early mornings

I sometimes wonder if my decision to get up early each morning in Tokyo can be likened to some of the tactical decisions I made when I was a kid running in a school cross country event. Storm out of the blocks to lead the pack for at least the first 1/4 of the race. Also power up the hills in an attempt to make the pain finish as soon as possible. Only to find on each and every occassion that these tactics resulted in me finishing well towards the end of the pack and the supposed one "lap of honor" around the athletic oval, in front of a grandstand packed with fellow schools students, to reach the finish line was usually a humiliating, stumbling, wobbly-legged walk punctuated by feeble gasps for breath. Ah Yes, the memories.

Seems I have never really learnt from that embarrassment.