Two months left for Tokyo Marathon. Again no miles in the bank, but hey at least I am not injured.
This month I did some real marathon preparation. Took several days off but the mileage done on training days was decent.
January
1. Rest
2. Rest
3. Jog 26 km
4. Jog 18 km
5. 5 x 1000 - 1 min 200 meter recovery jog: Total 17 km
3.22 - 3.19 - 3.16 - 3.15 - 3.09
10 min break > 3000 x 1
10.15
6. Rest
7. Jog 17 km
8. Jog 20 km @ 4.03 pace
9. Jog 13 km
10. Rest
11. Jog 15 km
12. Rest
13. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 15 km
14. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 12 km
15. Jog 17 km
16. 4 x 1000 - 2 min 400 meter recovery jog (concrete): Total 16 km
3.12 - 3.12 - 3.12 - 3.04
17. Rest
18. Jog 27 km
19. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 15 km
20. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 18 km
21. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 12km
22. Rest
23. Jog 10 km
24. Shibuya ekiden: 8.58 (2.9km)
Total 14 km
25. Jog 17 km
26. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 18 km
27. Bike commute 22 km
5 km TT 16.13
Total 15 km
28. Rest
29. Jog 17 km
30. Rest
31. Jog 31 km @ 4 min pace
Total run: 380 km
Total bike: 154 km
Monday, February 22, 2010
Ekidens (very late post)
Have been very lazy with the posting but taking a day off work tomorrow and not feeling very sleepy (12:20 now) so might as well catch up with the blogging.
Well the blog counter shows 70 views or so this year or something so that means other people are reading my blog. What a relief. I thought this was a conversation between me and myself. Well either way this is more like a running diary for me.
Anyways to the EKIDENS!!!
I think the next months - meaning from December 2009 to December 2010 - will be remembered by me as the year of the ekiden.
I usually only take part in 2 road relays per every 12 months, this year though I think I might take part in 5 or more. So far I have done 2 and already have 3 more scheduled.
Okutama Ekiden
Okutama must be the most competitve road relays an amateur athlete can run in Kanto Area. It is also one of the oldest and most traditionals. Some things to point out:
1. It is one of the few ekidens (maybe the only) where runners actually run from train station to train station.
2. The course is up and down a mountain forcing the teams to carefully select how to line up the runners depending on their strengths on climb or descend.
3. The top runners are guided by motorcycles
4. University, high schools and elite runners take part in it. You literally need a team with an average of 15.10 or so in 5km to win this race.
Last year I forgot to apply to the Japanese Proficiency Exam (always on the same date as the race) and decided to apply to this race with my friends. Made a team with most of the strongest runners I know with the hope of finishing top 10.
A few months before the race the team looked strong on paper.
1. Akira: A high school ekiden runner with a pb of 15.10
2. Tatsuo: A pro runner with a pb of 14.20
3. Yusuke: My training partner with a pb of 15.45
4. Sakai: A friend I met some years back with a pb of 15.50 or so
5. Brett: Canadian marathoner from my running club with a pb of 15.20
6. Me with a pb of 15.53
A few weeks before the race though things did not look so good. Akira decided to quit running to become a boxer (crazy high school kids), I found out Tatsuo had retired from running, Brett had just ran an ultra marathon and I was in terrible shape.
We had a goal though: to have fun and run as fast as possible and that we did.
We finished 5th!!!!! picking up and losing places the entire way. Each doing its job just the way an ekiden should be.
Shibuya Ekiden
Shibuya ekiden is a small road relay that takes place every January in the popular Yoyogi Park. It is a small event, yet very popular and its competitive standard is rising every year.
This is one ekiden I do every year and had won twice already before this date.
My team: Yoyogi koen kokusai sembatsu were running as defending champions and well we did what we came to do...we won. This time however we really had to sweat it.
I was the first runner and handed in the sash 3rd place. THIRD PLACE!! and about 20 seconds behind the leader ... wait ... did I run slow?? NOOO I ran sub 9 min which was actually among the 10 fastest times, maybe even the 5 fastest.
Our second runner handed in 2nd, however the gap between us and the leaders grew to an unpredicted 30 things.
Our third runner kept is position handing the sash in 2nd, but the gap between the leaders grew even more. By the time, Thomas, our final and fastest runner began, the first place runners had a lead of over 40 second. Ridiculous for a 2.9 km race.
A miracle was required and that is what our Ace runner had prepared for the day. Running a course record of 8.23 he was 42 seconds faster than the leading guy who ran a solid 9.05.
The faces of the opposing team! It was a Kodak moment that will stay with me for the next 10 years or more.
*In schedule is Tomin, Tamako and Mari Tanigawa Ekidens.
Well the blog counter shows 70 views or so this year or something so that means other people are reading my blog. What a relief. I thought this was a conversation between me and myself. Well either way this is more like a running diary for me.
Anyways to the EKIDENS!!!
I think the next months - meaning from December 2009 to December 2010 - will be remembered by me as the year of the ekiden.
I usually only take part in 2 road relays per every 12 months, this year though I think I might take part in 5 or more. So far I have done 2 and already have 3 more scheduled.
Okutama Ekiden
Okutama must be the most competitve road relays an amateur athlete can run in Kanto Area. It is also one of the oldest and most traditionals. Some things to point out:
1. It is one of the few ekidens (maybe the only) where runners actually run from train station to train station.
2. The course is up and down a mountain forcing the teams to carefully select how to line up the runners depending on their strengths on climb or descend.
3. The top runners are guided by motorcycles
4. University, high schools and elite runners take part in it. You literally need a team with an average of 15.10 or so in 5km to win this race.
Last year I forgot to apply to the Japanese Proficiency Exam (always on the same date as the race) and decided to apply to this race with my friends. Made a team with most of the strongest runners I know with the hope of finishing top 10.
A few months before the race the team looked strong on paper.
1. Akira: A high school ekiden runner with a pb of 15.10
2. Tatsuo: A pro runner with a pb of 14.20
3. Yusuke: My training partner with a pb of 15.45
4. Sakai: A friend I met some years back with a pb of 15.50 or so
5. Brett: Canadian marathoner from my running club with a pb of 15.20
6. Me with a pb of 15.53
A few weeks before the race though things did not look so good. Akira decided to quit running to become a boxer (crazy high school kids), I found out Tatsuo had retired from running, Brett had just ran an ultra marathon and I was in terrible shape.
We had a goal though: to have fun and run as fast as possible and that we did.
We finished 5th!!!!! picking up and losing places the entire way. Each doing its job just the way an ekiden should be.
Shibuya Ekiden
Shibuya ekiden is a small road relay that takes place every January in the popular Yoyogi Park. It is a small event, yet very popular and its competitive standard is rising every year.
This is one ekiden I do every year and had won twice already before this date.
My team: Yoyogi koen kokusai sembatsu were running as defending champions and well we did what we came to do...we won. This time however we really had to sweat it.
I was the first runner and handed in the sash 3rd place. THIRD PLACE!! and about 20 seconds behind the leader ... wait ... did I run slow?? NOOO I ran sub 9 min which was actually among the 10 fastest times, maybe even the 5 fastest.
Our second runner handed in 2nd, however the gap between us and the leaders grew to an unpredicted 30 things.
Our third runner kept is position handing the sash in 2nd, but the gap between the leaders grew even more. By the time, Thomas, our final and fastest runner began, the first place runners had a lead of over 40 second. Ridiculous for a 2.9 km race.
A miracle was required and that is what our Ace runner had prepared for the day. Running a course record of 8.23 he was 42 seconds faster than the leading guy who ran a solid 9.05.
The faces of the opposing team! It was a Kodak moment that will stay with me for the next 10 years or more.
*In schedule is Tomin, Tamako and Mari Tanigawa Ekidens.
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