I love running. I wouldn't call myself an avid runner, and certainly not a fast one. I guess I just choose to run. It's an activity I hated in high school, but reluctantly got into in college after stopped playing organized sports and realized that I'd gained the Freshman Fifteen in about a week. Throughout college, law school, and my time in Chicago, running became part of my daily routine. Anyone that's spent time with me knows that if I don't get a morning run in, I'm a bear to be around, to say the least. And, living in the Midwest, I take it as a daily challenge to run in the rain, snow, and bitter cold. It's certainly not always fun, and my running outfits sometimes resemble his...
but for whatever reason, it's just how I like to start the day.
So it was only natural that once I got to Palau, I was excited to avoid running through a midwestern winter. I immediately threw on my running shoes and headed out the door. And less than 25 minutes later I was panting, sweating, and, well, waving the white flag. Running here is a whole different ballgame. I've realized through trial and significant error that gone are the days when I could run at any point during the day, when I considered myself a decent hill runner, and when rain didn't phase me.
But I think after being here for about four months now, I've gotten the hang of the Palau's 4H's of running--heat, humidity, hills, and heavy rain. And it's a good thing because there's a half marathon in April and I'll do anything for a free t-shirt!
As for the heat and humidity, because we're so close to the equator here, when the sun rises, it's quick! If I'm not done with my run by about 7 am, I may as well give up. By this point in the morning, the sun is beating down, adding to the humidity that simply never lets up. And so I have to run at either 5:30 or 6 am, or sometime after 5 pm. Even though I'm done with my weekday run by 6:45 am, I still show up at work at 7:30 sweating profusely and I don't feel normal until about 9. It's so bad that I've gotten into the routine of carrying around paper towels in my pocket to mop up the sweat. I can't believe I just admitted that.
As for the hills, it's rare to find stretches of flat road to run on. To make matters worse, my neighborhood is basically one big hill. Although it's true that it's not "uphill both ways," the end of my run is a combination of three different hills. I consider the combination of them my daily personal Everest...
Looking at these pictures now, the hills don't seem all that steep. But I swear they're tough! I have to deal with these bad boys at the end of every run. It wouldn't be that big of a deal, except for the fact that I always pass the same kid walking to school, some of my friends live nearby, trucks of workers wave as they drive by, and it's not uncommon for random people in stores to say "Hey, I see you running every day!" Panting and almost falling over aren't exactly my favorite ways of greeting people. But it's a necessary evil, especially because the half marathon route involves running through my neighborhood as well as three other large hills. It's not fast or pretty, but I'm trying!
Finally, the heavy rain. I've mentioned the rain here, but we basically get dumped on at a moment's notice. Like completely soaked after about a 10-foot walk. Which isn't really a bad thing because it's rare to have entire days filled with rain. Just half-hour deluges throughout the day. It breaks up the humidity (which is good for all the sweating!). But unfortunately it also breaks my camera (ironically, when I was trying to take photos for this blog post!), ipod, contact lenses, and sometimes it gets so strong that I can't see. I've adjusted to the onslaught by wearing a baseball cap, leaving all electronics behind, and simply accepting that sometimes when I run my shoes will get soaked and weigh about 10 pounds each.
Now, even though I'm griping a bit about getting used to the elements, running here is so much fun and unique that it's worth it beyond getting my morning fix.
For instance, I get to hang out with the neighborhood dogs. When I first started learning about daily life in Palau, the informational packet included a comment about neighborhood dogs, and there are plenty in mine. I've gotten to know most of them along my route. And that includes puppies...a whole litter of puppies. They were born about a month after I got here and I pass by them every morning. Often they chase me as I go by. It was painfully adorable. At least until they got fast enough to catch me. Now I it's just potentially painful for my ankles!
There are plenty of adult dogs too, some with owners, some without. And some are friendlier than others, but once these guys have gotten used to me, seeing me run by is just part of their daily routine. My personal favorite is "Lassie." I have no idea what this dog's name is and whether she's even a girl, but I pass her every day. She looks a little bit like a collie, she's regal in her own way, always in the same spot, and seems to preside proudly over her little section of the rode. Sadly, I lost my photo of her to the rained-out camera, but she's adorable. I like to think she likes me too. Here are photos of a few others...
(When I run over the causeway, these two guy are running too. Sometimes they get fancy and actually run on the cement guardrail, showing off their superior coordination.)
(This dog really doesn't like me. Note the picture taken from a distance. I don't have a nickname for him, but consider him my neighborhood nemesis because he always harasses me when I pass by, and I haven't yet been able to win him over with my charms. I stay on the other side of the street when I pass him. I'm not sure how I'll win him over, but I'm thinking bacon might be involved.)
Of course, another part of my run is the view, which I can never complain about. It's pretty easy to forget about the 4H's when I'm running along views like this. And every day it changes. Here are a few shots of my route...
(This is the beginning of my route...downhill!)
(This is the view from the causeway, which is the midpoint of my daily 3 mile run. It's a bridge that's about 1/2 a mile long connecting my island to Koror. I love it because it's flat and always has a cool breeze. You can see my apartment building--it's the white building on the right side of the photo.)
(The end of the run...not a bad spot to stop and stretch, right?)
Finally, I've been able to work on some Palauan phrases. Because everyone speaks English here, I'm ashamed to admit that most of the time I rely on that. When I run, however, I try my hardest to say Alii! (Hi!) or Ungil Tutau! (Good morning!) to the folks I see along my route. I see the same group of 10 or so people out almost every morning, so it's been a great way for me to feel at home.
At this point, I've got a few 8-9 mile runs under my belt, and the 4H's haven't gotten the better of me. I'm sure I'll get rained on and chased by a dog or two, but right now I'm feeling optimistic!
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