For the last two months Mt. Namsan has been calling me to a challenge: "Run to the top of me." Trade the flat, breezy Han River running path for a mountain's murderous incline and altitude? I've always considered myself a runner (since college anyway). I have never entered a race, mainly because I don't want to run in a mass of people or be committed to something I've signed up for weeks in advance that I may decide not to run come race day. I'd rather just run when I feel like it, in solitude, against my own self-imposed challenges. Lately the challenges have revolved around what bridge further down the river I should run to, as the bridges make great goal posts, especially when they're far off in the foggy distance, barely visible. But today I decided to not only accept the mountain's challenge, but move the mountain of internal doubt keeping me from attempting the challenge earlier. So I pretended I was on a regular run and just ran....straight up.
I've never run up a mountain before so the trip was not without some serious out-of-breath moments, muscles that were replaced with Jello, the downing of a whole bottle of water at the top, and lots of stares from the curious, elderly Koreans on their morning walks, decked out in their hiking gear, I'm sure wondering why someone was running when walking will get one to the top just as well. Since tasting sweet victory this morning, I have decided to try to move the mountain every Friday until the first snowfall comes or until it becomes too easy (the ultimate goal). And one last thing, it's just as hard running down a mountain as it is running up one.
A little encouragement, compliments of Nike...
....and a message to all the pedestrians everywhere who saunter along sidewalks,
that I always get stuck behind. Let's speed it up...
....and a message to all the pedestrians everywhere who saunter along sidewalks,
that I always get stuck behind. Let's speed it up...
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