Welcome back to my blog!  I figured what a better way to share my adventures than to dust off the blog cover and chronicle my journey to the other side of the world.

Nothing better than a 4hr delay on a 14hr direct flight! The beauty of this delay is that I got to spend 4 more hours at home, lounging around and stashing up on beauty sleep. It was much appreciated after hitting “empty” on my sleep tank after last week.

After the airport commute and TSA fun, Raul and I kicked our feet up at PF Changs to stock up on carbs and to use our flight food voucher (for delay). I picked flank steak and broccoli over white rice. Of course, I cashed in on New York style berry cheesecake. If there’s been one theme to my marathon build, it is that fuel is a game-changer. I use my recovery windows (time between workouts) and eat everything I possibly can. I haven’t been perfect with it, but it sure makes a difference in a very positive way. And now that the in-flight dinner has come and gone, I’m very thankful for that impromptu PF Changs meal!

Going into this trip to Japan, it’s something that I have no clue what I’m about to embark on. I’ve never ran an international race, but that’s part of what makes it exciting. I have indeed run a handful of marathons, so I packed those memories in my confidence mindset bank. I’ve been waiting since 2019 for this day…when I applied for the lottery of the Tokyo Marathon while training for the Chicago Marathon. It seems like yesterday, but the pandemic has made me lose track of time in a way. On the contrary, the pandemic has made me really appreciate the beauty of low-key quiet nature adventures— I’m in for quite an awakening in the lively concrete jungle of Tokyo! Either way, one of my goals is to “Have Fun.” I purposely set very flexible goals this time because I’ve learned that giving my 110% effort doesn’t always get me that A+ result that I seek. This time, “Good is good enough.” It’s been a theme during this season and it’s helped me step back from perfectionism in a way that has been freeing. Maybe it’ll work out! If there’s one thing for sure, this marathon build process has already been a lot of fun. From surviving the BombCyclone weather of December to enjoying cupcakes at the end of a 22-mi Sunday Runday in February, I made some unforgettable memories of this season. In a way, I’ve finally enjoyed the process. This time, I found the right fit to my puzzle. I could not be more happy with my skeleton’s readiness to finally complete the Tokyo Marathon! Onward to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!