The pores in the head opened slowly and micro droplets were squeezed out. They merged to form a thin line of sweat that meandered slowly through the hairs. The many tiny rivulets flowing through the hairs gently massaged the scalp tickling it lightly and merged to form big drop. It poised gingerly on the top of the head, and as I took the next step, it rolled across the forehead rapidly, sliding down the nose then then gently falling into the road, a light moist spray touching the lips. The dry tongue longing for wetness darted from inside and the mouth caught the spray spreading the salty taste of pure sweat across.

Like wildebeests in the Masai river crossing, waiting for the first one to take the step across so that they can follow mindlessly, the other drops followed this drop, falling off the face from all directions. The tiny balls of sweat gently caressed the face, a blissful feeling that I did not want to wipe away with a handkerchief. It was wonderfully mindful and this continued for quite a few kilometres. 

Running is not just about two feet and a Garmin with eyes darting at time and distance, it is about feeling every sensation, dispassionately observing it, and getting lost in time by being completely immersed with oneself. 

The above was my experience during the 10km Thursday morning run at Tokyo, on a warm and humid day, breaking my new shoes. The New Balance Response 2.0 snugly fitted my feet, the soles more flexible and lighter than my Nike Pegasus 2 making the first run in these shoes very pleasurable.

The Friday morning run of 10km turned out be cooler due to a mild drizzle. This would be the last one in this trip before I head back on Sat. Not a bad week, with the mileage counter at 50km despite spending two days of the week in planes. Sayonara Tokyo. Next week promises to be interesting with the 1200km brevet “Bliss in the hills” starting Wed evening.