Good race! Now here's your kimchi and tofu!

This past weekend Svein and I did our first Korean road race in Dadaepo, which is on the outskirts of Busan. We met up with some other running friends the night before and checked out the area.

Dadaepo has a really cool fountain - probably the biggest and best fountain, choreographed with music and lights, in the world. Or at least that's what they want you to think.

Luckily our friend Jill found us a love motel after hours of searching. If you don't know what a love motel is, it's basically a place for Korean lovers and the "occasional" older male and his lady companion...err... prostitute, to go and make love time. Anyways, a typical love motel will include the following things:
1)  A large car park on the ground level with a concealing barricade of hanging ropes.. This is very convenient as the older gentleman can quickly swoop his "lady companion" into the closest love making room without being seen.
2) Darkly light hallways equipped with the random condom dispenser.
3) A circular bed that looks like it's seen it's fair share of visitors.

4) An endless supply of shampoo, creams, hair brush, toothpaste and personal lubricant.
5) There is no paper trail - everything is paid for in cash and there is no request for ID or name.
6) 9 times out of 10 you will find prostitute business cards - with topless pictures - on the steps of the building. Just in case you forgot your own prostitute. 
Now, mind you, not every love motel is like this. Our was, but we've heard that there are quite a few swanky motels out there with computers, flat screen TVs and even rectangular beds.

So, onto the race.....

The morning of the race was pretty gloomy. We entered the 5km race and were given a 'beautiful' sky blue hiking style polo shirt, our race number and a very official looking booklet with all the runners names and race information. The race site was right on the beach and quite a few people registered - ~2,500 people! Before the start of the race there was quite a bit of talking, in Korean, so we can't really say what as said. There was one point in the middle of the 5km starting announcements where the game show host-like announcer quickly walked towards me (Sarah)  and said, 'oh, foreigner, very beautiful! What's your name?!" haha I was surprised as I was definitely not paying attention to what was going on! "Sarah McBean" was my response and he mumbled something in Korean, walked away and everyone else laughed.

The race was alright, however, it did get kind of windy on the way back. Svein decided to run with the 10km pack, even though he was registered in the 5km. The 5km race didn't have official chip timing, so, we thought it was just going to be a fun run. Svein was looking for more competition in the 10km.  This later came to haunt him as you will soon find out. Svein ended up burning out at 2.5km as he struggled to maintain pace with one of the elite Korean women. So, he dropped out of the 10km race that he wasn't officially registered in to begin with. "Why not join up with the 5km race and run with Sarah", Svein thought! I was pretty happy to have him pace me as I felt as though this race, like most, wasn't going to be a good one. So, as we passed the finish line I was given a 3rd place finish lanyard. All of the volunteers kept clapping as we got water and I didn't really understand what the big deal was. I soon found out that I was going to have to stand up on a podium with the 1st and 2nd place finishers for the 5km. Oh yay. haha

We waited around for the rest of the races to finish up - the 10km and the half marathon - and all received bags with Pomegranate Korean vinegar drink (yum! :S),  bananas, red bean buns and juice boxes. This was more than welcomed as the traditional post-race fuel in Korea is.....wait for it...... kimchi and tofu. That's right, kimchi and tofu! I don't know what kind of carbohydrate replenishment is in kimchi, or tofu, but it doesn't seem like the best thing to eat after a race! Regardless, everyone dives right into the plates of kimchi and tofu - some may even have a glass of magulli (korean rice liquor). Only in Korea!

Eventually the awards ceremony started and I was called to the stadium, "Mcbean SERA!" was announced. Up on the stage I was given a heavy blue suede box with a big glass trophy inside and an envelope with 100,000 won (approximately $90)! This was a huge surprise and definitely a good one! Svein, oh poor svein, was not very happy with the fact that he thought there was no prize money for the 5km race. Oops, I guess there was! His motivation to run and increase his fitness is greater than it has ever been since we've arrived in Korea haha!

So, overall, the race was a great experience! We're both looking forward to the next one which will be in June - the Gimhae mountain race! This one will be 10km of uphill and downhill running! Wish us luck!

**A few photos courtesy of Jill - I hope you don't mind! :)