Shanghai adventure a dry run for Berlin marathon

My legs are amazing. They may not be much to look at - far too short, rather muscular and prone to a most undesirable smattering of cellulite. But they are obedient. When I decided to take on the challenge of running the 2010 Berlin Marathon in September, my legs were on board with equal enthusiasm and they diligently supported me through the endless hours of pounding the pavement, rain hail or shine, through the steaming summer of Shanghai.

When my career in retail operations somehow landed me in Shanghai, one of my few concerns was whether I would be able to continue my running. It was never an option to head indoors and do it treadmill-style - that would defeat the purpose for me, as running is my escape, it's my opportunity to connect with my surroundings. Running has always been a part of my life, initially as a hobby I inherited from my father, and in recent years I've discovered a whole new passion for it through participating in marathons in London, Melbourne and New York.

So, from the week that I arrived in Shanghai and went from being "Brooke" to "Bu Hui Ni", I hit the streets, with the goal of 26.2 miles (42.16 km) in Berlin providing constant motivation. During the first few runs I carried a map, folded up into a small wad in my sweaty hand as I explored the streets of Xuhui and Luwan, and the next few times I carried enough money for a taxi home, should I lose my way.

Luckily, ever since then, my runs have provided endless adventure, entertainment and physical satisfaction, despite the challenges of running an obstacle course. Bikes, cars, scooters, children, dogs, giant carts of vegetables wheeled by tiny women, uneven pavements, men sleeping on lounge chairs in the middle of the footpath, buckets of fish heads, families walking five-wide (and holding hands), dance classes, badminton There are endless barriers to a clean, even run.

I managed to develop a running technique that is agile and ready to hurdle, sidestep or duck at a moment's notice.

The smells of a Shanghai run include the early morning aromas of fried potato and bread coming from roadside vendors on Fuxing Lu, to the raw meats of the wet market on Jianguo Xi Lu - it's a fragrant journey.

On one occasion I ran past a well-dressed Chinese man and upon breathing in his wake, discovered he smelled of a delicious aftershave. I heartily took in a second breath, only to smell instead fresh urine from a nearby wall.

One major challenge of running in Shanghai's streets is the pedestrians: the slow-walkers, wide-walkers, walkers who stop without warning, causing a sudden pile-up. At times it's easier to run on the road and risk the onslaught of traffic than to take on the pedestrian-laden footpath.

The biggest challenges started when I increased my weekend distances, upwards of 30 km on days that were upwards of 35 degrees. On one particular day I wondered why it was taking me so long to cool down, only to find out the temperature had hit 43 C.

Besides 2 liters of water and Pocari, and some energy gel shots, my running sunglasses were also my faithful companions. I read somewhere that wearing sunglasses enables the mind to trick the body into thinking it is cooler than it actually is, helping to maintain a lower core temperature.

I knew the conditions in Berlin would be vastly different. But I didn't worry about that. Life is about the journey, not the destination. I was determined to enjoy every step, every drip of sweat, and every new Shanghai adventure that came along on the path to realizing my marathon dream.