Alright. Well the good news is Japan has been FANTASTIC so far, bad news is that the roads are really narrow (most without sidewalks) and icy which means for some tricky running terrain.

It has been a whirlwind of activity since I got here so I have only managed to get one run in. Otherwise I have been snowboarding & experiencing everything Japanese that my in-laws could think up.

I would have liked to run today (it was 50 above here), but tomorrow I have the opportunity to board one of the nicest/ most difficult mountains in this area & with the ice I just don't want to risk hurting myself until I've done that.

Hopefully I'll get the chance to run again before I leave here. We'll see what happens.

Things to know about running in Japan...

1.) The smells are different. Instead of Mc Donald's & KFC it's the most appealing scent of fresh Ramen and Sushi.

2.) When running, it's very difficult to bow a "hello" as they do here & saying it in Japanese when winded is even harder.

3.) Despite staring at the pavement to avoid slipping on icy patches, it is important to look up. Especially at intersections. Neglecting to do so = getting lost.

Keep up the running ladies!! Spring will be here in no time and you'll be glad to have that base built when the races start up again.