Tokyo Five Foot Runner :: Week 2

Week 2 is in the books. I ran a little over 15 miles this week including a long run of 10K/6.2 miles today. The weather turned cold for a few days, but dry enough to run outside, which is all I really care about. Yesterday, I had to cross train for 40 minutes. I chose to use an elliptical at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Sendagaya. No membership needed. It's 420 yen to use their gym for 2 hours and there are showers and hot baths. I haven't used an elliptical since I lived in NY so I was shocked to learn how BORING it can be. I'll need to think of a different cross-training activity because that was grueling on the mind.

This week, I successfully signed up to use a women's only running station near the Imperial Palace, my normal running spot. I'm very particular about my running routine. I prefer to go running right after work, but that requires me to change in a public bathroom and put my stuff in a coin locker. Not a big deal, but running stations are much more convenient since you have a few amenities to help you freshen up after your run. I've learned over the past few months, that being visibly sweaty and gnarly isn't very welcome on the trains. There are a few stations around the Palace and other popular running areas, but ABC Cooking Studio has a relationship with a ladies only gym called Bodies, which I learned upon arrival, is the Japanese version of Curves. The Bodies branch in Marunouchi, just a few steps away from the Imperial Palace running route also serves as a running station where you can store you stuff for 500 yen a visit. A little more than a coin locker which is 300 yen, but way more convenient.

So, what have I been fueling myself with this week? Maybe not the healthiest stuff, but definitely tasty stuff! I've vowed to start eating a little more healthy in the weeks to come and thankfully, since Joanne Chang is a pretty hardcore runner, she included some somewhat healthy treats in her Flour cookbook.

This burger tasted a lot less guilty this week. 

ABC Cooking Studio Bread of the Week :: Cinnamon Swirl Bread. This is a good opportunity to point out one of my favorite kitchen purchases of late - a bread cutting board. It came with a serrated knife that fits into the board for storage, and the grated top comes out so you can dump out the crumbs inevitably made when slicing bread. GENIUS!

A made quite a few cookies this week. Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin. 

 So many, that I had to give some away. I packed a few up in some incoherently cute wax bags and dropped them off at our front desk reception desk. I like our building staff - they're friendly and pretty helpful. Squidward overheard an angry Englishman telling them off this morning, so it seemed like homemade cookies might brighten their spirits. 

And upon our return home, we were greeted with the best thank you card I've ever received. Ever.