen. Naturally, I tend to remember moments of my life based on where/with who I was living at that particular time. As I ponder on my years in LA, I came to the realization that I’ve had 4 different living situations out of the 5 years that I’ve been here. And I’ve had different life priorities during all of them.

Living situation #1

I moved to LA as part of an internship program during Emerson College, but also for some superficial reasons – the weather, palm trees and stereotypical glitz & glamor. I wanted to live like I was constantly on vacation, and with that came the red convertible Mustang and furnished apartment next to Warner Bros. Studios. No, I didn’t work at the Studio but the fact that I could tell people that I lived next to it was good enough for me. When I ventured out to explore the city, I’d go to touristy areas like Hollwood Blvd and in my head defined that as “LA”. I didn’t know anybody in the city to tell me otherwise, so I lived my own “American Dream” in my bubble world.

Living Situation #2

By month 3 I had to vacate my bubble world and find my own place. I was still a newbie in LA and I didn’t realize just how big the city is. Instead of exploring other parts of town, I stuck to neighborhoods that I was somewhat familiar with and signed a lease at a sh*thole apartment in a might-as-well-be-a ghetto area. On top of that, the apartment wasn’t ready to move into by the time I had to vacate my previous place, so I was in limbo. My solution? My parents, who were visiting me for Xmas, let me stay on their couch for 3 weeks until my apartment was ready… Fortunately for me, my first job out of college was only 10mins away from my sh*thole apartment so I was super spoiled with the commute.

For the first time, I met some LA-natives who helped me explore the many pockets of LA, and thanks to them, I saw the awesomeness of the city. Wow – so much culture, diversity, and so much to do! I was amazed with how different each neighborhood was and couldn’t wait to move away from my sh*thole apartment and into something better.

Living Situation #3

I fell heads over heels for downtown. Granted, I also started graduate school at USC that was located in the heart of downtown, so it only made sense for me to move closer. I found a stranger roommate from the internet (not so much a stranger anymore) and we signed a one-year lease within an hour of meeting. And so began my 2 years of living in a 2bed 2bath apartment with a gorgeous skyline view of downtown.

This was when I started to feel more at home in Los Angeles. I had my set routines of going to school, my internships, meeting up with friends and I no longer had to rely on my navigation system to get me around. I no longer ventured off to touristy areas and rather got more excited about discovering local spots while continuing to explore different neighborhoods. After graduating from USC, I spent a lot of time going to job interviews and meeting people, so being in a centralized location like downtown made it really convenient for me to move around. This was also the apartment when I met this one for the first time:

Living Situation #4 (Current)

As much as I loved living in downtown, the antsy side of me needed a change and I wanted to be closer to the beach. It somehow worked out that I found a job in Manhattan Beach, so I packed my downtown apartment in a few boxes, stuck my kitty in a bag, and moved to the west side with a great friend I met not too long ago. Being closer to the water is a part of California that I didn’t know before. I love being able to step outside of my door and go for a morning jog around the Marina or hop on my bike to go to the beach. In my previous situations, I relied on my car on a daily basis and I didn’t feel all that safe to walk alone outside. It’s amazing how a simple move just 45-mins away can change so much about my lifestyle.

5 years in LA may have gone by in a flash, but the different life situations made it feel like I was constantly moving to a new city.

That’s the beauty about LA – you can find a neighborhood that fits your personality or situation at the time and make it work for you. You’re free to make adjustments to the city as you like – it’s mold-able. YOU can control LA.

I first saw this stereotype of Europeans in a postcard when I was still living in Brussels as a kid. At that point in time, I don’t think I knew what stereotypes even were so I believed what the postcard was telling me. Prior to seeing this, I didn’t have much of an opinion on how certain Europeans are perceived through the eyes of others. I would ask my parents why Europeans are seen the way they do, but they’d give me the stereotypical explanation (for instance with Germans being very serious hence not having any humor), which didn’t answer my question. The more I saw such stereotypes, the more I started believing that they’re true. I now giggle to myself when I hear or see such references.

I recently came across a series of maps depicting Europe according to the national stereotypes in the minds of other countries. What a great laugh! Let’s take Germany as an example to see how we are perceived by others.

• The French are “Best Friends” with Germany
• The British say Germany has “Dirty Porn” and are part of the big “Evil Federated Empire of Europe”
• Americans agree with the British and say Germany has “Dirty Porn”
• Italians views Germany as “Clock Addicts”
• Bulgarians names Germany as the “Bundesrepublik Volkswagen”
• Latin America views Germany as “All Work and No Dancing”

So if we were to take these statements and turn it into a sentence, Germans are known to “be hard working as they are addicted to their clocks producing Volkswagens with no time for dancing but still find the time of day to watch dirty porn, while maintaining a best friend status with France”. Sure, that seems about right! But hey, where’s the beer and sauerkraut!?

Take a moment and view your European nation (or whichever one that you find most appealing) and see how it’s stereotyped through other eyes. Do you agree?

Just when I think I’ve been in the US long enough, I get called out on something that I say or do that reminds others that I’m an alien. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t get ridiculed and have people throw rocks at me or anything threatening like that, but many would poke fun at me and jokingly call me a fob (“fresh off the boat”: term for people not up to date on the culture).

Out of the many un-American things that I say, it seems like my fobbiness is apparent when certain memorable TV & movie references are said, and I only respond with blank stares with an obvious question mark floating over my head. Even though I’ve picked up on key must-know American quotes (you know, just to get by), I’ve learned that there are several shows and movies that a non-fobby person must be familiar with. Here are my top 10 in no particular order:

• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
  I’ve still haven’t seen this, and I always have to deal with jaw-dropping reactions when I tell people I don’t know the movie. Through every kid’s eyes, apparently he’s an American hero who does anything his big heart desires, from missing school to driving super cars to being in a parade while still being the sweet child of the family. From a middle schooler, this sounds like the American Dream.

• Diff’rent Strokes
  “What’chu talkin’ ’bout, Willis? I would typically answer with “who is Willis and what is he talking about?” I’ve seen a couple episodes just to see what the fuss is all about

  Click here to view the embedded video.

• Sixteen Candles
  I heard this is a great movie, and I still haven’t seen it. It’s gotten to a point where I wouldn’t think about putting it on when I’m looking for something to watch. I guess it’s not high on my radar, but perhaps I’ll add it on my Netflix Instant Queue.

• “Where’s the beef?”
  Little did I know that this line was made famous from a Wendy’s commercial in the mid-80s. A friend of mine said it to me not too long ago, and I was so confused that I thought I was supposed to pick up some beef before seeing her. Here’s the clip:
  

  Click here to view the embedded video.

• Dawson’s Creek
  I completely missed the boat on this one. I remember seeing it on TV when I was a kid, but at the time I much rather watched cartoons. I only recently learned that the “I don’t wanna wait for our lives to be over” song was the show’s soundtrack! And I’m not ashamed to say that I’m currently starting at season 1 on Netflix

• Saved By the Bell
  I was more of a Boy Meets World kid, but I was aware that this show ran simultaneously when I was a kid. I think that people remember this show better, probably because the title is still frequently used as an idiom (just a random guess). I still haven’t seen a single episode…

• Beetlejuice
  I saw this once when I was a kid and I remember getting scared. I couldn’t follow the story line and I was afraid of the main character’s hair… Now that I’m a Tim Burton fan, I’d probably enjoy the film more and more appreciative of his wacky style.

• Seinfeld
  I must be one of the very few people in the US who has never seen a full episode of Seinfeld. I didn’t quite understand the humor back when it first aired (I was watching Friends instead) and why a show about nothing would be so funny… Now that I’m slightly more familiar with sarcasm, I get why it became so popular. I think someone needs to sit me down and put on the best of the best episodes of the show.

What other shows/movies did you watch as a kid that you think made a mark on the US? Surely you can think of one more…

On September 20th, 1932,

(precisely 80 years ago) this famous black and white photograph was taken. The 11 men, who are supposedly Irish immigrants, are on top of the then-construction Rockefeller building, enjoying a skyline view of New York City during lunch time. No one truly knows who they are or the photographer’s name, or even if this is real! It seems like a daring spot to eat a sandwich but because this is pre-Photoshop days, not much editing was probably done.

Honestly, I don’t know too much about this photo, but I stumbled upon an article in FastCompany today that talked about a new documentary that explores its backstory. I’m not sure if it’s fictional, but it caught my attention.

I’ve always really liked this photograph. In fact, this was the first piece of artwork that I bought at some poster store in my freshman year in college. I couldn’t exactly figure out what I found appealing about this image other than the incredible setting for such a mundane, ordinary activity. But after watching the short trailer of the documentary and the more I thought about it, I came to the realization that I felt drawn to this photo because of the extreme sense of bravery and fearlessness of these 11 immigrant men who came to America start their new lives. And to me, that is what symbolizes America.

If we really break the population of America down to its history, I’m sure we can all agree that most of us, if not all, are from another descent. Sure, people would refer to themselves as “American” but it usually follows with “but my father’s side is Irish and my mother is German with a mutt of Spanish” etc etc. You get my point. About 60-80 years ago (which honestly isn’t that long ago), it was so much simpler compared to today to migrate into the US and start a new life.

Hard-working, motivated people with a dream is what made America the way it is today, and in the photograph’s case, it’s the mindset and determination of the 11 kind of men who built New York City. And with that kind of incredible history and mentality, it’s no wonder that the country is so proud!

But somewhere between then and now, America stopped welcoming hard-working people into their proud country. It’s as if the country thinks that they already have too many ambitious people, and they don’t want to get too many cooks in the kitchen. I understand that the pre-modern day immigrants started having families and growing the “American” population, but that’s not to say that they won’t migrate elsewhere. Making it so incredibly difficult for foreigners to come into their country is like disregarding America’s original roots and going against its history of how its ancestors initially came to the country. Did the open door only occur in a brief period in time and America is starting to re-brand itself? Did its ancestors and foreigners do so much damage to the country that it’s keeping its walls up? Did we completely miss the boat?

I’d be interested to see where this documentary takes us, and I’m curious to know what happened to these men!

Was it “home sweet home”? Or saying goodbye to my home?

I recently came back from a trip to Europe to visit my parents. My trip was divided into two parts – 4 days in Germany and 4 days in south of France with my mom. The trip was short – 9 days, including travel to be exact – but frankly I found it to be a reasonably good amount of time. I’m not saying that it seemed long because of spending so much time with my parents, but rather because I missed my life in California.

Prior to my trip, I described my 9-day getaway as “going home to visit my parents”. Typically, the question that followed was “where do they live?” and I always seemed to catch people by surprise when I replied with “Germany”. When I got there, I was ecstatic to see my parents at the airport and comforted to have them so close me. It was a great feeling to finally be united with the two people that I’m always used to missing. We hugged at the airport, my mom commented on my short hair, and we gave each other quick life updates as we sat in the car to go back to the house. As I sat in the backseat and watched the city go by, it strangely felt like I was in a foreign city and my surroundings almost seemed…exotic.

My trip made me realize that “home” is where I’m most comfortable in and where I can find love, and that doesn’t necessarily have to be defined as a location. My parents, for instance, obviously fulfill both of those elements, and in my definition, they are my home. They could be in any place in the world and I would still fly there to wherever they are and have a sense of being at home.

Even though I’m not American, I consider California my “home” because I know where and who to turn to in order to find comfort and love. My friends…. My cat… My lovely home in Marina Del Rey… to only name a few. Comfort and love take time, effort and a genuine passion to build and obviously won’t come overnight. But the more time I spend in California and the more love I find, the more I feel comfortable and at home. You know that saying “money can’t buy love”? To me, “money can’t buy ‘home’”.

So, was seeing my parents “home sweet home”? In many ways, yes, because I was surrounded by the two people who probably love me the most in a house that I’ve gone back to for the last 8 years. But was going back to Germany “home”? No – it really wasn’t. Landing back on Californian soil after 9-day vacation was “welcome home”.

I’M DONE WITH BEACHBODY ULTIMATE RESET!

What seemed like a long, 21-day “internal” journey finally came to an end. Now that I’m no longer restricted to a strict diet, I feel like I’m back to taking full control over my body. In soOKme way, I feel like a whole new person with a transitioned lifestyle! I may be wrapping up with Ultimate Reset, but that’s not to say that I’ll be falling back into my old habits. In addition to the 5 important points I’ve learned about health, Reset has taught me some great recipes that I’d like to keep up in my cooking:

Asparagus-zucchini soup with cashews

• Blend in 1/2 bunch asparagus, 1 zucchini and 1/4 cup cashews.
• Add vegetable broth or water to desired consistency

Curried cauliflower

• Preheat oven to 400F. Place 1/2 head cauliflower in a bowl and add 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil & 2tsp curry powder and mix well.
• Arrange cauliflower in single layer on baking dish and bake for 20-25mins

Roasted root medley

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Spread on a baking dish 1/4 yam, 1/2 carrot, 1/2 large beet, 1/4 yellow onion cook for 40-50mins

Kabocha squash with garlic-tahini filling

• Preheat oven to 400F. Place 1/4 squash on baking sheet, seeds removed
• Mix together 2tbsp tahini, 1tsp miso paste, 1/4 tsp garlic and oil and pour over squash
• Cook for 30mins

Oatmeal with apples & walnuts – pretty straight forward

Coconut collard greens

• Add 1/4 onion and saute 10-15mins
• Add 1/2 bunch collard greens and stir well.
• Add 1/4 cup coconut milk and saute another 10mins. Add salt

Thank you, readers, for all of your support and for following my progress!

And now, the moment of truth: the final measurements!

Click here to view the embedded video.