Training for the Manchu Mile

My handsome husband has promised to write about the Manchu Mile itself, so I'll just tell you about my training.  Since I'm a sailor, not a soldier, I didn't have any experience with rucking.  I mean, we carried our "sea bags" full of Navy gear around one morning at boot camp, but that was more trying to get us to quit than trying to train us for anything--we weren't even carrying the things on our backs, but upside down, without the straps, clutched in front of us.  So for my first training ruck I decided to keep it simple; 20 pounds or so in a backpack, walking around base.

Four miles was about all I could manage.  I started to worry.  Was it possible, in six weeks, to get my body ready for a march 22 miles longer than the one I'd just done?

My next training day went better, though.  I borrowed an actual ruck from one of the Army Officers that I work with, which made the load, this time 35 pounds, much more comfortable.  I also preempted the blisters by applying moleskin to my heels before I even started.  (Let me tell you, folks, if you're acquainted with blisters but not with moleskin, you're missing out.)  This time I finished six miles, including a few up and down a mountain to get to Namsan Tower.

I left the ah-pah-tuh and headed out by the War Memorial,

Around the outside of Yongsan Garrison and up between a couple of neighborhoods, 

then up the side of the (small) mountain.  I happened to time it just right to hit sunset.

I stopped at the top to take a few pictures (and a few long breaths).

My next walk was longer, but flat; I walked down along the park/walking path that's on either side of the river.  It's a nice area; there are basketball, tennis, and soccer courts, and the outdoor exercise machines that are so popular here.

I crossed the river on one of the bridges, and walked on the other side down to one of the other bridges.

On the far side of the river the walking path ran under the highway for a while.

After eight or so miles, I was happy to see one of the restrooms that are placed every so often along the path.

I took a similar route for my next training walk of about 13 miles.  By mile 10 or so I was starting to hurt. I was surprised by the laser water show that started just as I was walking under the bridge.  Since I hadn't brought my camera I had to snap a shot with my phone.

We passed through some beautiful scenery during the actual Manchu Mile as well--the cherry trees were still in bloom up in Dongducheon, but I was too busy trying to breathe as we hiked up the side of the mountain to do much more than glance around and admire the view.  There are some pictures from the event posted on Facebook, here.

Bruised, blistered...

But unbowed. "Manchu Mile" complete. More later.

Spring

It's finally spring here!  The cherry trees were beautiful this week.

Of course, spring in Korea brings wind, which brings in yellow sand.

W haven't let that get too much in the way of our activities, however.  The week before Easter we did an Easter basket fundraiser at the Brigade "Eggstravaganza".  I'm so thankful for my Family Readiness Group co-leader, below. 

I also dyed Easter eggs with one of my Korean friends.

My hardworking husband was out in the field for Easter, so I invited a couple of coworkers over for lunch.  My strawberry shortcake cake turned out well, 

and Mom's "company" lasagna was a hit.

Mike got back just as the weather started to get warmer, so the next weekend we went to Yeouido (a neighborhood in Seoul) for the cherry blossom festival.

We spent the afternoon walking and hanging out in Yeouido, where South Korea's National Assembly building (like our Congress) is located.

We ended the day with a walk back along the river (along with several hundred other people out enjoying the weather and blossoms).

We had so much fun in the sunshine, we decided to go to one of the smaller palaces in Seoul the next day.

Such a nice weekend!

This weekend it rained both days, but we were still able to go the big flower market in Namdaemun on Saturday (Mike got an iPad for his birthday, so he didn't mind--he just found a chair in a corner and let me wander around) and to the Seoul Arts Center on Sunday, where we heard the an orchestra performance.

This week we're participating in the "Manchu Mile"--a 25-mile overnight ruck march.  I'll post some pictures from my training hikes around Seoul soon...

A Weekend Getaway

 My handsome husband and I just passed our second wedding anniversary.  To celebrate two fantastic years (mostly) together, we decided to take a low-key trip to Chuncheon, a small city an hour or so east of Seoul.

We didn't do much planning--showed up at the train station and bought tickets, arrived at the train station at the other end and only then decided what to do with the rest of the day.  We decided to first head for Namiseom Island--a small island in the Han River where a scene from a famous Korean drama was filmed. 

The island has been named "Naminara" or Nami Republic, and it's set up kind of like a very small-scale, less-branded, woodland Disneyland, with entrance tickets, parks, restaurants, shops, and little rides set up over the mile or so bit of land.  No costumes that I noticed, but there were a few ostriches running around.   

The day was gray and a bit rainy when we arrived off the ferry, but we didn't mind too much, since it meant less of a crowd.

Since we arrived late in the afternoon, we decided to spend the night at the hotel on the island.  It was a great room--ondol floors, art all over the walls, and a nice view of the park behind the building.

We ate dinner at a restaurant nearby, and slept early.

The next day we walked another route across the island back to the ferry.  It really is a beautiful area.

We stopped to add our stone to one of the seemingly ubiquitous rock stacks (found at every tourist site, hiking trail, and temple here).

After a pleasant ferry ride back, we went into Chuncheon proper to search out the region's specialty--ddak karbi--spicy chicken stir-fry.  We found a restaurant that looked promising (on a street lined on both sides with ddak karbi restaurants), scraped about half of the pepper paste off before the server mixed it for us so it didn't set our mouths on fire, and really enjoyed the meal.

After lunch, we went up to Soyo Dam, the building of which has created a pretty massive lake, and took another ferry up to a Buddhist temple.  We stopped on the way for a cup of some kind of medicinal root drink; I gagged after one taste of the bitter concoction and walked briskly to the stall selling tabang coffee, but Mike drank the whole thing. 

The short hike up to the temple was beautiful.

As was the temple itself.

We added a stone to the pile here, too. 

We took the ferry back to Soyo Dam, and  decided to spend the afternoon at the local sauna.  (At this point Mike remarked that we might have gone a bit native; although public nudity is not much appreciated in our native country, soaking in hot water and lounging in prison pajamas on a warm floor sounded--and was--pretty awesome.)

I'd definitely recommend Chuncheon for a quick trip away from the big city.

And while I acknowledge that inter-continental dating isn't for everyone, I'd also definitely recommend marrying the love of your life. =)