Irvine Runs

I spent a week in Irvine, CA and put in some nice runs while I stayed there.

A lake at William R. Mason Regional Park.

It is a very spacious park.

I crossed Culver Drive over to Sand Canyon Wash Trail. 

A view of the trail from a hill.

A view of Quail Hill area from Ridgeline Drive.

Houses on the hill - seen from Turtle Rock Drive.

The local university sign at Campus Drive & Culver Drive.

Anteater Express Buses.

A pedestrian bridge in the campus.

Aldrich Park is a circular green area in the middle of the campus.

New Swan Shakespeare Theater

Students walking by the library.

A view towards the pedestrian bridge to University Center from Pereia Drive.

Stores at University Center.

AFC Half Marathon and San Diego

My wife and I participated in A Half Marathon in San Diego .

Cabrillo National Monument at the tip of Point Loma - close from this point, the run started at 7:00.

A view of San Diego Harbor from Point Loma.

At the starting line - 8,000 people participated in the run.

Runners saluting the American national flag before the run - with the National Anthem.

The half marathon was fast paced the first part of the run for it was mainly down hill along the peninsula of Point Loma.  Then the middle part was pretty flat - running through residential area and along the harbor.  But towards the end of the run - was a long up hill - through downtown San Diego, ending up at Balboa Park.  It really was a tough hill!  This URL shows maps and up and downs of the race.

After the run - finishers getting photos taken.

Race Day Festival by the Finish Line.

My bib and the finisher's medal.

The view of San Diego Harbor from my hotel - so nice.

We could visit SeaWorld to see Shamu show.

We also had a very nice and relaxed dinner at a restaurant at Mission Beach.

Terelj National Park

One of the days I stayed in Mongolia, I was lucky to be able to visit Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.  There, I could go for a very enjoyable run in the beautiful park.

This is the Ger lodge we stayed.

This is the beginning of my run - there were local farmers had these cows.

Rolling hills were vast and beautiful.

I encountered these herd of horses.

The guide told me these beautiful little flowers were Edelweiss.

There were many other cute little flowers, too.

Not very far from the National Park was Chinggis Khan Equestrian Statue 

I also saw these camels.

These are yaks. 

Ulaanbaatar Run

I had an opportunity to visit Mongolia. I could enjoy running in the city of Ulaanbaatar.

The statue of the Beatles - it really is a monument for a sad past.

The back side of the statue.

A modern graffiti on a wall by the railroad.

More graffiti - is it Domo?

Railway Museum - Stalin train.  He is no longer a popular figure in Mongolia.

Ulaanbaatar Train Station.

Statues at Skhubaatar Square - Chinggis Khan and his generals.

Close-up of the Great Khan statue.  He is the unchallenged hero of this country.

Gandantegchinlen Monastery

Dog food advertisement - do we really want to feed them that?

The weather was cool and it was fun to run there.

Kichijoji and Around

Kichijoji Station is going through further renovation.

Iseya, a famous yakitori restaurant by Inokashira Park is finally taking its shape after its demolition about 1 year ago.

A baseball field is supposed to be built here - right by Ghibli Museum.

The steps by Benzaiten Shrine needs to be fixed.