Nothing like home

And I mean it in all senses.

I'd rather be jet-lagged in this part of the world, in my own space and lifestyle - which includes reading blogs and catching up on what I've missed since we left on holiday.

"Half" seems to be the buzzword for 2006, by the looks of things:

Jennifer P: Hypothermic Half Marathon, Feb 26; Winnipeg Police Half Marathon, Apr 30
Massoman: Cowtown Half Marathon, Feb 25
Runner Susan: Austin Half Marathon, Feb 19; Big D Half Marathon, Apr 2
TryAthlete: IM Half-asleep, Jan 3, Jan 4, Jan 5, Jan 6
Jen C: Hartford Half Marathon ... but when?
M: I gather you're training for one, but I don't know which.
Andrea: What about that half marathon you were considering? Go on. New shoes.

Summary of the week in Singapore:
The Good
Seeing my two-year-old niece for the first time. She's so cute, the 7000 miles to get there seems worth it.

The weather - which is normally a blazing 34C/94F each day, but a cooler 29/86F for the whole time we were there.

Turtle-feeding! Especially at a pond where the sign says "Do not feed the turtles"!

I got a pair of spectacles made within 2 days, compared to 10-14 days it takes in the UK. And - I'm not exaggerating - they were 5 times cheaper!

The not-so-Good
Singapore is renowned for its variety of food from different cultures, but vegetarian food appears to be "meat dishes, without the meat". If you're a vegan, emigrate.

I'm such a misfit with the whole place - family, culture, environment - that I remember why I left two summers ago, and I realise I was right to do so. And at the back of my mind there is the realisation of the sad fact that visits like these will get increasingly fewer in the future.

Still, I had a nice time, but there's absolutely nothing like being in your own place. The weather in London is cold and dreary, but I'm ... loving it.

Cardio sessions done since Xmas: zero

In Singapore, I was going to get myself a new pair of Nikes, because they're far cheaper there, and work a bit towards #50. However my parents, who are generous (but notorious for giving people loads of souvenirs and other junk the people don't need in spite of their protestations) heaped such a humongous load on us that I had to forget about buying anything for myself, because I seriously didn't have any more space to carry it back in. Does dragging half your bodyweight in luggage through the airport qualify as cardio? I know they meant well, and I didn't want to hurt their feelings by not bringing the stuff back, so I had to grudgingly carry back all that tack, even though it meant transferring their junk 7000 miles to store in my house. Anyone for keychains, and calendars with Chinese horoscopes on them? Or how about 20 DVDs of a Korean programme that I wouldn't watch - a programme that has such appeal, my dad proudly states, that "even the President of China watches it"?

Being back in my own place means getting back into the routine of cardio and all again. Weights tonight, I think. This year I also hope to do more fartleks, and stretch more often. Pavel Nurmi, a running great, reputedly did only speed training is his first few years, because "I already know how to run slowly. I need to learn how to run fast." And call me lazy, but I'm also going to try to lower my half-marathon time by not running more than 13.1 miles each week. It should be an interesting experiment in running economy!