Dokkodo: Lonesome Road of Running

I set off just before 6:00 AM.  My time enjoying the views of the East Coast was over for the day.  A slight error in my Google Maps route selection forced me to change course and ride over 50 kilometers.  I had to go inland at some point, so I chose North Route 37 and  Route 102. After crossing a 370-meter pass, I came across another pass, followed by a series of small ups and downs.  The gradient was about 10 percent.  It was raining on and off.  I still had my rain suit on.  After 42 kilometers, I arrived in Ruifang, with only 10 kilometers to go.  I entered Keelung City just after 4:00 AM, and at the bottom of the mountain was the port. It was my first night run, and it was raining.  I felt quite dangerous weaving between the bikes and cars.  I finally arrived at the hostel after 6:00 AM, having completed 51 kilometers.  This was the longest distance I'd covered in Taiwan.  Despite my exhaustion, I had to disassemble m...

  Set off at 6:30am and had beef rice for breakfast at a nearby restaurant.  The morning drizzle turned to rain, but the sun came out in the afternoon and the blue sky became visible.  I headed northeast again towards the sea.  The route was mostly flat. A woman on a motorbike gave us food and drinks, as well as a 1000 yuan note, which I was so grateful for!  I passed through Toucheng and came across several small towns, and couldn't find any accommodation so I considered sleeping outdoors, but fortunately I found a hostel in front of the Dali station and checked in straight away.  It got a little hot, but I managed to finish the 37.6km. *Today's Distance: 37.6km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 783.6kmkm * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

Left the guesthouse at 8:30 AM.  It was drizzling with occasional cloudy skies.  I replaced a worn tire at a bicycle shop in Hualien City.  It was 11.8 km to Hualien Station.  It seemed like a train was coming soon, so I got on with the buggy.  It was my first time ever taking a train with a buggy.  The distance was about 100 km, and the ride took an hour and a half.  I got off at Suaoxin Station just before 3 PM.  I wanted to get out on the east side of the station, but the elevator to ground level was out for maintenance.  I had no choice but to leave on the west side, take a 1.5 km detour, and get onto the road on the east side.  I arrived at the free space in Wujie, Yilan I'd been told about a little after 4:30 PM.  I'll be staying there tonight. I had dinner with the Okusa couple, who were introduced to me by a friend.  It'd been a hectic day, but everything went smoothly. Thankfully. *Today's Distance: 18.6km  Total ...

Started at 6:00 AM. Cloudy skies, 22 degrees.  There were plenty of ups and downs.  I entered the mountains and passed two mountain passes, but I easily cleared them.  There were six tunnels, but after the third one, there were four in a row.  I returned to the coast and it started raining in the afternoon.  On rainy days, there's no place to shelter, and no place to rest.  I was delighted to find a 7-Eleven, hidden from Google Maps, just 5 kilometers from the finish.  Later, my friend, Hasshi-na (Ohashi-kun), who was on a whirlwind Taiwan tour from Shiga Prefecture, came to the hotel by bus and taxi. What a big surprise!! We had a pasta at the restaurant next to the hotel.  Meeting the people you want to meet requires passion, the desire to do what you want, the way you want.  That day, I realized that finding something that moves you is more important than impressing others. *Today's Distance: 40.6km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 727.4...

Started just after 6am, when the heavy rain had subsided.  I headed north on Provincial Highway 11 again today.  The only convenience store was 34km away.  A bicycle race was being held in the rain.  The cyclists were also having a hard time in the rain.  As soon as I entered Hualien County from Taitung County, I crossed the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5 degrees north latitude.  From here onwards, I'm in the temperate zone.  The rain came and went intermittently.  I hadn't worn my rain suit since morning.  Fortunately, it wasn't too hot. The wind blew hard at times, but I didn't mind it.  Checked into a hostel in Fengbin at 3:30pm.  I was so grateful and moved to have been able to complete another day safely! *Today's Distance: 33.4km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 686.8kmkm * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

I left the inn at 8:30am, had breakfast at a nearby Family Mart, and started again just after 9am.  The distance was short, so I took it easy.  There were several rest areas with gazebos along the coast where I could sit, which was nice.  The wind was still strong, with a maximum instantaneous wind speed of around 11 meters per second today.  It was mostly cloudy, with a maximum temperature of 27 degrees.  In the afternoon, the drizzle turned into light rain, but thanks to that, I hardly felt hot at all.  I took two breaks at convenience stores.  I checked into the hostel in Changbin at 3pm.  I stayed in a dormitory again today, but there might not be any other guests there. *Today's Distance: 22.2km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 653.4kmkm * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

Started from Dulan just before 6am.  I took three breaks at convenience stores and one at what looked like an activity center.  The wind was calm in the morning, but gusty in the afternoon.  The weather was generally good.  I enjoyed the sea and mountain views again today.  I arrived at Chenggong Hostel at 3:30pm.  I checked in just before 4am. Today I covered 38.1km. *Today's Distance: 38.1km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 631.2kmkm * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

Left Taimali just before 6am.  It was cloudy and the temperature was a very comfortable 24 degrees.  Today I continued along the Hualien Highway, mostly along the east coast.  From noon it started to drizzle, then rain, but at this time of year it feels better to get wet than to wear a rain suit.  I arrived in Donghe Dulan early at 1pm, but killed time at a 7-Eleven until check-in time at 3pm.  The hostel owner was a very friendly person who loved traveling, and apparently a big Pokemon fan. *Today's Distance: 35.4km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 593.1km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

Started just before 6am.  The wind was a headwind, as expected.  At times it was so strong that I couldn't move forward.  The temperature was 24 degrees, but the wind made it feel even cooler.  I stopped at convenience stores three times.  I was overtaken once by a group of three Germans, and met up again at a Family Mart along the way.  Today they were heading to Taitung City.  I continued running in silence, concentrating despite the headwind.  At 3:30pm, I had completed 40.7km. I'm ashamed to say that this was the first time I had covered over 40km in Taiwan.  The fatigue from crossing the mountain pass yesterday seemed to have vanished.  I was able to relax in a quiet, laid-back guesthouse. *Today's Distance: 40.7km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 557.7kmkm * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

Started just before 6am.  The 5km before joining Route 199 was a steep gradient of over 10%.  It was quite disheartening.  From Route 199 onwards, the climb was fairly gentle.  I arrived at Kotobuki Pass at 9:30am.  I started descending from there, with small ups and downs along the way.  I took a break at a small shop in Daren.  After joining Route 9, the road was quiet for a while.  There were hardly any cars, except for the occasional cyclist on a circumnavigation of the island.  I finally found a convenience store when I returned to Route 9.  There were no convenience stores at all yesterday.  I checked into a hotel in Dawu at 3pm.  A group of three senior German cyclists had arrived earlier. It was not a long day but hill climbs and heavy head wind knocked me down. *Today's Distance: 28.2km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 517kmkm * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

  I left Zhaoling Temple where I stayed for two nights, just before 6am.  It wasn't raining, but the wind was strong.  I followed County Route 200, a road with moderate ups and downs.  I occasionally spotted wild monkeys.  I joined Route 26 at Gangzai and headed straight for Xuhai.  It was a deserted area with few shops, people, or cars, but the sea and mountain scenery was magnificent.  There was a fairly strong headwind, but it didn't bother me too much.  This route probably isn't very popular, but I was overtaken several times by Caucasian cyclists.  When I called out to them, I found that many of them were Dutch. *Today's Distance: 29.4km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 488.8km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

I took a day-off.  Typhoon is heading to Vietnam but wind is still strong. There comes tough and hard hill climbing from Manzhou. That's why I need to save my power for tomorrow.  Did a laundry, went shopping at downtown, ate lunch(fried rice) and enjoyed coffee. Walked around town, which was very small. *Today's Distance: 0km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 459.4km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

  I set off at 6am in the rain.  19km from Hengchun to the southernmost point, with a strong tailwind all the way there.  The rain stopped by the time I reached the southernmost point, but then a strong headwind hit.  I couldn't move forward. I needed more than twice the usual leg strength.  Today, I was given some treats again, met a Taiwanese couple who are birdwatching enthusiasts, and when I asked a woman at a grocery store about lodging, she introduced me to a temple... I had many happy encounters.  The second half of the run had a moderate amount of ups and downs, and at 3:30pm, after running 36.9km, I finished at a temple in Manzhou. I ended up staying the night there. *Today's Distance: 36.9km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 459.4km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

I started at 5:40am.  The highway offered views of the ocean and mountains.  I stopped off at convenience stores a few times.  I met a Danish father and son cyclists at a 7-Eleven in the afternoon and enjoyed a short conversation.  Many cyclists and drivers cheered me on along the way, which kept me going on. After the Circumnavigation Route 1 ended, I continued south on Route 26.  It seemed like there were suddenly more cyclists in this area, but perhaps it was because it was the weekend?  I arrived in the town of Hengchun just after 3pm.  The 32.8km run.  Even though it was 31 degrees, the wind made it feel quite cool. *Today's Distance: 32.8km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 422.5km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

  I started at 6am.  The temperature was 26-31 degrees and very humid.  After Route 17, I followed the busy Circum-Island Route 1.  Apparently, some convenience stores are displayed on Google Maps, while others aren't.  Along the way, I came across a 7-Eleven that had gone out of business.  The scenery changed to one of ocean and mountain views.  I was given a drink as a gift again today.  I chatted with a local guy at the convenience store.  I checked into a guesthouse in Fangshan just after 3pm.  My accommodation for the night was a Mongolian tent.  Tomorrow, I'll finally reach the southernmost tip of Taiwan.  My circum-island trek (around Taiwan) is almost half complete. *Today's Distance: 28.2km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 389.7km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

I started at 5:40 AM from Ahiruya Guesthouse in Kaohsiung City.  I continued south to Dapeng Bay. I crossed a mountain along the way, but the entire mountain was a cemetery.  The cemeteries there resembled those in Okinawa.  I mainly followed Provincial Highway 17, which had a lot of traffic.  After crossing Dapeng Bay, the roads became quieter.  There were quite a few convenience stores.  The ocean breeze somewhat alleviated the heat.  Just after 3 PM, after running 32.5 kilometers, I thought I'd arrived at my lodging, but emails with the owner revealed that it was a different lodging with a similar name.  I've made this mistake before. I need to double-check the name and address of the lodging.   I run another 5.7 kilometers south and checked in around 5 PM.  A total of 38.2 kilometers. I'm exhausted! *Today's Distance: 38.2km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 361.5km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

  I'm in my second week of my circumnavigation of Taiwan.  I've been running for six days straight since leaving Taichung.  Avoiding runs longer than 40km in the scorching heat, I started as early as sunrise whenever possible, and took breaks every 5km during the day to cool down.  Perhaps because I drank less water and sugar on non-running days, my appetite didn't decrease, so I bought a bento box and ate it for lunch.  I went to PX Mart in the morning to stock up, so I could prepare for the sudden disappearance of stores and towns.  Just walking for 30 minutes made me sweat. *Today's Distance: 0km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 323.3km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

  Starting at 5:40 AM, the temperature quickly rose.  I managed to cover nearly 30 kilometers in the morning.  Once I left Kaohsiung City and headed south toward the east coast, I knew there would be many areas without convenience stores, so I tried not to rely on them.  I soon entered Kaohsiung City, but my accommodation was still about 30 kilometers away.  The city was crowded with motorbikes, cars, and people.  However, from here on, I would enjoy the quiet of Taiwan for a while.  I checked into a guesthouse called Ahiru-ya in Kaohsiung City at 3:30 PM.  The dormitory was large, and some staff members spoke Japanese.  I stopped in the restaurant for the first time since Taichung and had beef noodles. *Today's Distance: 39.3km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 323.3km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

  Tomorrow I'll complete my journey across Tainan City, and then I'll head to Kaohsiung City.  I started late at 8am, but it was incredibly hot again today, with the temperature reaching 33 degrees in the afternoon.  Thanks for the drinks! Everyday someone gives me food and drinks! I cooled down my heated body at a convenience store and slowly made progress.  Tainan City is crowded with people, cars, and motorbikes, so it's dangerous if you don't drive carefully to avoid collisions.  Today I'm staying at a lovely B&B in Rende District, nestled in the quiet countryside. *Today's Distance: 21.3km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 284km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

  I started at 5:30 in the morning.  The temperature ranged from 25 to 33 degrees.  There was a tailwind today, so the heat was somewhat less.  I passed through areas with many corn fields and dairy farms.  Two men brought us lots of treats along the way.  Even if they give us more than we can eat, we always eat it...  It was a happy cry.  I took a few breaks at convenience stores.  In sections where there were no convenience stores, I took roadside breaks in the shade of trees.  Folding chairs were very useful.  It was difficult to find accommodation during the long weekend, and the one we managed to get was quite expensive at 1,480 NTD.  But it was a nice room.  Tomorrow I'll head to central Tainan. *Today's Distance: 36.3km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 262.7km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

I started at 5:40 AM.  The dim light before sunrise was cool and refreshing.  It was my first time seeing the sunrise in Taiwan.  The sun soon got stronger, and the temperature rose above 30 degrees just after 9 AM.  Although it was 33 degrees, it felt much warmer.  The lack of a convenience store (and no shade at all) along the 10-kilometer stretch was a real pain.  When I reached a Family Mart 6 kilometers before the guesthouse, it felt like I'd found an oasis in the desert.  I stocked up on food at the convenience store and checked into the guesthouse in Lucao just before 5 AM.  I'm so grateful, so touched, and so grateful to have made it safely today! *Today's Distance: 37.1km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 226.4km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

  At 5:30 AM, I checked out of the B&B and headed to a restaurant where I could have breakfast, but due to a misunderstanding, I ended up at the wrong restaurant.  I had no choice but to skip breakfast.  While I was taking a break at a Family Mart, a local man who had seen me on YouTube came by on his motorbike with his son, who is a high school student, to show his support.  We talked for about an hour and he even brought me some treats.  The temperature rose to 34°C in the afternoon.  It was a good idea to limit myself to around 30km per day.  I checked into a hotel in Dounan City at exactly 3:00 PM.  It was an old hotel. It smelled of cigarettes, but it was only 790 yuan.  They couldn't use the washing machine, so I washed my clothes by hand in the bathroom. *Today's Distance :30.7km Total Distance from Taoyuan:189.3km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Playlist

I started at 5:40am, in the twilight before sunrise. Taichung City is such a big city that it took quite a while to get through it. I took the main Route 1, but also took various parallel roads to Tianwei Township. The highest temperature was 34°C. It was easier to ride when it was cloudy and breezy. The run was fairly smooth for the first 20km. There was a lot of traffic. Not as much as in Vietnam, but motorbikes are still the main means of transportation for the general public. At intersections, groups of around 10 motorbikes always stop in groups, then start off all at once. It can be quite dangerous if I'm not careful. Convenience stores are usually dotted here and there on major roads. I mostly went to convenience stores for meals and rest stops. I wanted to go to a restaurant, but the edible food was limited. There was a bit of a shortage of vegetables. I found a well and poured water over my head. Cold well water is the best! I entered Tianwei Township and found my lodging i...

My body is almost ready to give up after running in the heat day after day. If it weren't for the heat and humidity, I should be able to cover 40km every day without taking a day off, but I'm not going to push myself in this weather. So, I woke up leisurely this morning, took a hot shower, and had breakfast. After sending out email newsletters and organizing my data, I headed out into town before noon and had braised pork rice (lu rou fan) for lunch (pictured above).  I stopped by 7-Eleven to do some groceries. My appetite is finally starting to return. On my days off, I focus on recovering from fatigue. The key to getting stronger is to train without breaking down. Let's get ready for tomorrow's runs. *Today's distance: 0km Total distance from start: 121.5km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Play List

I started just before 6:00 AM.  It was best to run while it was cool.  The run down the mountain to Taichung City was mostly downhill.  Fortunately, the heat wasn't too unbearable.  I enjoyed frequent stops at convenience stores to cool off. I arrived in Taichung City just before 2:00 AM and searched for a charging cable for my MacBook, which was broken a few days ago.  I found an electronics store right next to my hotel and found the genuine part, so I bought it immediately.  It's amazing how quickly I can find what I'm looking for!  I checked into the hotel early.  Thanks to the kind owner, I was able to stay in a private double room instead of a dormitory.  After showering and doing laundry, I decided to walk to Fengjia Night Market, just a five-minute walk away.  It was my first time eating hot food at a food stall in Taiwan.  The night market was bustling with elementary and middle school kids.  It reminded me of the festi...

I started at 6am.  It gets hot quickly these days. By 10am the temperature was over 30 degrees.  Today I was passing through a lot of hilly areas.  Route 13 was quiet and easy to go.  I took frequent breaks at convenience stores.  My appetite was slowly returning.  I hadn't eaten anything other than convenience store food yet.  I'm splitting my run into two parts to Taichung City, so today's run was 20.3km.  There was a long wait at the convenience store.  It would be easier to run if it was cloudy and windy, but... Last 100m was a very steep hill!! *Today's Distance 20.3km  Total Distance from Taoyuan: 89.3km * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Play List

I started late, at 8:30 AM.  By 9 AM the temperature was over 30 degrees.  I stopped at convenience stores, initially planning to stop every 5 kilometers, but before I knew it, I was stopping every 2-3 kilometers.  Convenience stores are an oasis in the city.  The heat continues.  Today, I ate a lot of cold food, sugar, and fluids.  Two locals brought me some treats.  My distance is still 31.4 kilometers, but I guess this is the best I can do in this heat. * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Play List

  I left Taoyuan City at 5:45 AM, going from Route 31 to Route 1.  There were bicycle lanes, but I ran along the side of the road in the city.  There were no convenience stores until the 20km mark, so I ran almost nonstop.  The temperature rose to 33°C in the afternoon, and I was exhausted from the heat.  I was suffering from mild heatstroke.  I drank too much cold water, so I couldn't eat anything.  It took a long time to cover the 37.6km, probably because my body wasn't used to the heat. * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Play List

  Before the start of Run Around Taiwan, I need one more day here in Taoyuan. Walked around the hotel. Checked some convenience stores. Even at convenience stores, we can enjoy Taiwanese food! * Today's Photo Album * YouTube Play List

  Hello from Taiwan!  Here I am in Taoyuan.  Now I'm getting ready for my run around Taiwan.  Don't miss my post.  Stay tuned for this page!! See PhotoAlbum