My mom and brother have been visiting me in Japan for the past few weeks. Before they arrived, I had basically designated their visit as a write-off for my training. I wasn’t about to say, "mom, I know that we only see each other once a year, and traveling with you to Hiroshima sounds great, but I think I'm going to stay home and go for a run." Actually, though, I didn't realize how much training I'd be able to do while on the road.

To introduce my town, I took my family on a hike in the surrounding hills for a panorama of Fujieda with the misty silhouette of Mt. Fuji in the background. When we went to Hiroshima, one day we opted for a hike in the mountains instead of a day in town. And in Nagasaki, I and a friend (who met up with us) ran up and down the long stairway leading to the Peace Park. The feeling was strange; the exercise had my blood rushing and heart pumping… I felt so vital in contrast to the devastation that had once happened there. Well happily, with some innovation (and a lot of respect), I’ve been able to stay in shape while being temporarily uprooted.

Labels: jessie, spring