As soon as he looked at the squat machine, looked at me, then did a double take with the squat machine and me, I knew it was game on. I also knew I'd be regretting this too because I would be heading out for a long run tonight. I had to get in one more long before my "Next Time" 10km race -- the race is in less than a week now.
Tonight's squat challenge came about from me asking one of my male members if I could see his tattoo. I had caught glimpse of it on his thigh and was curious if it just was on his leg. He responded by telling me he'd show me his if I showed him mine. It was a dangerous proposal. I suggested we "squat it out".
Beat him in the challenge by being able to squat more than him. He joked and insisted he was just warming up so I added "It's ok. I'm part man. Part 'wo' and part man. That's me; woman." "Your wife just called herself a man", he told Snickers. "No she didn't", Snickers responded. "She just said it wasn't a fair competition because you're only half of what she is." And on that note, I got to see his tattoo. It starts at the back of his thigh and carries up, consuming his whole back and chest, ending at his collar bone.
I'm excited about the chilly weather coming our way because with the winter weather comes tattoo season for me. This time last year I was getting the main part of my back tattoo done but as we then got bombarded with building plans for Hulk's, heading in to get my next session for my tattoo got put on hold. It then go further delayed once we started renovations because of the intense manual labor we were doing on site. It consumed our time and energy, and we literally had no extra time to head out of town and get my tattoo completed. Once spring came, Hulk's opened and then I really couldn't step out of Cheonan to finish my tattoo. "Next winter we'll go back" was the promise Snickers told me and, well, now winter is quickly coming upon us.
I have the main part of my back tattoo done but the detailing needs to be inked in as does the bottom of the branch that needs to be extended. It's been very frustrating have to wait almost a year now but it's been a very busy. The fact that I've got business ties with the tattoo company means I get all my ink done for free so I can't really complain.
The tattoo that's still very much a work in process is that of a cherry blossom tree. No one has really asked me why I've chose such a thing to get tattooed on my back but I'm assuming most are assuming it's just an Asian thing. I'm in Korea so why not get an Asian symbol inked on my body. Nice try but no. I chose a cherry blossom tree because I fell in love under one. It was under the downtown cherry blossom trees, across from Sambu, that I used to meet Snickers and spend hours sitting giggling and chatting with him. Love and this life I now live all started under a cherry blossom.
And as for my long run that I had anticipated running tonight, well, it got shortened down to a short run but only on account of the time I headed out for it. Snickers stayed at the club tonight because of Pyen Chi. He's so attached to that four-legged little lady it's so crazy adorable but it means he's having a hard time with her staying at the club alone. Anyways, with him out of the house for the night and me at home with the two little four-legged K-Bere Brothers, the energy of the three of us meant long after most of Cheonan had gone to sleep we were still wide awake and playing. At 2:30am I decided I better head out for a run.
Originally I was going to postpone it until tomorrow morning but we all know what happens when you're not a morning person and you wake up for a morning run -- you grump and you groan and running then becomes a chore. I don't workout because I hate my body or want to cause it pain. I work out because I respect it enough to want to make it the best it can be... and because the pain is rather addictive. Yes, addictive.
I don't recommend running on legs days, those squats from earlier meant my legs stiffened up real quick, nor do I recommend running in the dark. I totally forgot that shortly after 1am the Dankook lake lights get turned off. Thankfully I've ran that path a million-zillion times so I knew it like the back of my hand. If training outside of my comfort zone is what I was aiming for than I definitely ran out of my comfort zone tonight. The wet path mixed with the mist covering the path from the lake, the fact that there wasn't a soul out and about, and the ungodly hour I ran at lead me to kind of feel somewhat spooked. I couldn't see for about 40% of my route so I booted it despite the very heavy, oh-so-swollen thunder thighs I was sporting from today's squats.
I flew.
Recorded a 6km run in 29.10mins, making my pace 4.52mins/km.
Was all stoked about that until I read an update from one of my friends from back in high school. Today she just did her first ever marathon. Her time was 3 hours and 31 minutes, putting her pacing at 5mins/km. She ran 42.195kms at 5mins/km... how's that for a big chunk of humble pie for me to chow down on after feeling proud of my measly 6km run at 4.52mins/km. I don't digest humble pie very well but sometimes a piece bigger than I can bite off does me good.
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