Tokyo Five Foot Runner :: Week 4

Milestones galore this week! I logged in 20 miles total, the most ever in a week with the help of a 7 mile long run yesterday, the longest I'd ever run in one day. Nike+ informed me just now (via a creepy video of Olympic marathoner Paula Radcliffe) that yesterday was also my fastest 10K. A nice accomplishment considering I'm not setting any time goals. So how do I feel today? Pretty good actually. I'm really surprised I'm not sorer but that's a good sign. Though mentally, I felt great after completing 7 miles yesterday, physically I was a mess. The moment I stopped running I was hit with the most intense hunger pangs I've ever experienced and my ankles, hips and calves screamed "YOUCH!" all night long. I got home and quickly ordered half a rotisserie chicken, a salad and shoestring fries for delivery. I really should have ordered the whole bird.

 This meal reminded me of when I lived with my sister in Russian Hill. This chicken was good because I had just burned 700 calories and rotisserie chicken is hard to find in Tokyo. But my sis and I used to get Peruvian chicken and fries for dinner at Il Pollaio. I got very fat that year, but I was also very happy. Have I mentioned that I miss my sista?

So what else fueled my record breaking week?

More latkes with a side of Hokkaido sausages. In Japan, if something comes from Hokkaido, the island north of the main island, it is special. Notably, dairy products and beer. (Sapporo beer is named after the capital of Hokkaido) 

 The week started off with some delicious Vietnamese Curry and bread, which I can't get enough of these days. 

My 3 weekly obsessions this week: this donburi (rice bowl) from a local bento shop for lunch. It's mushroom flavored rice with ramen toppings. Look how ooey gooey that egg is! My favorite. 

Obsession #2 and #3 sort of go together. #2 is Gravo ice cream bars from my local conbini (Japanese word for convenience store). These taste exactly like Snickers ice cream bars except it's on a stick and has oreo cookie chunks in it. Can't go wrong there. Obsession #3 - eating food in bed right before I go to sleep. I devoured this Gravo about 1am. And I forgot to mention that I ate the last piece of my rotisserie chicken at 2:30am after falling asleep for an hour. I am the vision of beauty and health right now. 

 I did manage to put something healthy in my body this week. The weather in Tokyo has been unusually warm for November/December, so Blamward (credit to sjohnston for coining that hybrid nickname) and I read in Shinjuku Gyoen while soaking up some Vitamin D. The maple leaves were so vibrant this weekend and the old men with big cameras were out in full force capturing the change in seasons. There are two places we inevitably end up at after going to this park. Go Go Curry or a juice shop called ピーまん (Piman).  Blamward loves his green vegetable Mixed Jumbo (it tastes...healthy), while I prefer the Fruits Jumbo.

Japan at its best.