Exercise update

Yesterday, I reached two milestones in my fitness training. One, I am now as fast as I was 25 years ago. I was a pretty small back then and a terrible runner but I'm glad to be back to speed and endurance now. I am proud but embarrassed at how out of shape I let myself become.

My second milestone is even more embarrassing and probably incomprenhensible to most Koreans. I sweat, a lot. When my shirt becomes salty, it rubs and irritates my nipples. Yes, I'm a 37 year old male complaining about sore nipples.

At a sports camp I worked at ten years ago, I shaved part of my chest and taped them. It was a little tough to explain but I could explain, everyone knew English. I don't think I'll be doing that and going to the Health Club.

Luckily, I found a suggestion at Answerbag:

If you find that you get blisters, try out some of the
running socks sold by the running stores. Double-layered
ones work well. They are more expensive than cheap
"sports" socks, but if you have blister problems, then
they are well worth it. Another good trick is to apply
Vaseline to your feet before running. Vaseline also
works well if your nipples get sore.

I guess that's what I'll be doing. If anyone cares, I'm up to 5km and 30 minutes. Next visit, I'll try 80kg on the bench press. The big fitness news is that I'm down a kg. I want to get to 85kg and so have 7 more to go.

Humiliation (2) (and pride)

In the past month, I have ran 103 km. I am excited enough to now attempt 50km in the next ten days. I know that's really not that much, but its more than I have done in any two months in the past fifteen years.

That's the pride part.

In the photo below, you might think my nipples are sticking out a little, but really those are Vaseline stains on my shirt. I mentioned a few years ago that my nipples chaffed and burned during a long run and that Vaseline was a good preventative. I didn't know then that the dang stuff would stain my shirt. I might as well sew on a scarlet letter (not an 'A', though. Well, maybe, but for different reasons) as everyone will see my shame.

Nude Beach News

I guess talking about beaches during this time of year ensures people don't forget about them. Still, it seems strange timing to discuss beaches. With or without bathing suits, there would be some sharp nipples at these temperatures.

Anyway, Jeju is considering opening a nude beach.

Jeju provincial government will firstly examine whether the measure would entail any legal problems, and then install necessary facilities for nude sunbathing, including changing rooms, on beaches favored by foreigners. Potential nude beaches include Jungmun Beach, which is connected to luxury hotels in the Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex, and Hamdeok Beach, which is the most popular among vacationers.

"If a nude beach is created in Jeju, it will become the first of its kind in Korea. It will boast openness comparable to famous ocean resorts in Europe and Australia," said Lee Jong-man, Chief of the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Bureau of Jeju Provincial Government.

I see the beaches are intended to attract foreign tourists. Australia, which is mentioned as a model, has lots of foreign tourists (more on that in a later post) but also a domestic population that enjoys topless beaches. The same is true in Europe. I don't think there are that many Koreans who would use the beach - I mean use the beach topless or nude; I am sure there are many who would use it for photography practice.

Indeed, in 2008, a beach near Sokcho was a site for nude photography: Finally on Sunday is a "Sokcho Beach Nude" . Whatever it is, it costs 20,000won, starts at 9:00am and involves nude photos.

There were plans, or discussions for a nude beach in Gangwon, but I haven't heard anything come of them (and I see the link in that post here from 2005 doesn't work any more). Here is what I quoted four years ago: The province's environment, tourism and culture bureau has been toying with different ideas for new tourist attractions, including a nude beach.

``We are going to conduct a series of surveys on tourists this summer about their opinions on a nude beach along the east coast,'' provincial official Lee Myun-ki said.

The link to the Nomad is also dead as he closed his blog a year or more ago. Gee, I could really be talking out my ass for all the working references I have.