Tag: running

Summer Mode and Running Shoes

, , , , Slice of Life, Well-being2 Comments on Summer Mode and Running Shoes
"Summer Evening Sun" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO1250
 “Summer Evening Sun” Cedar Park, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Well, it’s August and we are in full summer mode here in Texas. The temperatures are in the mid to upper 90s so not too bad yet. I actually love the heat, but it makes it a little more difficult to go running. 🏃 Today I went out when the temperature was 92° F and it was kind of tough. Usually, that kind of heat doesn’t bother me too much, but since I just wasn’t feeling it, and also I just started running more consistently last month, I took it easy and walked for the second half of my 2-miler.

Walking around the neighborhood is fun though – I like seeing how everyone takes care of/neglects their yards and lawns. 😝 Exercising is a lot more fun if I don’t think about calories/working out, but just enjoy being outdoors.

Speaking of running, it’s time (long overdue, actually) to replace my On Cloud running shoes. 👟 These have been the best running shoes I’ve ever owned, so I think I will just get a new pair of them. Instead of my light grey/orange/white, I am getting the navy/white color scheme. I think they look nice!

I took my Converse High Tops and On Cloud running shoes to New York, and of course the running shoes were way more comfortable. So I am looking forward to using the new ones not only for running, but for traveling. Yay!

Today’s photo is of the evening sun coming into the kitchen. The sun sets after 8 pm now, so we get a lovely light to end the day. 😀

I hope you had a nice Saturday!

またね～

Sunday Run

, , Slice of Life, Well-beingLeave a Comment on Sunday Run

"No Fire" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: Motorola Moto G (4), 3.64mm, f/2, 1/640 sec, ISO50
 “No Fire” Cedar Park, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

This morning I decided to go running for the first time in a few months. I tend to go in cycles with my running, which is kind of odd because I enjoy it so much. I guess I just fill my day up with other stuff. But for some reason, I just decided I should go. So I laced up my running shoes (actually my On Cloud shoes don’t have laces) and headed out. I surprised myself because I had a lot of energy and my legs didn’t get tired when I expected they would, but I didn’t push it and walked about a third of the way. Maybe it’s because I do squats ever day? I don’t know, but I felt really good!

The Texas heat is coming on strong, though, and when I passed by the small park, I saw the barbeque grills were off-limits as you can see in the photo. It looks like it’s going to be a sweltering summer.

By the way, I use Strava to track my running. If you are on Strava too, let’s connect!

I hope you had a good Sunday!

またね～

Soreness

, , , Slice of LifeLeave a Comment on Soreness
"Running Shoes" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/4, 1/7 sec, ISO3200
 “Running Shoes” Cedar Park, 2017

こんばんは。How’s it going?

I started running again, and today I ran for the third time in a week and a half. I hadn’t run for a year or so, so my legs were so sore!

But it’s a good soreness… not painful, but the type of soreness that shows that you made a good effort.

Usually, when I start running again, I can begin increasing my distance after about 3 or 4 runs and recovery, so I anticipate getting back on track this week. But, since I am almost 50, it’s only natural that it could take longer. (I can’t believe I am getting close to 50!)

If you are on Strava, let’s connect so we can see each other’s exercise activity! My Strava is here: https://www.strava.com/athletes/2721791

I hope you had a nice day!

Coins to coffee

, , , , Slice of LifeLeave a Comment on Coins to coffee
"Coins to Coffee" Cedar Park, 2016
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/8, 1/20 sec, ISO3200
 “Coins to Coffee” Cedar Park, 2016

こんばんは！ Hello, how are you doing?

Sunday was a funday for us. We enjoyed relaxing, grocery shopping, making smoothies, and watching tv. Koa and I did something new, which is converting all of our collected coins into a Starbucks gift card at the supermarket. It was pretty fun! And exciting too, watching the screen as the machine sorted all the coins and translated that into a total amount. I was impressed that the machine actually weeded out some Japanese coins that snuck into the jar. Pretty smart! Check out the video below for some of the action.

Later in the day I put on my running shoes and went for an easy run/walk around the neighborhood. It’s been a long time since I went running so I took it extra-easy today. It was a lot of fun to get some sun and fresh air. My legs felt great, and after the run, I spend a while on the exercise bike. I guess the smoothie we made earlier gave me a lot of energy. 😄

Tomorrow is Memorial Day here in the States. We’ll be at home again, spending the day together as a family.

Take care!

おやすみなさい！

– B Barron Fujimoto

Thinking About Thinking

, Well-being2 Comments on Thinking About Thinking
On a Run
On a Run

I’ve always tried to keep my work life and my personal life separate, and I’ve been fairly successful in this. Even in my blog, I rarely mention my work life. I can’t remember if I ever mentioned work in my blog, actually. This separation of work and personal life applied to even simply thinking about work when I was off-the-clock. But lately, work has been on my mind a lot, and my efforts to not think about it have been a little bit draining. Maybe draining is a little too severe a word for it, but it’s in the back of my mind… nagging me. “I should NOT be thinking about work!” It was irritating and didn’t seem right.

But I’ve come to realize that it’s okay for me to think about work on my off-hours, and what was making it irritating was not the fact that I was thinking about work, but that I had a rule that I was NOT supposed to be thinking about work. I was spending time thinking about how I should not be thinking!

So I decided to suspend the rule and see what happened. And the time I spend running is the perfect time to test how it works out. I am happy to say that it’s been going great! When I start thinking about work-related things, I just go with the flow and see where my thoughts go. By not worrying about it, there is no more stress! More often than not, I find myself thinking about other stuff after only a few minutes. This is kind of a relief to me. And surprisingly entertaining as well. Part of my mind sits above the rest, and observes where my thoughts lead. It’s very interesting! The mind is incredible and mysterious, づすね！