Hiking Nago Mountain

Nago Mountain is located within the Nago Castle Ruins Park. This area offers many trails, picnic/scenic view areas, camping, and more.  We were here to do some hiking.

Picture this:  2 pregnant women, a toddler, a baby, a dog and 4 other adults hiking a mountain in the middle of an 86 degrees F, 94% humidity day.  What were we thinking???  We were thinking a family friendly, beginner hike on winding, sloping trails and shade from trees that's what... well, that's what the description led us to believe anyways... WE WERE DECEIVED!

Although a fun trip with great people and an awesome workout, I hate to report that the term to describe the Nago Mountain trail should have been this:  STAIRS.  Yep, that pretty much sums it up.  Up and down stairs 98% of the time.  I haven't done that much cardio in ages!  I also happened to be one of the pregnant women helping tote around my toddler, lol.  I don't think I have ever been so happy to hit a summit in my entire life.

The view was well worth the effort, however, I honestly did prefer the view from the picnic area further down the mountain.  This area also had  a large open space for the kids to run, restrooms, and various workout/training equipment.

Between the picnic area and the trail head was also the camping grounds which looked like they'd be an excellent place to camp with a group of friends.  We may come back and try it sometime.

You'll find I am short on words for this trip.  I spent most of my time attempting to breathe, downing water, and swapping my toddler with my husband (who was also very tired by the time we got to the top).  Thus, I recommend families try some of the other available trails and go on a cooler day than we did.

Blue Seal after the hike is also a splendid treat!  Nothing like splitting an all vanilla ice cream with strawberry topping banana split with your daughter after a good workout.  ;)

Nago Half Marathon

So I've been part of this awesome moms running group called Stroller Warriors Okinawa for a year now.  When I joined, I was not a runner.  I didn't like to run but I did like and need to exercise.  This group was an answer to my prayers on getting my exercise in while also meeting other moms and having a social outlet for my daughter.

Anyways, I've made lots of friends in this group and they have motivated me to set goals that I never thought I would strive for in this lifetime.  Today, I finished running the Nago Half-Marathon... well, by the end it was more like forced power walking but whatever.  I finished my very 1st Half-Marathon!

It was a long, hard journey getting to this point.  I had to learn to be focused and motivated, to stay on a training plan, to overcome injury, and have the will power to see it through. 

You know those runners who look like they could just run for days and never get tired and seem like running is the only thing that makes them happy?  Yea... I envy those people.  I've come to enjoy running, but I still mostly just want to do it when others will be running with me.  And after 6 miles, I have to duke it out with my body to keep going.  I do feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when I finally reach the goal and can say, "Yea, I've done that."  And it's a great feeling and a lot of good memories are attached.  Well, today, I would say all that has changed.

After today, I love running!  The atmosphere of this race has given me a new perspective on running.  Being around a large group of runners and seeing them try their best at whatever ability level they are currently at mixed with the intense crowd support is awe-inspiring and extremely motivating.

Our race started when the Taiko drummers started playing and they didn't quit until all of the runners had passed over the starting line.  They got us fired up and set a good strong pace for us to start out to.  The crowd was cheering and shouting phrases in both English and Japanese of well-wishes and encouragement.  You can do it!  Go!  Fight!

Along the way, families were out clapping and cheering, pounding on drums, handing out homemade sweets and water.  Their were a lot of varied brown-sugar candies, but that's not too surprising being in Okinawa.

My most memorable point along the route was about 8 miles out where a little old man had a bowl of salt and a bowl of water.  I had to stop to figure out what he wanted me to do.  You take a pinch of salt and dip it in the water and then you eat it.  I totally wasn't expecting the strong bitterness of the salt, but was grateful to him because it really helped me feel refreshed and continue on down the road.

When I registered for the race, you had to finish in 3 1/2 hours but somewhere I missed the memo that it was changed to 3 hours.  So about 3 miles from the finish line, they stole my race chip that tells you the official time and told me to get on a bus.  I was all like... umm, no, I have to finish my race.  They explained to me that I wasn't going to make the allowed time and asked me to get on the bus again.  I insisted on finishing, so they let me, but all of the people directing where to go disappeared so it was just me and a handful of Japanese people who decided to finish trying to find our way back to the finish line.  I thought it was rather rude of them to treat us like this at the time, but later I found out this was common practice over here.  So that made me feel a little better. 

Still, I finished in 3 hours 10 min and that includes the amount of time added on to talk to them and wait for all the stop lights getting back afterwards since they weren't blocking traffic anymore.  So, I could've made the time limit and gotten my official certificate if they hadn't packed up and left.  That makes me a little sad.

BUT I came hobbling into the stadium and did my victory lap around the track to be greeted by by husband and O running up to hug me at the finish line.  BEST MOMENT EVER!  And several of my friends were there too, lol.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience and one I recommend every person who is able strive to do once in their life.  Happy Running everyone!  :D

Nago Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri)

The cherry blossom bloom on Okinawa a few months earlier than they do on the mainland.  Mostly because of our tropical weather and the fact that it gets warmer here much sooner.  As a result, the Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festivals) here on island also happen earlier in the year.

We've been on the island for a month now.  I was starting to wonder when I was ever going to get to hear my husband play again.  The band always seems to be busy, but they don't have many public events here on island.  So I was excited to finally go and see them at the Nago Cherry Blossom Festival.

O loves to hear the music but is also very curious.  So while the band played we checked out the surrounding stands and interacted with the people in the crowd.  It's a good thing we did too, cause we had to leave with the band shortly after the performance.  Hopefully next year we'll get to check out the festivities a little more.

Next year I hope to take a nice stroll up to the Nago Castle Ruins.  I hear they make an excellent place to observe the Cherry Blossoms (if they had not bloomed later than usual this year).  Apparently Nago Chou Park has some 20,000 Taiwan Cherry trees.

The festival also takes place in other parts of Nago (Sakura Park, the Nago Main Crossroad, and at Nago Fishing Port) offering local music and dance performances, a parade, vendors and games.

III MEF Band takes the stage.

The only Cherry Blossom Tree in sight that was blooming.  Apparently all the trees bloomed a week after the festival.