This semester, I joined my host father’s best friends community running club. This long distance informal running club meets twice a week to run from Katsura station to various iconic locations throughout Kyoto. I joined them once a week on Saturday or Sunday mornings.

A lot of the members of the group were training for a 100 kilometer race in early October, so I was really pushed to run further than I had ever before, even completing my first half-marathon. We went on runs to Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari, and various other iconic locations in Kyoto. Not only did I have the opportunity to push myself physically, but I also had the opportunity to push myself linguistically as I would be running for multiple hours engaging with and getting to know other members of the community. My favorite part was the fact that after our morning run, I would be so proud of myself for getting out of bed and immediately accomplishing two really difficult things: running over 15 kilometers and practicing Japanese with native speakers.

I would really recommend this CIP to people who are willing to push themselves to the max. As a casual runner who would run maybe twice a month before doing this, this definitely would push me physically and mentally. However, even if running is not your thing, I would recommend any KCJS student to do a CIP that takes them out of their comfort zone and pushes them to their limits. Running, just like the process of learning Japanese, is something that is painful and difficult, but it is the fact that it is a challenge that makes the process worthwhile and satisfying.