Walt Disney world, Orlando, Florida. The happiest place on Earth? Maybe. The happiest marathon ever? Not exactly.

I have to admit that I didn’t train properly for this marathon, but the worst part was that I under-estimated how cruel the sun of the Sunshine State could be. Not as advertised or hoped we would have an average 40-50 degrees temperature in January, in fact, on Sunday January 7th, the marathon race day, runners had to run under almost 80 degrees and extreme humidity.

I stopped at every water stop and replenished myself with as much liquid as I could acquire; I ate some banana; I greeted to Mickey Mouse and seven dwarfs. I tried my best, but the weather defeated me and my legs almost failed me. I was happy at least when the race started with amazing fireworks; I was happy at least for the first half of the marathon when the sun wasn’t able to force my eyes shut and I managed to maintain my training pace. Then, my respiratory and perspiration rate skyrocketed along with the temperature. I believed that I saw steam coming out of the pavement. I was even convinced that the smile of the evil step-mother of Snow White was sincere. No wonder desperate desert travelers see mirages.

At least I reached the finish line with four hours, forty-six minutes, and thirty-eight seconds of struggle – all because of Mickey Mouse. The cute, golden, Mickey Mouse finish medal allured me more than the first apple did to Adam and Eve.

Here is the whole story:


他們說，佛羅里達最老牌的迪斯奈，是地球上最快樂的地方，嗯，也許。但這個馬拉松是最快樂的馬拉松？那可未必。

好啦！我是得先承認沒有針對這次的馬拉松，做好萬全的訓練，不過最失策的地方，還是在太太太小看陽光州陽光的威力了。和廣告的或是期盼的，說一月平均溫度大概在華式四五十度之間相左；事實上，星期天，一月七日，跑者必須在濕度極高，以及溫度接近華式八十度的情況下，跑完全程。

我已經在每個水站拼命地喝水，喝運動飲料，也吃了些香蕉，還和米老鼠、七矮人相見歡，互打招呼。已經很盡力了，卻還是被天氣整慘，腿也差點報廢了。哎呀，至少開幕的時候，那場漂亮的煙火讓我頂高興的；至少，前半段太陽的威力還不足以逼迫雙眼迷濛，還得以維持訓練的速度，我也是頂高興的。只是，很快的，呼吸和流汗的頻率，隨著溫度不合理的攀高，也直衝頂端。我發誓我看到從柏油路面發散出來的陣陣熱浪；甚至白雪公主的邪惡母后的笑容，也顯得相當誠懇。難怪，沙漠中絕望的旅人會看到海市蜃樓。

至少過了四小時、四十六分鐘、三十八秒的掙扎，我越過了終點線，全都為了米老鼠。那可愛的、黃澄澄的米老鼠完成獎牌，比伊甸園中那顆智慧的蘋果吸引夏娃，還要更吸引我，就這樣中計了。

以下就是迪斯奈馬拉松的全記錄：

A view from Chimney Pond; photo credit: Bill Steinmetz

Katahdin: last winter I learned this name the first time. I was sitting in a cozy restaurant surrounded by my fellow winter hikers, enjoying the early hot coffee with a giant blueberry pancake, I overheard that the hike leader, Bill, was to attempt Katahdin in a few weeks. “Katahdin? What is it? Is it a trail and…where is it?” I couldn’t suppress my curiosity arisen from my adventurous blood. “It seems like some nice place to go,” I drew this conclusion based on the mild commotion observed from the group, “and…it must be a place to go if it requires Bill to train for it.”

The second time I heard Katahdin, was on a bus ride to NOLS headquarters in Palmer, Alaska. The bus driver moved to Alaska many years ago from Maine. She described how much she was in love with the mountains in Alaska and she mentioned Katahdin when she laid Alaska and Maine in parallel for comparison. At that moment, Katahdin won its place in my to-do list. But not until I started to plan it last November, did I realize that this trip was to be a great one!


Katahdin，第一次聽到這名字，是去年冬天。被眾多冬季健行者圍繞著，我在一個略嫌擁擠的早餐店，啜飲著熱騰騰的咖啡，嚼著暖暖的藍莓蛋餅，耳邊傳來該日的雪鞋健行領隊Bill即將在數週後挑戰Katahdin的消息。「嗯，Katadin？什麼地方？是步道名稱嗎？好玩嗎？在哪裡？」體中滾著冒險血液的我，按捺不住洶湧的好奇心，批哩啪啦地問了自己好些問題。看著群眾因這消息而引起的些許騷動，我想，這Katahdin一定是個好地方，要不然Bill為什麼還要加強體能訓練呢？

第二次聽到Katahdin這個名字，在去年夏天。前往NOLS在Palmer, Alaska的根據地途中，和巴士司機對話，她數年前，從緬因州搬到阿拉斯加。她談著她是如何如何地愛著阿拉斯加的秀麗山色，比較家鄉和阿拉斯加的對話中，她提及Katahdin。我望著窗外的山景，想像著Katahdin該是怎麼個樣子，那一刻，Katahdin排進了個人要爬的山峰列表。不過，一直到去年十一月，真正開始計畫往Katahdin的行程，我才了解，Katahdin，其實是件大工程。

Make a donation!

I signed up to participate in “summit for someone” which makes me obliged to raise at least $3500.00 to help teenage youth expand their wilderness experience. I have never done any fund-raising events before – this is the first time – so it’s indeed a very big commitment for me, especially since $3500.00 is a large sum. I am doing this because I believe it is meaningful and because climbing mountains has always been my dream. If you approve of the mission and are willing to help, please denote money online through this link: Help Szu-Ting Summit For Someone . All denotations are tax-deductible and your kind help is greatly appreciated.

Below details my driving forces in this fundraise:

1. I can climb and climbing mountains is my dream
2. At-risk youth can expand their wilderness horizon


我參加了由Backpacker Magazine主辦的「為某人攀登（Summit For Someone）」的活動，也因此背負了募集美金3500元款項的任務。這是我第一次參與類似的活動，而且要募集的款項還為數不少，實在很緊張，也頗擔心自己是否能夠圓滿達成任務。不過，這活動的確相當有意義，所募集的款項都會用作，帶領弱勢青少年，接觸戶外、認識戶外的用途，而同時，藉由這個活動，個人也得以挑戰Grand Teton，也把我向我的登山夢更推進了一步。如果你認同小Po的這項任務，願意助小Po以及弱勢的青少年們一臂之力，請經由以下連結：「協助思婷為青少年攀登」捐款。所有捐助的款項都是免稅的，也在此感謝大家的熱心。

以下且讓我慢慢道來，決定參與這項活動的心路歷程：

1. 我得以攀登，而登山是我最大的夢想
2. 弱勢青年得以擴展他們的戶外視野

The “winter hiking 101” series are obtained from the Winter Activity Committee (WAC) of the Appalachian Mountain Club Delaware Chapter, which are adapted from an original from Bob Vogel of the Southeast Mass chapter.

Equipment and clothing needs vary. For short hikes or snowshoe trips on nice winter days, the requirements are less than for assaults on 4000’ peaks above treeline. To get started winter hiking your needs are pretty low and can be met with a mixture of ‘high tech’ and ‘low tech’ equipment. As your get more into winter hiking your desire for more ‘high tech’ equipment will probably grow. (And your bank account will dwindle!) Here is look at the equipment and clothing. Visit www.amcsem.org/hikes.html for the complete list.

The “winter hiking 101” series are obtained from the Winter Activity Committee (WAC) of the Appalachian Mountain Club Delaware Chapter, which are adapted from an original from Bob Vogel of the Southeast Mass chapter.

Winter hiking isn’t about being cold; it’s about learning how to keep warm in the cold, staying well hydrated and well-fed, and hiking “smart.” Here are a few simple rules.

Rule #1, Stay cool to keep warm!
Rule #2, Ventilate!
Rule #3, Drink (and eat) a lot!
Rule #4, Hike smart (be conservative)!

I am planning a 10-day major excursion with Andrea Deaton for our club, the Appalachian Mountain Club. Besides the air

While I was indulging in the thought that the Tohickon trip on the release weekend was my last river trip of this year, I received a phone call from Allen which was an invitation to paddle the Tohickon Creek again on Friday, November 10th. I was surprised but most pleased to receive the kind offer. I thanked the weather God for the rain and the warming up temperature.

Before the trip, I thought, after the lengthy trip report I wrote for the release weekend, I would be out of talent to compose another one. However, it turned out that this trip won the title of the most exciting trip of LittlePo’s paddling year 2006.

我以為該個水庫洩洪的週末，泛舟於Tohickon Creek是我今年最後一次的泛舟行了。沒想到，數天後，接到Allen的電話，問我隔天星期五要不要再泛一次Tohickon？意外歸意外，驚喜卻是更驚喜，馬上二話不說開始準備，心裡頭對老天天降甘霖，以及逐漸回升的溫度心存感激。

行前，想說上次寫了數千字的Tohickon泛舟記，這次應該沒什麼好寫的了，就算再也才華也寫不出來的了，沒想到，這次的泛舟行相當精采，眾望所歸地贏得2006年，由小Po頒發的最刺激的泛舟獎獎座。

Last weekend was the release weekend of the Tohickon Creek for which I had been waiting the whole season. There are only two scheduled releases: one is in late March and the other early November. If you want to paddle the Tohickon other than these two weekends, you need to ask for rain. Months ago when I heard about this creek, I knew immediately that I wanted to do it. It’s a step up from my river friend, the Lehigh, because it requires more solid river techniques. Paddling the Tohickon would be a good milestone and a perfect end of this river season, I believed.

It had been cold last week and my down jacket was already out of the closet. Last Friday night, I watched the weather forecast with my fingers crossed. The weather lady reported, “Today is the coldest night since…and tomorrow it’ll be even colder.” The numbers were showing 30 degrees for Philadelphia, 26 degrees for Allentown, and nothing above the freezing point for any place on Saturday morning. I started to debate. I don’t have a dry suit and my last river trip was weeks ago.

Of course, I did paddle; otherwise what’s the point of this blog entry? Under my dry top, I had 4 layers – fleece jacket, fleece vest, Polartec base layer, and another Polartec Power Stretch base layer. Three layers to cover my legs. Aqua socks inside my water shoes, two layers of gloves and a helmet liner. I had to loosen the straps on my PFD and squeezed myself in my little boat, and hoped that my armor would not restrict my movements.



上個禮拜是Tohickon上游水庫洩洪，玩家可以玩船的好日子。可以說這整年的泛舟季，小女子我都在默默地等待這個週末的到臨。一年就只有三月和十一月，唯二的兩個洩洪週末，是確定可以在這條河上泛舟的，其他的時候，就只能看老天賞不賞臉，有沒有下雨，雨量又是不是剛好云云，基本上，就是碰運氣。幾個月前，我聽一同泛舟的同好談起這條溪，就暗自下了決心，今年一定要參與Tohickon的泛舟行列，因為這條溪流的技術難度，比我經常泛舟其上的Lehigh River還要高些，要能好好泛好這條河，就等於間接證明泛舟的技術有進步，辛苦的練習有成果。

上個禮拜，愈接近週末，氣溫愈是低，羽毛大衣也早已經出箱了。星期五晚上，一邊祈禱一邊看著天氣預報，氣象報導員說著：「今天是入秋以來氣溫最低的一天，不過，明天天氣還會更冷。」接著，螢幕上就大大打出，各地低於冰點的隔天早晨的氣溫，這這這，我心裡開始掙扎，明天真的要去面對這麼「冷酷」的考驗嗎？我的裝備箱裡可沒有dry suit，上一次泛舟也是好幾個禮拜前的事了，不知道技巧是不是生疏了？！

當然，我還是去了，要不然也沒有這篇文章了。在我的dry top下面，還有四層衣物，分別是fleece夾克、fleece背心、兩層保暖排汗兼潑水的長袖衣物。腿上也有三層，腳上穿著泛舟襪再套泛舟鞋，兩層手套，安全帽下再加一層防水保暖頭套。弄得自己像大胖子一樣，救生衣需得調鬆才穿得上，最後似乎是硬擠才把自己塞進小船裡頭，當時還真擔心臃腫的身軀，手腳恐怕都動彈不得了，要怎麼泛舟？

The tension between slow hikers and fast hikers easily burns the whole group down. I know, because I experienced the frustration looking at the person in front of me disappearing behind the branches. I know, because I was left behind with blisters hiking alone in the dark with tears. I achieved the solitude I was looking for, but, why wasn’t I happy?

The regulations of AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) sponsored trips state clearly that, “the group pace is the pace of the slowest hiker.” Surprisingly, my limited leading experience has told me that asking a fast hiker to slow down is usually more difficult than asking a slow hiker to speed up.


千萬不可小看瀰漫在飛毛腿健行者，和慢郎中健行者之間，情緒大戰的暗潮洶湧，不好好處理，整個健行隊伍的氣氛會破壞無遺。我個人也嘗過眼睜睜地看著前方的隊員，消失在樹叢間，再也找不著伊人在何方的挫敗；也曾經一個人在天色已暗之後，拖著磨人的水泡，踽踽獨行。是啊，我到戶外不就是想少見些人，多些獨處時光嗎？怎麼我心裡兒一點兒也不快活？

阿帕拉契登山協會，清楚的列出這項條例：參加健行的隊員，應該以最慢的健行者的速度，作為整個團隊的行進速度。有趣的是，從我目前尚屬有限的領隊生涯，學到的經驗是：讓飛毛腿走慢一點，有時比要求慢郎中走快些，還要難上數倍。

I have been gym climbing for more than a year but not until last Saturday did I climb on real rock surfaces. It is not because I didn’t have a chance; my climbing partners, Yaroslav and Heather, have been trying very hard to drag me out to taste the real and Yaroslav even gave me a climbing helmet for birthday present so that I would get inspired. However, weekend after weekend, I chose white water kayaking over rock climbing. Believe me, it was a very tough call. “Why can’t I split myself in half?” I asked myself many times.

Last Saturday, we climbed at Shawangunks – a place every east coast rock climber knows about. Before I even climbed, I was amazed by how crowded the local deli store was. I never knew that rock climbing is such a popular sport, although every time I go to my rock gym it always appears to me that I see more people than the previous time. Well, it seemed that they all came to the store to order a mountain man/woman breakfast sandwich, and a cup of coffee to pump up their climbing gauge. No exception for me, of course.


在室內岩場爬岩已經一年出頭了，卻遲到上週六才嚐到戶外攀登的滋味。這些日子來，也不是說沒有機會到戶外攀岩，我的忠實繩伴Yaroslav和Heather也早已經催過我不下百次，死拖活拖要把我拉到戶外去吹吹風、散散心，上個月過生日，Yaroslav還送我岩盔希望我早日醍醐灌頂。善哉，也不是小女子真的這麼難請，偏偏我總是必須在划獨木舟和攀岩中間，做個天人交戰的選擇，終究是分身乏術，獨木舟每每戰勝。

上週六，一行人前往紐約州的Shawangunks山區，這是東岸攀岩者間，無人不知無人不曉的攀岩聖地。在我的手腳能夠觸摸到岩石之前，於當地的小雜貨早餐店，已然深深體會到這聖地的名不虛傳。攀岩的盛況，可不只是「人山人海」可以形容。雖然說每次去家附近的室內岩場，總有每次來、每次看到更多人的感覺，但還是直到到了這裡，才真正嘆服攀岩人口的眾多，真是恆河沙數。而每個攀岩者似乎都得起個早，來這家店買個「山男（山女）三文治（mountain man/woman sandwich），喝杯咖啡，打足攀岩元氣才行。在這樣的氣氛醞染下，我也不爭氣地不免俗地點了個山女三文治。