New York City Marathon 2023

 

Today is the New York City Marathon day and beautiful perfect temperature of low 60s for the runners.

It is 26.2 full run and more than 50,000 runners will participate.

I ran the New York City Marathon in 2001, 2 months after the September.11.

With " WE UNITE!!" slogan, whole New Yorkers showed up on the side street and cheered for New York City, world, and all runners. 

The crowds were from very beginning to the last finish line, a continuous line of people.

I remembered that when I passed the point of 10 miles left, exhaustion became obvious and had to stop running, but my body were running for the last 3 and half hours and my muscles would not let me stop from running, whole body cramped when I tried to stop.

I kept running and tried to stop but I could not stop, it was a tough time for 20 minutes of battle with myself.

Then I heard " You are looking great!, The goal is around the corner!! " entire people on the side street cheered for all runners and my motivation got high again and started running gracefully.

My time was 4:07:23 and this experience has become one of my very important event in New York City until today.

Good luck to all the runners and enjoy the moment!!!

Autumn leaves in Kyoto

 

I am going to return to Japan next week for almost 2 weeks.

It will be a business purpose of trip but I will spare couple days to indulge myself being in Japan.

Eating delicious foods from breakfast to dinner in Japan will be a given. 

What I have been loving in Japan is to visit ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto.

Kyoto is one of the oldest municipalities in Japan, having been chosen in 794 as the new seat of Japan's imperial court by Emperor Kanmu. The emperors of Japan ruled from Kyoto in the following eleven centuries until 1869.

It is home to numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces and gardens, some of which have been designated collectively as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Can you imagine how wonderful to see the autumn leaves with more than 1000 years old temples in the background?

Once you see them, you will be addicted.

From the forecast, my visit to Kyoto maybe little early to see the peak of autumn leaves......