Monday, February 26, 2007

The Boy in Red - Action Shots

Here are a few action shots by the folks photographing the Tokyo Marathon itself.

Click For 'The Boy In Red'

More communicado from Sapporo after our day of Shinkansen travel tomrrow!

xo,
M1 & M2

Sunday, February 25, 2007

The deer of Nara

Seriously people, there are deer walking the streets of this lovely town. When they're not walking, they're biting your ass wanting you to feed them. Totally incredible time here in Kyoto.

Check out the latest rounds of pix.

I have some very funny movies of Mikael and I being chased around by these beasts. We'll try and post them tomorrow before we head off on a full days journey to Sapporo.

M & M

Friday, February 23, 2007

Nihon Shu(s) Off in the Ancient Capital

Hey! We are having an absolutely cultural, culturally sensitive, and
sake induced holiday here in Kyoto (One of the ancient capitals of
Japan. Shoguns and Emperors kept moving around and moving the
capital with them in an effort to confuse foreigners 1000 years later)

Here are a few pictures.

Life is good in our Ryokan (Japanese Inn). We have our own garden,
paper screen doors we keep walking through, and the most amazing and
sincere lady who is our (for lack of a better term) room attendant.
She brings us mugi-cha and foods, puts out our futons in the evening,
makes sure our yukatas are fresh, and books us private time in the O-
Furo. Everything my own mother failed to do!

Hope all is well across the Pacific! We'll be in touch soon.

Maikeru to Maaku

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Marathon part 2 (long post for a long run)

Alright, now that I have had a chance to digest the run and once again attempt walking down a staircase face pointing forward, I can tell you a bit more about the day that made me the man I am today.

I crossed the start line about 16 minutes after the gun went off (I think) and the day began in earnest. First thing, the route took us through Shinjuku - by now you have seen about 1000 pictures of Shinjuku posted by the geek.

The throng of 30,000 runners starting en masse took a good 10K to thin out to any sort of comfortable spacing. No problem though, I kept a steady pace behind a very attractive behind and waited for an opportunity to surge ahead.

The rain had let up just a bit before the starting gun but at the 8K-ish mark decided that no more miss nice hello-kitty and pelted us anew. The roads, manholes, sewer grates, paper cups, plastic bags became hazzards far greater than running out of glycogen or losing too much salt. I couldn't feel my fingers and couldn't use them to tie the shoelaces that the water repeatedly worked apart.

My calf and quad muscles were ice cold and started to spasm at around 16K. I stopped to stretch and massage a bit of heat back into them and a 5 foot tall Japanese woman came running up to me, said something I couldn't quite get, and started rubbing down my legs with the strongest most glorious smelling mentholated cream I have ever known. Under different circumstances this might have been strange. There and then it was a kindness I could not have expected. I picked up the race from there with tears in my eyes. So strange the emotional effect that the kindness of strangers has.

From 16K to 27K, the race was mine! I felt like I had wings on my feet. Running down the streets of Ginza the crowds were cheering and chanting. Criest of 'Ganbare' (Do your best/You can do it/Good luck for you) and 'Faito' (Fight!) were bouncing off the great big buildings of Tokyo's most posh shopping district. It struck me then that the entire core of Tokyo (Tokyo for goodness sake!) had been shut down and brought to a halt for us. 30,000 of us got to run 42.195K down the middle of streets that never ever ever stopped or emptied out for anyone. It was bizzare and wonderful.

The rain stopped, started, spit, and streamed at all kind of points all along the 42K, 5 hour trek. Really, at about half-way, it was time to stop focusing on and cursing the weather and start pointing my thoughts to the amazing experience that was unfolding with each foot-fall.

Running past 'music stations' that were filled with Taiko drummers, brass-bands, Shamisen and Koto music, Bagpipes (all of these in separate places mind you) was so much fun! Running past the few foreigners that lined the route who gave their fellow Gai-Jin an extra hearty cheer was a great boost. Running past 90 year old men and women standing out in the pouring rain clapping and cheering and grinning from ear to ear as we all went past was just plain beautiful. Tokyo had not only stopped for us but had stopped what they were doing and come out for us.

From 35K on things got really really really truly terribly tough. I did, I must admit, have a few thoughts of surrender. Not one of those thoughts were as stubborn as the genetic code my father gave me for my 0th birthday (one of the few situations where this quality has served me well).

Between 38K and 40K I experienced the strangest thing. Euphoria. Complete euphoria although my legs could barely move and my feet were begging me to stop. Is this the storied 'runner's high' I have heard about. I was running along for two full kilometres with a grin on my face. I think at one point I actually imagined taking all my clothes off and running through a field of sunflowers. Thankfully, there were no sunflowers to be found.

Of course, crossing the line at 42.195K was glorious. To herald the glory of the moment, nearly as soon as my size 12 shoes crossed the finish, Mother Nature parted the clouds, stopped the rain, and spread bright sunshine across a blue blue sky. Bitch.

-mikael

This, that, and the other thing!

Lots of stuff to cover.

1. Still haven't had Sushi.

2. Other stuff to follow:

Today was spent wandering around the city, bookstores, museums, train stations, pubs, what have you...

Some shots are posted over here.

Also took a small video, of special interest to Miriam, which is available here.

We are off to Kyoto tomorrow morning. We have no idea what Internet access will be like as were staying at a very traditional Japanese Inn (a "Ryokon".) We're taking the ultra fast bullet train so you can assume there will be loads of photos and movies!

Hope all is well.

Warm thoughts from Tokyo!

-Mark and Mikael

The Sad & Pathetic Teddy Bears of Shinjuku

We came across two teddy bears in Shinjuku that needed their own video blog post. Mikael did the narration. I wept, and held the camera.

Click here to see the teddy bears of Shinjuku.

Videos Fixed

The last 2 videos in the previous post didn't work properly. I've fixed the links and everything is a-okay now.

-Mark

Monday, February 19, 2007

Tokyo Movies & Temple Tour

We wandered through Tokyo more today, and visited a Temple. Pix can be found here.

I've been taking a few movies on my camera whilst touring Tokyo. Here's a few (they're all short - under 30 seconds.)

NOTE - you'll have to hit your browser "Back" button to come back to this blog entry each time you view a video.

One of the first thing I noticed in Tokyo was the way the Japanese operate within their subway/train stations. When you get to the platform, you join a single file line (for each side of the door). The train always stops exactly at the same spot. You walk to the train once it is almost stopped, and wait for people to exit between the two lines before entering a car.

Subway Platform

Standing on a rail platform makes you feel like you're inside a Nintendo game. There's always this computer generated game music playing, and I attempted to capture it on video. As soon as I started recording, the Nintendo sounds stopped.

Subway Platform 2

Finally captured some of the Nintendo music.

Jack Skeleton

Shinjuku is a loud place. Here's video from after 11pm at night (on a weekday!) Place is always packed.

Shinjuku
Shinjuku 2

Throughout the Tokyo Marathon there were bands playing. Here's some marathon coverage:

Band at Shinjuku
Wet Runners
Band 2

Hope you enjoyed...

-Mark

Sunday, February 18, 2007

More Marathon than one Mik should attempt!

Holy Buddah! If self-denial and suffering are essential pit-stops on the path to enlightenment, then I have not only acheived, but damn near own nirvana.

42.195 very self-examining kilomtres. An amazing experience.

I could write a 5 hour post about the whole run (which is, not coincidentally, how long it took me to hit the finish). My chp time, fore those of you who wish to know, was 5:02ish. A few minutes behind Washington.

The day began when I stepped out of our hotel at 6AM to wander over to the nearest convienience shop and buy something bread-like. I ended up with something resembling a turnover filled with corn, mayonaise, and sausage bits. Stop wretching, it was really good! On my way back to the hotel, I was stopped by a middle aged man (perhaps of Russian descent) who wanted me to go to his strip club (a much better one by his advertisment since it had showers too!). As tempting as that might have been, there was work to be done. Ah the early morning joys of staying in Tokyo's red-light district (Shinjuku).

Fast forward to about 8:40AM, Noriko and I are at the portapotties near the start line. It is teeming, pouring, and streeming from the heavens. So wet, it cannot get any wetter. There are about 3000 people lined up in front of about 100 portapotties. With all the efficiency you attribute the Japanese, the entire line clears in about 6 minutes. The portapotties are immaculate (even after 3000 people have used them), fully stocked with TP and had mirrors on the walls (??!!). The runners out there will appreciate why I am going on about the damn toilets.

9:05AM we are at the start line huddled in a throng of people in plastic bags holding umbrellas over their heads. 30,000 people pakced together and about 10,000 umbrellas forming a roof above our heads. When the gun went off, we shuffled as one super-organisim toward the start - umbrella roof in tact. As we passed the start line/timing mats there were huge bins on either side for the unmbrellas. In one continuous motion, 10,000 umbrellas went back to umbrella heaven.

And off we were.

more later. mikael....

Wet, and then put away dry

The marathon is over. Mikael and Noriko probably spent over 6 hours today in 5C weather with the rain pouring the entire time. They were both absolutely soaking wet before the race started, and then ran the marathon. Unbelieveable! I ran around town to different vantage spots to take pictures and can't imagine how rough it must've been for the two of them.

I've posted pictures.

-Mark

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Tokyo Marathon 2007 Runners Marathon

The marathon is tomorrow. I took some shots of the Runners Expo this afternoon.

Click here.

-Mark

Pix over at Flickr

I've been posting pictures over at Flickr (works better.) The link is:

Click here.

-Mark

Friday, February 16, 2007

Lovely Spring Weather

I hear that it is mighty cold in Toronto.

We were walking around in t-shirts in about 15-16 C weather this afternoon.

/wave and /giggle

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Ohaiyogozaimasu!

8AM Standard Tokyo TIme (since I haven't the foggiest bamboo forest what it is really called).

We awoke to the sound of the fishmongers heading to market with their early morning catch, the quick clacking of the Geisha's wooden sandals on the cobblestones below our window, and the warm morning sun glowing softly through the paper of our window screens...

Um...Right. This is Tokyo. What is more, it is Shinjuku!

We actually awoke to the punishing sound of the alarm on Mark's blackberry and the white noise electronic hum of the instant tea dispenser out side the door. Although that is one thing you have to love about Japan, free tea absolutely everywhere you go.

By now, Mark should have posted some pictures on this site somewhere, somehow - if it plugs into the wall or runs on batteries, I don't ask questions - such things are Mark's domain. There should, I've been told, be pictures somewhere here though.

This morning, after finding some breakfast (and praying I can get a decent cup of coffee somewhere since the Japanese have not yet mastered the brutal art of grindning decent beans and pouring hot water over them. It is enough to make me even wish for Tim Hortons coffee which means I MUST be desperate), we are heading to Akihabara. 5 square blocks of electronics stores. I think our entire travel budget has a fairly good chance of being used up in one day. He will be kid in candy store!

Jet lag might hit later on, but both of us feel like shiny neon magic this morning! Have a nice evening.

mikael

We've arrived!

After making it through traffic during Toronto's first major storm, we actually managed to arrive at the airport an hour early.

Air Canada's long-distance haul team was absolutely fabulous. Lots of food, drink, and the plane was only about 1/2 full - easy to find a spot to sleep in.

We're arriving in Tokyo, and we're in our final descent... Mikael is in the bathroom barfing up a lung. The flight attendants had to unlock the bathroom to let him in as the flight was on final approach. He survived, and is doing well now.

Tokyo is... bright, brilliant, and incredibly clean. Here's some shots:

This greeted us at the pickup for luggage. Umm.. okay...

We're off to find the Japan Rail office to convert our voucher into a real, unlimited, 21 day pass.


Awaiting our train to Shinjuku. The airport is and hour and 45 minute ride to central Tokyo (and this is the express non-stop train.) Glad we didn't get a cab. Would've cost more than the flight did.

Our train has arrived. As I said earler, everything is shiny and clean. Quite amazing really. We're in the upgraded "green" car, which is reserved for us foreign-snobs. ;)

This is the panel at the front of the car. We're amost to Shinjuku!
This is immediately ourside our hotel. It's all walking-only streets full of bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Wasn't tough to find a great place to eat dinner.
Sorry about the blur. My bad. Why the guy that shakes takes the pix is a wonder, eh?
More of Shinjuku. Its around 10pm, and the place is packed.
Yet more... who pays the electricity bill?
And more...
Last one before dinner...
And proof that he did survive the flight...

Monday, February 12, 2007

Two More Sleeps

Well, Monday the 12th of February. When my friend Noriko wrote me last year in June and suggested that we come to Japan for the inaugural running of the Tokyo marathon it seemed so distant. Not simply because it is a hell of a long way away, but also because it was so far away.

With all of those many months of hour filled days to plan and scheme, you would have thought that all would be in place and prepared. All we would have to do is wake up on the morning of the 14th, put on our bon voyage best and cross the tarmac. Not quite. Most of today will be an adventure of last-minute proportions. A fruit-filled Danish lost in a maze of downtown buildings trying to get it together. Never mind that I have let both my OHIP card and my Driver's liscence expire. Doesn't matter, I never get to drive anyhow and most of my illnesses are psychosomatic.

No matter. We work best with deadlines and swords hanging over our heads.

I think the biggest task is charging up all of the toys - there aren't, I don't think, enough outlets to simultaneous juice-up all of the technology that is going with us. Although, on the happy side of things, dragging around such a large amount of electronics should give us a certain curbside-cred in the neon soaked streets of Tokyo.

Then, of course, there is the matter of The Marathon. I'm nervous in the way that I get nervous before most races I do. And then some. I am trying to go through every possible scenario of Things That Might Go Wrong. What if I can't find a place to eat pasta the night before? Can one run an entire marathon on a meal of squid, seaweed, and blowfish? What is going to be at the water stations? Green tea? Looking over the heads of the 25,000 people in the race, will I be able to see the finish line in the distance?

I know it is there and I'll let you know when I have crossed it. I look forward to the victory dinner of squid, seaweed, and blowfish. And liquid sunshine. Lots of liquid sunshine.

mikael