My Happiness Journal- January

Gretchen Rubin used "Vitality" as January's theme for her happiness project. She wanted to start her year off with more physical and mental energy, which sounds like a logical idea to me! Her first chapter touched on how she went about doing that with these action items:

• Go to sleep earlier
• Exercise better
• Toss, restore, organize
• Tackle a nagging task
• Act more energetic

So... What did I do this month after reading January of the Happiness Project? Watch out, this is a LONG post!

Farewell to Fearless Dragon, my running family

"When you want to find some motivation...
... for running,
             ... for doing stretches,
                             ... for achieving your goals,
Or at times when you feel as though you are losing yourself, you can think of us."

The Fearless Dragon (猛龍隊): 看不見，聽不到，跑得好，做得到!

Last group photo with The Fearless Dragon (猛龍隊) running group at Hammer Hill sports ground in our running gear! 

My first 10K as a Guide Runner

The weather was beautiful, the course was scenic and our smiles were bright! 

I ran my first 10K as a guide runner this past Sunday with 猛龍隊 (The Fearless Dragon) running team at the Town Health 25th anniversary 10K charity run. This experience of training with visually impaired runners and local volunteers in Hong Kong has been heartwarming, and they've made me feel like part of their family.

Left to right: Me and my partner running our last K at Hong Kong Science Park (香港科學園) with a fellow Fearless Dragon runner cheering us on.

As a person who has always run alone, running with a visually impaired partner has been given a twist to the idea of running as a "team". I have to be alert about our surroundings and describe possible obstacles, uneven ground, or nearby spectacles or activities that my vision has allowed me to take for granted. While at the same time, I am part of a team, pulling my own weight in the race and encouraging my teammate as the race progresses.

I had only ran with my partner once at a practice before this race. We just never came to the same practices after that. But not a problem! We ran together, we walked together and took water breaks together. Left, right, left, right. Almost there! Last K! And we finished the 10K together. =)

Volunteering as a Guide Runner

"Running is Being. Running is Trying. Running is Falling. Running is Flying. Running is Dreaming." -E.T.

Felt like quoting a fellow colleague, classmate, past-housemate, friend and "bro". I agree with his words. Especially the "Falling" part. I see running as a constant series of falling and picking yourself back up --again and again. Once you learn to do it, there's no "try" in running, only Do. And with that, you can fly and dream...

I had decided before even starting my placement, that I would find time to volunteer as a guide runner. I literally typed in "guide runner in Hong Kong" and after a series of emails, got in touch with someone from the Fearless Dragon (猛龍隊) running group. I love to run, so why not learn to be a guide runner?