Jet Lags vs. Jet Legs

          Returning to China brought its own set of challenges for me, one of which was ensuring I could bring a running stroller on the airplane. It might come as a surprise, but while China produces a significant portion of the world's jogging strollers, the idea of taking your child for a run is relatively foreign. As a result of the non-existent demand, there is no supply of jogging strollers for Lionel’s size available for purchase in China. Therefore, my ability to race and train with my son depended on getting a running stroller past TSA.

           One major issue with the stroller I used during the summer was its inability to collapse into a compact form, making it likely impossible to get through the airport. Despite its quirks, like its tendency to lean to the left and having a leaky tire, it was incredibly lightweight to the point that it could run like/with the wind. Due to a doctorate degree in procrastination, I of course began looking for another stroller with about a week until I returned to China. Someone else mentioned that they had a running stroller I could use, but it also couldn't collapse. Had I planned ahead, I could have gotten one through Amazon, but I wasn't particularly inclined to buy a brand-new stroller. Three days until heading out and things were looking grim. Then, through a stroke of luck, I stumbled upon a shop selling second-hand running strollers while searching for autumn clothes for Lionel. Lo and behold, they had the exact make and model I used for practice at the Murrays'. The BOB Revolution had everything I needed – hand brake, rain tarp, cup holders, and storage space for keys. It could turn both ways with ease and could be easily disassembled. The only downside is that it weighed about twice as much as the other stroller, meaning I will be pushing 65 pounds (Lionel plus the stroller).

            Fast forward a month, and I've been back to running in China. The initial two weeks were an adjustment period. Jet lag is not the same as jet legs, in fact, it is quite the opposite. Also, humidity brings humility when trying to set a pace for oneself. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly of running in China so far.

– The Good -   Fortunately, the stroller is working well. While according to the safety manual, I'm supposed to use a fixed front wheel in the locked position, the twisting and turning paths I encounter led me to embrace "Wheely Wonka" mode, which involves having the front wheel swivel around instead of being locked in place. This makes the ride much more maneuverable, like an Aldi shopping cart. Another piece of good news is that Chengdu is predominantly flat, which is a significant advantage when running with a stroller. The upcoming marathon won't involve many elevation changes, making it a stroller-friendly route. Finally, it is good to live next to a beautiful park with around ten miles of interconnected running paths.

- The Bad – As with the Chinese language, pedestrians in China tend to navigate sidewalks in a roundabout way. Some folks treat the perfectly flat walking path as if it were a switchback on a mountain, meandering back and forth with no apparent destination. Additionally, walking is popular during mornings and evenings, so the paths get crowded during prime running times. However, maneuvering through the crowd is excellent practice for the marathon, which will have around 35,000 participants. There are tunnel underpasses that help me maintain my pace without waiting for traffic lights, and they serve as good hill training to strengthen different sets of leg muscles. Unfortunately, at tunnel has at least four sets of speed bumps which definitely hinder uphill climbs and occasionally cause my water bottles to fly off the stroller. Lionel, however, seems to enjoy the bumpy ride over them.

- The Ugly – At the top of every tunnel, there always seems to be an inspiring musician or opera singer. Apparently, the best acoustics are at the tunnel entrance/exit, where the noise amplifies to an ear-splitting level and echoes down below. Regardless of one's musical talents, or in most cases, inabilities, this is the ultimate place it seems for everyone to practice. While the saxophonists are less than enjoyable, they are a welcome alternative to the glass-shattering opera singers attempting to sustain the highest pitch possible. I imagine the sound being equivalent to when Harry Potter first opens his golden egg to a wailing, screeching cacophony. On the bright side, these banshee-like performances ensure I waste no time getting up the tunnel hills, speedbumps be damned.

         While I’ve been trying to keep a positive mindset with most things during the run, there is still one aspect that has no silver linings...parking. It infuriates me to see cars parked right at the entrance to the running/walking paths. It means Lionel and I have got to stop our pace and go onto the road where the cars are zooming by to go around. Lionel’s ever-expanding vocabulary might have gotten a little more colorful when passing these inconsiderately parked cars. Lionel has also voiced his frustration with these drivers and says he aspires to be a parking officer.

Exhibit A: Of what grinds our gears! The yellow tiles pictured above have raised grooves for those with visual impairments to navigate around. I often see these tiles covered with the front ends of illegally parked cars.

Let the Good Times Roll   

          We are now past the jet lag and the humidity, and I have transformed to a point of identifying as a runner. Now, my dopamine rush activates within the first ten minutes of a run. I eagerly anticipate my long-run days. My pants are becoming tight in the thigh section as my leg muscles have grown. My heart rate has gone down to 45. We are in the right headspace, our training is on pace, and we’re a month from our race.