Stay MOTIVATED!

January 2012 Palo Alto, CA

Little girl passing me at the end of the run

Last year I had a master plan to run 2 5K races every month. I was able to do it and feel proud I met my goal. (The truth is that in October and December I only ran once, but I ran a 10K and an 11K to make up for that!)

January 2012 San Francisco, CA

Running around ATT Park

The hardest thing about running 2 races a month is I work 3 weekends most months and then I would have to run both days of my off weekend or hope there were 5 weekends of the month. Last year was dedicated to this goal and I was very happy to achieve it.

February 2012 Campbell, CA

Finish line

I was ready to give up every month. I was ready to give up every morning before I got up for the race. I was wouldn't have gotten up if I didn't have to pay for the race, two races were only $5, but the rest of them were between $25 and $50.

February 2012, Monterey, CA

Many people came in before me

 I was ready to give up when I hurt for a week after the first few races. I was ready to give up when I realized I had no life except getting ready for the next race or recovering from the last race. I was ready to give up many time, but I didn't give up. The last month I really wanted to give up,

March 2012, Oakland, CA

and couldn't figure out a reason to continue.

Ran around a lake

Even the people that had supported me all year were telling me I didn't need to continue. My last race was the first time I met anyone I knew that also ran with me. My daughter ran with me at first then we didn't have the same days we could run.

March 2012, Dublin, CA

Through the residential streets

I was glad I could accomplish this goal that I thought was impossible. At first I thought it was impossible for me to even finish a 5K race. Then I thought it was impossible to run 2 5K races a month. Then I thought it was impossible to do it every month,

April 2012, Morgan Hill CA

My daughter passed me up and left me in the dust

especially when I realized I worked 3 weekends a month. I went on vacation to Idaho in August and Arizona in November and I even found ways to do runs when I was on vacation, including on Thanksgiving Day.

April 2012, Cupertino, CA (easter)

Finish line

So, I know this is possible now, so I guess it isn't a challenge any more. I am starting to think about what I want to do this year. I sort of don't want to run because I have never enjoyed it. I do know that the running has helped me lose weight, so why stop!

May 2012, Palo Alto, CA

I often felt I was running alone

I was going to join a volleyball or softball league and get my exercise that way, but I know I would loose interest and end up dropping out. If I continue to run 5Ks I will not stay motivated because I had shown that I can do that.

May 2012, San Jose, CA

Running the same route I drive to work

My last race was a 10K in San Francisco and it was really hard for me to do. I walked as much as I ran and didn't get a very good time. Time has never been important to me it is more important to finish. Because it was in SF it was up steep hills and even stairs. I hurt for a week after that.

June 2012, Santa Cruz, CA

Running in the redwood forest

I think what I will do this year is run once a month and I will run a variety of different types of races. In February there is a half marathon that I may run. My coworkers, Army soldiers, will run only 5K that day, and I will try a half marathon. The 10K was twice as far as I had run before,

June 2012, San Francisco, CA

Monster hill at the end

half marathon is twice as far as the 10K. It will take me about 3 hours to run/ walk it. I will prepare for this run by going to the gym every day. I should probably run another 10K, which I might do instead. I like to do things I don't think I can.

July 2012, Redwood City, CA

Spectators were waiting for the parade

So, this year I will run another 5K if there is something fun like when I ran the parade route on the 4th of July or running around ATT Park or running along the ocean on one side and golf course on the other side. I will also run a 10K this year, but not up hills like the last one.

July 2012, Idaho

Couldn't always bound over the obstacles

I want to find one or two 10Ks that are in the forest or next to the ocean. I want to enjoy the scenery since I know I won't enjoy the the running. I will also run a half marathon, and even maybe a marathon. I know I can't run the whole distance, but I want to finish.

August 2012, Pacifica, CA

Cold day in August

I want to also run another extreme 5k which isn't really fun because once you run through the water you have rocks and sand in your shoes. This year I will wear two pairs of socks to provide more cushion.

August 2012, Hayward, CA

Running in the marshes next to SF bay

I will also run in one of the Color Me Rad races where they pour color powder on you to make the whole race more fun and adventurous. I usually try to take my camera, but I don't think I will run with it in that race.

September 2012, Burlingame, CA

Residential streets

I might do a marathon, or at least half of it. I tried to do the San Francisco Marathon this year but I was only going to run it in a unique "San Francisco" way where you run all except 5K before the day of the race and then run a 5K on the day of the race. I didn't do it this year because I had to work.

September 2012, Palo Alto, CA

At night pictures don't work well

I also want to do a night run this year. I did one last year and it was fun. This year I will try to get one of the headlights many people were wearing and that would be fun. I will also try to run in a different state like last year. Maybe in Nevada since I haven't run there yet.

October 2012, San Francisco, CA

I was the only one not in high school and came in last

I will also be concerned with which charity sponsoring the races this year. Last year I ran for Multiple Sclerosis in one of my races and I ran for a couple of schools.

November 2012, San Jose, CA

My longest race was 11K on 11-11

I will run for as many schools as I can this year. I will also run for anything that helps military families and I will run for women's issues since I have 3 daughter. I look forward to finding as many running adventures as I can that I haven't done before.

Running on Thanksgiving Day

November 2012, Phoenix, AZ

This is how I will stay motivated. I like to do things I haven't done before. That is how I stay motivated at work and in my life. I hope I can find a small group to run with me this year which will also help me stay motivated.

December 2012, San Francisco

Killer stairs!

Saying Goodbye

Many years ago I was living in Korea and my father was dying of cancer. I was really in a quandary about what to do. I had a very good job in Korea and my wife was pregnant with our third child in Korea and my two kids were going to school in Korea, but, my father was dying in California. I kept in contact with him and my mother and siblings to find out what I should do. I asked my father to let me know when I "needed" to come. He asked me what I meant by that and I told him I wasn't quite sure, he needed to let me know what I meant. This was way before the internet and Skype and emails so we talked on the phone as often as possible, it was a little expensive.

I can remember when we talked on the phone and he told me it was time for me to come. That is how he said it. I immediately flew to California. I can remember going to my parents' house and my father being in a hospital bed in the living room. He as very tired, but awake and talkative. I think I stayed a week and spent a lot of time with him. I can remember when I left, I was crying and I knew it was the last time I would see my father. Can you imagine what that is like, knowing that the next time I come to California will be for his funeral? I literally said goodbye, for the last time. I think that was good for me to be able to see him one last time. I wish he hadn't died, and often wish my kids could have known their grandfather. I can't imagine what it was like for my mother and sisters to watch him as he got more and more sick. The day I left just happened to be the day he went into Hospice. I LOVE YOU DAD!

I'm a FOODIE!

Bibim Bob

Some people live to eat and some people eat to live. If you enjoy trying different cuisines and and like comparing different types of food from different countries you are a "foodie". If you eat whatever is in front of you and eat quickly without thinking about what you are eating you are a "fast food junkie". I am the later. I don't care what I eat as long as it is filling and quick. Yesterday I had lunch with an old student so we ate at a Korean restaurant and I had bibim bob.

Bulgogi, chop chae, and rice

Today I went to lunch with a colleague I work with and he wanted to eat at a Korean restaurant. I am not a foodie, but because I lived in Korea for 7 years I am very comfortable around food from there. I have eaten many of the different types of Korean food, including dog. One of the favorites of many Koreans, cold noodles, makes me physically sick. Korean know how to enjoy eating. They can sit around a table and eat for hours and have a great time just eating.

KFC can kill you

 Koreans eat many things, mostly vegetables and some great meat dishes. One thing I refused to eat was Sang Nachchi, live octopus. They sit around a big container with live octopus swimming around. These small octopus are the meal. People pick them up and dip them into hot sauce, which stuns them, and then people put the live octopus in their mouths and chew them and swallow them. That isn't for me! I enjoy eating Korean food, as one person said today it is delicious and nutritious (thanks JiYoung). I have been to many countries and have eaten at McDonald's everywhere. In Germany they serve beer, in Korea they serve bulgogi burgers, in Japan a "number one" isn't a Big Mac, it is a tofu burger.

NEW YEARS EVE!!

new Years 1985

Happy New Years! Everyone wants to know what people did to, "Welcome in the New Year". I have spent New Years Eve in Germany, Korea, Taiwan, and the USA. I have done many different things from going to those big parties with confetti dropping from the ceiling and kissing everyone around you to having a quiet evening with my wife and three daughters watching the ball drop on tv. In the last few years things have not been the most social. A few years ago I spent NYE in Taiwan with a wonderful woman and we visited the highest place with a Buddah in the world.

New Years day 2012

 One New Years Eve my oldest sister, Sue, was here and all the families went to Monterey for First Night. One NYE the three girls and I stayed at my mom's house, my mom was in Arizona, and we watched videos. I once met a woman from on line dating and we went to find something fun to do and we ended up going to a movie. Recently I met an old friend and we went around to the different bars to find fun people and every place had only a few people and many I was the youngest person there and it just felt weird.

My daughters bowling a few years ago

Last night I stayed home with my cats and watched a Walking Dead Marathon and went to bed at 11:30. I think next year I will start planning something to do on New years Eve around October and will promise I will be around LOTS of people and stay up till the sun comes up in the new year!