Mahidol Sports Science 10k

The Mahidol Sports Science 10k, was a race that I was sorely under-prepared for but still managed to have a great time at.  I had not run in about two weeks, but was still able to drag my lazy butt out of bed to go for a run with a great team of co-workers.  While the course was... scenic... and quite... random, it was still a beautiful morning, and with the weather hovering around 63 degrees Fahrenheit, it was one of the coolest runs that I have had the chance to take here in Thailand.  

I think there is a real awesome thing about a photo right after you finish a race of any distance.  You are in pain, you have just eaten more bugs than anyone else who might be asleep, you are covered in sweat, but still on that post-run high.  May as well get you before the real pain and soreness kicks in.  

I really cannot make sense of the race course.  The nice thing though is that it was a full 10k, which seems to be rare here in Thailand, as most of the courses seem to be estimated, and not measured accurately.  I am also pretty happy as I went into the race thinking it would be a "lap" race, and never once had to retrace any steps.  I cannot tell you how much most runners dislike the idea of running around in circles just to add distance onto their total run length.  

It was a great run, with a very confusing, but fun course, and I would totally do this run again.  Full points in my book!

Plus, the chance to run in 63 degree weather in Thailand should never be passed over.

An Interesting Observation at the Mahidol Sports Science 10k

Sometimes your morning can start out looking a bit like this.  I would say that I look like someone who got up way too early to go to a sport that I don't think anyone likes, but you can just translate that to "looking like hell."

I have had the opportunity to run many, many kilometers around the beautiful Mahidol University, and today was no different.  It was a beautiful run and I enjoyed it a lot.  It was a somewhat similar route to what I have run before in these two different blog posts.  Post 1.  Post 2.  

While the run was very pretty, (see the pictures below), it was a realization that I had that made it very memorable.  

At the start of the race, the woman next to me was running in a hijab.  While normally, I might not find this all that interesting, with all the anti-muslim rhetoric going on in the United States right now, I found it quite nice that this woman was able to keep to her traditions and still join in on non-traditional activity.  She wore a very conservative set of running clothes (long sleeve athletic shirt and long running pants), and was able to compete in a sport that one would not think typical of a person wearing a traditional head covering.  

Needless to say, I loved seeing her doing this.  I am quite used to see lots of women in hijab here in Thailand, as there is a large population of Muslims here, but it was great to see someone who was able to mix the old and the new.  

She was also a damn good runner.  

Now, without further typing, on to the pictures:

Maruyama Park Attack

We had a few hours to kill before our flight took off for Tokyo, so we decided to wander and geocache while our laundry was running in a combo washer/dryer in downtown Sapporo.  In my infinite wisdom, I suggested that we explore Maruyama Park, which was reasonably close and seemed to hold a few geocaches.  While I have many irrational fears, this knee-jerk suggestion was about to add one more to the list.  

You know the adventure is bound for greatness when you are greeted by a sign like this at the beginning of the path.  Talk about perfect! 

Illegal to Light Butts on Fire

This seems like a perfect idea!  There is also this fabulous sign, which I can only guess is telling park-goers to not hit golf balls at dogs?

Obviously

As we had no matches, golf balls, or dogs with us, we figured it would be safe to venture into the woods.  This of course leads me to wonder now what would have happened if I were to have been hitting flaming golf balls, but I digress.

We wandered around with my wife taking pictures while I was looking for various geocaches.  Sadly it was a complete bust on geocaching in that area, but there were plenty of beautiful things to see and new phobias to develop.  

Nature

We walked around aimlessly until we found a pretty cool shrine with lots of fox statues.  Naturally we had to stop and take pictures of them and admire the chipmunk that decided he wanted to tease us by not allowing us to get close and photograph him.  He was so selfish.  

Foxy

Soon after this is when the proverbial shit hit the fan.  Nature got tired of me.  The forest rejected me and used its crebain-like crows to usher me out.  At first it was as just a bit of chatter coming from one crow.  Then it grew.  Soon it was like the crow was just chanting a war-cry that would end only in my running scared and hiding somewhere a few miles away, or with it standing over my body in triumph.  Thankfully I took up running a few years ago.

Asshole

I remember looking at my wife, knowing that these crows were going to attack and murder me.  I also remember telling my wife that they were angry and we should move, but she continued to take pictures of various trees around her.  One swooped and hit me on the head with a wing (I am guessing that it had a ten-foot wingspan, but this could just be my faulty memory, and how terrified I was of the situation).  It swooped again, and I took off in what I am going to call a controlled and graceful walk.  I am sure it looked more like a arm flailing, full-grown man running from a bird, while cursing uncontrollably.  It not only followed me out of the forest but another half-mile until we were at the edge of the park.  All the time it was calling out, challenging me, warning me.  It was the champion of the forest and I had been shown my place in the pecking order.

One Mile Later - Edge of the Park

Maruyama Park may seem like a tranquil place to take a relaxing walk in Sapporo, but be warned, looks can be deceiving.

Remember that picture I put up earlier of the spill-way running through the forest?  

  For Those of us with Short-Term Memory Loss

Pretty sure this is what it looks like at night:

Damn You Mirkwood! 

(Picture Credit Below)

Thank God we went during the day!

Crows of Mirkwood/Maruyama Park, Sapporo - 1

Rico - 0

Picture Credit - http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Spiders?file=Spiders_Mirkwood.jpg