Running Log: Week 5

I missed a couple days of running last week because I spent 5 days in Tokyo. I had planned on running while I was there, but because my days were so busy, I was just too tired to do so. I do regret it a little because the weather was so awesome. Afternoons in the mid-70s...*sigh*

Week of Aug. 21 - Aug. 27

8/25: 5k, 28:31

8/26: 9.5k, 59:31

8/27: 19k, 2:13:39

Total: 33.5k, 3:41:41

Average Pace: 06:37

Running Log: Week 4

My running strategy until now has been to run as far as I can until I get tired, walk a bit, then run again as far as I can. Gradually, the amount of time I walk gets longer and the amount of time I run gets shorter.

Last Saturday I tried a different tactic: run 20 min, walk 2 min, repeat.

Every 20 min I would take a water break, and every 40 min I would take a gel. My long run last week was not stellar, but was pretty good compared to this time last year when I ran 19k in 2:20. For the record, stellar for me would be a pace where I can run a half-marathon in under 2 hours.

Week of Aug. 14 - Aug. 20

8/14: 5k, 27:38

8/16: 9.5k, 58:49

8/17: 5k, 28:30

8/18: 9.5k, 1:01:39
8/20: 17.5k, 1:52:10

Total: 46.5k, 4:48:46

Average Pace: 06:12

Ogimi Matsuri

Due to a typhoon, the Ogimi festival was pushed back a week to last Friday and Saturday. This also happened to coincided with the obon weekend, so the crowd was bigger than usual.

The best day to go is always on the final day. There is a tug-of-war tournament where the winning team gets a goat.

(1st prize)

There are also a variety hari races with teams of adults as well as elementary school teams competing against each other.

But the best part of the evening is the fireworks and the eisa that follows:

(I love being tall)

Running Log: Week 3

Because most races are on a Sunday, I keep my logs where the first day of my running week begins on a Monday. Since the Iheya Marathon is on a Saturday, I am going to temporarily change to a Sun-Sat format. After Iheya, I will go back to the Mon-Sun one.

Week of Aug. 7 - Aug. 13

8/08: 5k, 29:40

8/09: 8k, 45:10

8/10: 5k, 27:45

8/12: 8k, 47:45
8/13: 9.5k, 59:58

Total: 35.5k, 3:30:18

Average Pace: 05:55

Level Up (Brown Belt)

I recently had a belt test, and last month I got a certificate...and a new brown belt. I hope to have a black belt this time next year. Here is where I currently stand:

初段

準初段 (black)


１級


２級 (brown)
 <-- ME


３級


４級 (green)

５級


６級 (yellow)


７級


８級 (orange)


９級


１０級 (blue)

初級 (white)

Running Log: Week 2

We had a typhoon that hit and then just sat on Okinawa for more than two days last week. Because of that, I missed a scheduled 8k run.

Week of Aug. 1 - Aug. 7

8/01: 5k, 27:58

8/03: 8k, 50:16

8/04: 5k, 29:41

8/06: 14.5k, 1:24:44

Total: 32.5k, 3:12:39

Average Pace: 05:55

My 5k runs are still not at the level they were at the end of training last year (24:03), but I was happy with my long run last Saturday. I ran a 14k in the beginning of training last year in 1:42:20, so it's good to see some improvement.

Also, knock on wood, I have yet to experience the side cramping that plagued me last year.

Running Log: Week 1

This year, I have self-promoted myself to Hal Higdon's Intermediate I training guide. I will be running five times a week instead of four. Also, there are two Hell Week's (Week 13 and 15) instead of just one.

Week of Jul. 25 - Jul. 31

7/25: 5k, 29:21

7/26: 8k, 51:15

7/27: 5k, 28:43

7/29: 8k, 50:36
7/30: 13k, 1:28:07

Total: 39k, 4:08:02

Average Pace: 06:22

Running Prep

Well, it's that time of year of again.

Last month, I started getting ready for this year's running season by buying new attire, selecting what races I want to run, and scheduling my runs for the next 4 months accordingly.

Attire shopping started with running shoes. I always have trouble finding shoes in Japan, so this year I e-mailed Asics, which is a Japanese company, and asked them if they had size 14 (31cm) in stock somewhere, anywhere, in Japan. Their answer was no. It would be easy if I could just order a pair from some store in America and have them ship it to me, but for some reason, all the running shoe sites I could find would not ship out of the country. I thought I would have to mail them to my mom and have her ship them to me again...until I had an idea. Instead of searching online for a store in America, I decided to find an online store based in the UK.

This led me to wiggle, which not only had my size in running shoes, but also offered free shipping to Japan!

(too hot for me)

Next I started looking for a new pair of shorts. I have one pair, but since my running schedule has me running 5 times a week this year, I figured I could do with two. The  problem with running attire in Japan, however, is that most runners are afraid of showing some leg. The majority of people I see always seem to be wearing some sort of long or short spandex.

The sports companies must have caught on, because I have yet to find a simple pair of running shorts with an inner lining. One has to either buys shorts without lining ($40) plus tights ($40), or buy shorts with mini tights sewn in, like this:

(no thanks)

In protest, I am now shopping for the shortest pair of shorts I can find. It is worth noting that all the fast runners (excluding me) wear real running shorts.

Finally, I wanted a pair of awesome sunglasses. Check.

With my shopping out of the way, I decided on what races I wanted to run. To date, I have applied for the following:

Iheya Moonlight Marathon (21.1k) - Oct 15

Kawaguchiko Marathon (42.2 k) - Nov 27

and...

(looks cold)

The Kawaguchiko Marathon is in view of Mt. Fuji, so I'm really looking forward to that run. The Tokyo Marathon is a lottery, so I won't find out if I can actually apply for it until mid-October.

Next up, running logs.