Samarui Smith

2 miles slowish either side, 5 at about 7.05 pace.  Began at Toyota garage near Fresta at Yakushigaoka ( Al Park Run) 39:31.  Large hill  from Alpark takes the stuffing out of you though.

Freezing cold, windy but felt ok.

Yanbo Sports Shop New Year run.  2 laps of a 5.6 mile course.  Intended to do 3 laps but got caught in a fast pace on the second lap.

1:17:35 final time. Fastest pace around 6:35 to 6:45 on final lap.

Nike SHoes

Cross training.  Bike 45 minutes at 85-90 rpm

3 laps of the river. Golf bridge (Yanbo) lap. Each lsp 5.61 miles

1. 44:41(7:59 p/m)

2. 42:33 (7:46)

3. 42:45 (7:47)

Kept at even pace, tried for 8m p/m but it was too slow, my natural easy pace was more like 7.40. Chomped on half a power bar, and stopped for a swig of drink on each lap. Also had some Vaam through the third lap.

Felt good, used Asics shoes from xmas.

I was scheduled for a track session, but my knee was showing signs of pain so I went for a 10 mile run. I felt fine on the first mile 6,55 and my body felt like it needed a bit of pace inserted into the run so I kept it at about 6,45 for the 10, finishing my Golf Lap (8.3 miles) in record time 56 minutes and the 10 in 1:07  (Need to look at Garmin to put in exact times)

8 hours sleep

Nile blue shoes

Xtraining 45 minutes on bike and strength training. (20 min)

4 x 800m on grass.  311  3.16  3.12  3:17

1mile w.u and w.down.

Addidas

Scheduled for 18 but the pain in my knee was worrying enough for me to say stop.

I ran at a selected 8p/m throughout so it was very easy. Later that day I felt fine though much to my relief. I also ran with a knee support which may have helped.

Shoes: Blue nike Bowerman.

4 at 6,30 and 2 at an easy pace.

3 x 1 mile: 6:00  5:50  5:55 2min. walk recovery

Kept it at around 6 p/mile. Managed to do an afternoon run for a change.  Felt very nice and no obvious knee pain. 

Addidas

Did the run at 8am after experimenting with a small breakfast - a pancake and maple syrup (7.20) - had to go for a crap after mile 2 though!Need some more time to digest the food I think.  On the run I took some Vaam and a marathon bar and stopped for some swigs of Gatorade.  It was an easy run 8m/p and I was strict on keeping the pace easy to avert any knee pain. I also wore the knee brace for 14 miles and took it off for the remaining.. I picked upsome runners along the river towards the second half which made for a fun run.

Asics

Tempo run 10k (6.3 miles) 41.00 7pm run.  Started off with 6.45 planned and ran that for the first mile and took it to 6.30 for the remaining, felt really good but I didn't want to make it any faster than that.

Nike Bowerman Blue.

2x 1200  4x 800 

1  3,46      2   348

1   2.53  2 248  3  250  4 246

Extremely windy and rainy conditions, I did the training session along the river on the running course. Hardly a soul around due to the depressing weather.  The uphill parts were pretty tough but I had a great time running along with the wind behind me

Used addidas

My longest run yet, and done in the harshest winds I have  had the displeasure of running in, all up the river for 7.5 miles.  Coming back down though was a treat until I had the last 2 to slow me until the finish. I had some knee pain at around 13 miles but it went away after mile 15.  Felt fine but my legs were pretty tired, more strentgh training needed. I woke at 3.30 to eat some porridge to get some good carbs in the system and didn't drink until 10 minutes before the run.  It helped a lot, no need to stop for a pee or bigger! Kept the pace at 7:45-55 p/m

Asics.

10 miles marathon pace 7:10.  Felt easy enough and I had a bit of trouble trying to keep the pace down to begin with, I guess it takes practice. I ended up going to slowly to compensate and then running a bit faster at the end. But a beautiful run despite the rain. No knee pain.

Addidas

2 x (3x1200m)  2 minute recovery between each rep and 4 min between each set.

All ran between 4.15-4.20.  Conditions were much better than last weeks fast session and it felt easier somehow.  I did some visualisation whilst running of being a top athlete which helped me move smoothly along on some of the more tired moments.

I am also coming round to the view that training in lighter trainers is better than running in my big super safe Asics. Absolutely no pain at all in my hips or knees, and fingers crossed it will stay that way all the way to the Tokyo marathon and beyond.

6:30 start for a 7.30p/mile 15 miler.  I started from outside my house which is unusual but the pace was so slow I decided to make the first mile into a warm up.  ALl the miles were about 7,3o pace but I had a few 7.10's crop up much to my surprise.  I felt remarkably tired around the last few miles in the old legs.  I am not sure if this was the mileage or the fact that today I didn't eat much (a bagel) and I took in just water rather than electrolytes etc.  This was to try to improve my running economy when I use them in the marathon.  

Got up early for this one.  6. 20 start again and no breakfast.  But I managed to do th3 planned schedule  of 6.40 miles.  2 miles : 13.30  3. 6.38  4. 6.33 5. 6. 38

Felt a little bit of an effort 4/5 but that is morning running for me.  I had three layers on; t-shirt, long sleeve and half-sleeve running jacket.  It feels good while running slow but it soons gets hot in there. I also used my new  Addidas shoes. They felt good.

A nice easy recovery run at the in-laws, big hills and all.

1x 1000m 3.33 1x 2000m 7, 21 1x 1000m 3.33 1x 1000m3 34

Done along the river with my Garmin. Felt pretty easy as I kept to some pacing from the Runner's World book. But rather than stick entirely to it I let my pace be dictacted by feel.  I used my new Addidas CS shoes today.

Went running with a friend, Yukihiro today. His course consists of a 1.2k loop which he uses for his long slow runs.  The good thing though is the coffee and sandwiches he takes along for a break between.  So, we ran the first half, 11 miles at around 7-30 -8 00 m pace.  THen after a drink and some sandwiches I took off alone (he was having some knee pains, as he ran a sub 3 marathon the week before) and ran between 7-20 and 7 40 for the rest. I felt fine, but I had to stop as my 2 year old daughter was calling for me and I could not ignore that cry! 

6 miles   1: 6 20 2: 6:3 25 3: 6:30  4: 6: 25   5: 6:15  6: 6:20

I did start the session out with a half-marathon pace in mind of 6:45  but thos turned out to be too easy and I found myself hovering around te 6:20/30 mark.  This is what I will try for this w/e when I do my time trial for the half. I will do it by myself but I hope to get around 1:25/6 judging by today's performance. 

Up early for a 'recovery run', I haven't been doing these but having seen some of the mileage that people do on these running blogs it makes me feel a bit insecure with a weekly mileage of 20-30 miles. When I woke up I thought to myself 'would I gain more from a bit more sleep or a run?' and proceeded to get my shoes and head out the door.  I will see how I feel tomorrow and the w/e after this little test.

Half-marathon time test. I needed a recent time for this so I decided today was the day as I could not see a 2-hour gap in the coming weekend.  Cutting work a little early I founfd myself in a very cold, rainy and quite windy world. My mile paces were:

1  6 25  2 6: 21  3  6: 19 4  6 20  5:  6 26  6  6:18  7 6: 28 8 6:30  9  6:26 10 6: 22 11  6:28  12  6: 34 13 6: 21

Overall time 1:23.47

Pretty pleased with this solo effort. THe only downer is that I have got a pain in the right foot. It is on the ball of my foot and it hurts when I run.  I wore my Adidas Adizero, a lightweight shoe. I thought I was landing softlybut something was clearly not right.

Bike x-training for 50 minutes at the gym between work.

My right foot has been hurting all week so this was a slow run to see if it has got any better. There is a slight pain running through the ball of my foot.  AFter the run it hurt a little and I attribute it  to my adidas running shoes.  I have been icing each day and hoping for the best.

First run in a week after the foot pain, it finally feels ready to ease myself into my programme again.  I did an 8 mile m/pace 7.05 p/mile and all seemed well. THis was the first time I have run late at night too, I got out at 10 and ran until 1. It was preferable to the early morning run I thought although for a long run the chance of getting in your post-run nutrition is more diffucult (if you plan on sleeping well.  

Last long run before the marathon. Started out at 6 after a quick bowl　of porridge.

20miles at around 7.15-7-30

I took an 11-mile break and fuelled up on a banana and somedrink before the 2nd leg.  My right foo hurt a little towards the end but not so badly that I had to stop. I was temted to do a couple of more miles but felt that I should not push it so soon after a week of being out.

8 x 800 m at 2:48-2:42 . A cold and rainy evening but I felt good and he pace was not too hard although enough to make me feel that I was working.  I had to stop half was for a crap though which is really annoying.  That could make an interesting side topic on the discussion forum I think :  Tell us about your weirdest craps.  No, no no, don't go there!

8 miles at 6. 45  felt easy and only a little pain in my foot but not enough to require stopping.  

Took part in a race but I did not do any fast running which was incredibly hard when people pass you even though you feel you are going much slower than you would like.

Finish tim3 was 1:29:38  The first mile was in 6.05 and then a 6.20 so i put the brakes on until 6.40, then threw in some slow 7.10 miles but it felt too slow so I took it to a comfortable 6.49 pace which is about what you need for a sub-3 marathon.  I am wondering if I should chase the dream now or leave it until I hav done the Tokyo M. when I will be able to say how easy or difficult it will be.  A 7:10 pace (3:07) is very doable but a 7 min. pace would be easy for 18 miles then it would be on unknown territory.  Oh the indecision. 

1 mile easy.   6 miles at 6.30 pace   1.  6.30  2. 6.20  3. 6. 23  4. 6.25 5. 6.30 6. 6.35 7. warm down at 7.10 pace

Very winy first and 6th mile, but it was a nice run to get in after my half-marathon pcerun.  Felt great today as I came back from the hospital with an all clear from my throat box problem.   

Marathon pace training. kept constant around 6.55- 7:03 apart from 1 mile when a guy

tried to follow me on the last part, I tried to let him pass but he just hovered  for half a mile, then he pushed past me so I stuck with him and he pushed faster at about 6.30 pace so I thought I may as well go with him, but he stopped after a 10 second sprint - wierd! That caused my 9th mile to go to 6.35.  

6 x 4r00m  on grass  1.24  122  128   126  122  124

 Felt fine just striding.

Easy running at about 7 min a mile. Felt slightly heavy in the legs.

First ever Marathon, I started it after lots of months preparation, training 3 times a week. The night before was the worst nights sleep I can remember, seing every hour until 5 when I officially "woke up".  By the time I got to the race though I was pretty focused.  My start position was in the 'B' group about 200 m from the start and it took 2 minutes to get through to the start as well as 5km to get past all the slow pack .

I went through the 1/2 way in 1:34 which was slower than I had hoped but I was conserving myself for the secong half.  From about mile 16 I put my foot down and even through in a 6.15, and a few 6.30 miles, I was totally in control.  The last 10 km were running against a ferocious wind and up 3 bridges, there was no respite.  

In retrpospect I should have gone out faster for my first half and have started further up the field, but it was a perfect first marathon as far as I am concerned.  

My legs hurt for the first five days (only thighs) but one week later I feel great. Now my question is when can I start training properly again. I would like to do some more training the next time (5 days a week).

First run since the big one.  Took out my new Nike Free 5.0 for a warm up run in Osaka.  Felt very light and intuitive to run in.  Looking forward to introducing these shoes to a proper training run one day.  For now though I shal use them as a warm down shoe until I get more confidence.

Lots of hill running around Yakushigaoka, prob.3 miles in total up some very steep inclines.  Feel a little heavy legged but no aches or pains at all. 

Easy run to get some hills in again and I inserted 1 fastish pace mile 6.35 after a slow start with hills up and down and through the town which helped make sure I wasn't going to push this one too hard.

Easy run to finish the taper period after the Tokyo marathon.  I wanted to wear my Nike Frees again and headed out the door for a 30 minute run before I had to leave for an evening class.  As I reached the main road on the way up to the Otaga Rivwr I met a runner at an intersection who just ran ahead of me.  He looked pretty good, all in his warm-up/down gear and he turned and we acknowledged each other.  I asked him what seesion he was doing today and he said he was doing as easy.  As I was doing the same I tagged along and we got talking about running and it turns out he was at the Tokyo marathon too, but as an elite.  He has a PB of 2:09:52 at the Berlin Marathon in 2005.  Very impressive.  This year he did2:16:46 atTokyo, partly because of the bad weather and howling winds. It was a very pleasurable run with him and it was a shame to bid farewell. I hope I see him again.

At Yakushigaoka, 7.30 run before everyone woke up and before some work.. Took it fairly easy, about 7.20-30 pace miles 2-6 and on the way up the huge  hill back home I took it easy ' the only thing you can do up that hill). Felt good,

About 15c, little wind.

Start of some training from the Brain Training Book.  2 mile w/u and 2 big hills near Ushita at a relaxed stride. Then 2\mile warm down 7.20, 7, 25.

Easy run felt nice in the cool hanami breeze.

Early morning run 6am.  Pretty cool outside, put 3 layers on but took off my running jacket at about mile 2. Took it at about 7,20 pace until the penultimate when I stuck in a 6,40 just for fun. Great to be running in the morning.

Went out with 10 in mind but settled for 8 due to a nature call.  

1.6.50 2. 6.50 3. 6,45 4. 6.40 5. 6.28 7. 6.50 8.7.02  

Was quite a struggle to get going and the legs felt pretty sluggish all the way through. I stuck in a quick one at mile 6 but it left me feeling pretty tired for the next and then I had to fing somewhere to offload. By then the last mile had degenerated into a waddle while I was focusing on getting to the loo.

Pretty warm morning, 25 c 7.30 start

Recovery run.  Another nature call!These morning runs are hard work.

1 x 2k 7.12  2 min. recovery

1 mile 6.00 2 min. recovery

1k   3.16 2 min. recovery

1k  3.16 2 min. recovery

2x 800  2 min. recovery

Felt that I pushed it pretty hard throughout, so much so that I convinced myself that my upcoming 10k race in a month is too early to do after the marathon. But during the recovery I convinced myself to do it, and so it went back and forth through the session.  Great session to have in the bank though.

Easy recovery run 6am, nice and slow and with another nature call at the end. Crikey when will this stop? Just as well they are not fast runs.

Speed session:  3 x 3km  at 3:25 m.p.k  2min. recovery

All good pacing  and I had to face a head strong wind going up the river and had the joy of the wind behind me on the way home.  Felt good for the first and tried to conserve some energy for the second two when I realized I was running over my pace.

Wramed down for less than a mile unfortunately as I had to get home.  Rode a bike for 10 minutes though which may be considered a w/down.

5k jog with Nike 5.0.  Beautiful evening wish I could have gone longer but I had to go to work. There were some young kids running along the river doing the same laps I did last night.  They were not particularly fast but I wish I could have joined in just to show them an old timer can do as well as they were doing.

7am start. Nice and easy 10 miler around the in-laws suburbs.  Would have liked to have gone farther but I had to be somewhere. Lots of hills sprinkled in throughout the run so this is a funny/tough course.  Took about 1hour 22 on my watch and I took a bottle with me as it is getting hotter by the week here, today was about 25 degrees.

A slight pain in my right foot before I left home, a repeat of the old pain maybe.

Speed session around river.

1 x 2 km  3;42 pace

2 x 1 mile  6.00  6. 05

2x 1 km  3.42  3.38

2x 800m  3.01  3.02

A strong wind down one of the straights along the river which made for a tough run but all in all a good session.  I hope that it is putting some pace in my stride although I have the half-marathon in  2 weeks which I have to step up with some longer runs to make it through it alright - I shoulod still have something left-over from the marathon training (shouldn't I?). I wore my Nikes to help my right foot which still has some resdiual pain .

Easy run, around river with Colin.

2 miles easy and 6 miles at half-marathon pace.

1.  7.15  2. 7.05  3.  6.05  4. 6.15 5. 6.  30  7. 6.35  8. 6.35  9. 7.15 10. 7.30A nice run in which I could feel some pace in my legs.  I think it is a good sign that I could do this today, but it was still hard, no doubt about that.  I need an easy long run this weekend and I will start to taper again for the half-marathon in a couple of weeks.

5.pm evening run.  Very cool conditions, bordering on the cold even.  Took off from Yakushigaoka down to the Shokubustu Koen through the under pass near sushi restuarant, along road to Rakurakuen, along sea, to Alpark and back round over2 bridges and to Hatsakaichi and home.  Felt knackered towards the end but a good run, the first half felt easy with an aver. pace of  between 6.50 and 7.10 p/m and the last few were slow bacause of the trains stopping me and the final killer hill of course.

 2km

2 x 1 Mile  6.02 6.05

2x 2km  3.35 3 .42

2x 800m  3.00  3.02

Felt knackered but pleased - not used to these pacey sessions still.

Steady run, wanted to get some pacey miles in the bank, partly for the half-marathon and partly for the 10k.

    ran 6 miles at about  6:30 pace, (1st mile though at 6.03) and the other 4 at an easier pace (7.20).

Felt good doing the pacey runs.

A little windy.

First 10k race for years.  Got to the race and soon realised it was going to be a hill race on account of a super climb in the car.  Wasn't feeling tip top with training and so on but I gave it a good try.

1 mile : 6.03  2: 6.30 (going up hill) 3:.6.55 (still going up)  4: 7.20 (ouch - tough hill) 5: 6.05  6: 6:03 

Pretty pleased with the run but the hill was a surprise. I was hoping for a 37 something time.

2k 

 1 mile

1k

Recovered from three days of chronic diarrhea, it wiped me out and meant that I could not do any training.  Today's run was a test, I didn't feel so bad so I will do the half on Sunday but not going to be on top form.

31 Degrees, it was  baking out there. So I lined up at the start fairly well hydrated but without any carbo-gels which I had asked someone to bring but hadn't met them unfortunately.  I started off felling ok but it gradually deteriorated into a painfully slow pace, no doubt because of the virus I had causing a two-day diarrhea fest.

Times:

1 5.57 2 6.11 3 6.36 4 6.26 5 6. 24  6 7:07  7 6:40 8: 6:47 9: 7:39  10  7:16  11 7:20

12  8:11  (stopped to drink two cups at the water station) 1:52

Time: 1:24:32 (12.28 miles)

It was a 5k lap ran four times with a hill in the middle; up and down the same one, but bu the 3rd half of the 3rd lap I was feeling drained to the point that I thought seriously about stopping. Mainly I was dehydrated but also my legs had no reserves.  I literally jogged the last mile as I had given up all hope of getting a time.

Still, it is good to get a bad race out of the way.  That was the last race of the season here as from now temp's raise up the the mid-30's and beyond. Next raceprob. Sept or October sadly.

Easy run around the river.  Saw a friend on a bike and ran around with him at an easy pace chatting.

Snatched a run when I got home for 20 minutes with my Nike Free 5's.  Easy run with a big hill and a nice flat home run.  Stuck in a 6.30 pace mile but jogged the rest back home.

6 miles steady. 40:53  (6:05 miles)

 Extremely windy conditions.  1. 7.10  2. 6.55 3. 6.52  4. 6.30  5. 6.29 6. 6.27   26

Felt like continuing -  the wind behind my back felt good too, but I had to get home. Shame really but family comes first. 

7 miles easy run av. 7.20-30 p.mile. Didn't have much time, just an hour before some work and although I would have loved to make it a 10- miler I had to stop at 7.

Nice conditions too, a little rain and not so bad wind today. Cool conditions.  

7.10 start.

Ran to Yakushigauka from Ushita.  River to Canon Mach, Alpark, RakuEn Home

1 7 22    2: 7:21   3: 6:59   4 6: 58  5 7:16  6: 7: 13 (Wind all the way against me  1-7 miles)  7: 7:08   8 : 7:20  9: 7:12   10: 7:48 11  7:20  12/13 miles  13:28 (up BIG hill towards home)

 Felt good for most of it.  Good conditions but windy was against me all the way.  Didn't drink until the last mile.  Was pretty knackered towards the last 3 miles.

7.56 miles.   5pm 

Raining slightly but not much wind for a change.  

1) 6:55 2) 6:48 3) 6:35  4) 6:37 (1.03 miles)  5. 6.06 (.97 miles) 6) 6:14 7) 6:45 (1.04 miles)  .52 miles  (3:12)

Great run in the rain helped by seeing some other runners training along the river.  I bumped into them on about mile 4 and followed them but they were a bit quick for me.

Great chasing them and when they finished they just vanished suddenly. They had some coaches holding their drinks but no sign of the runners - it was weird.

Easy Sunday run, left the house about 7.30 and did some easy miles. Stopped off for a dump 3 miles in at a regular toilet stop.  The last mile up hill was a real toughy as per usual

1: 7.28    2: 7.22     3: 7:   28   4: 7:48  5: 7:27  6: 7:37  7: 7:36   8: 7:32   9:　7:５４  

10:　9:13     

Cloudy and cool.

 5pm run.  Cool   about 27 degrees.  6 miles (about 10 km)   40.57    Paced run   was quite windy going down the back way.  Felt a little heavy legged but times were reasonable enough.  Wore Nikes so a bit too bulky.

1. 6:48 2.  6.34  3.  6.23 4.  6.37 5.  6.34 6.  6.28  (400m app,)   1.30

8.29 miles 5pm Cool after the rain.Wasn't keen ongoing for a run today for some reason but I stuck to my guns and put my shoes on.  I only decided to do an 8-miler on mile 2 of the course, glad I did it though as it was a great run despite a nasty head wind.

1:   6.35   2: 6:31   3:6:12   4: 6:15   5: 6:13   6: 6:23   7: 6:17   8: 6:26    .29 miles: 1:46

 PE 4/5   It flowed really well right through the whole run, well pleased.

1  7:29   2   7:24   3    7:30   4  7:52     5    7:31     6   7:25    7   7:  57

8  7:30   9    7  15   10   7:15   11   7 28

Warm with a little wind.  No brekkie and I stopped for a C***   mile 4.

pleasant run.  

Big Lap.   40:08

1.  6:36    2.   6:27    3.   6:18    4.  6:26  5:   6:29    6.  6:19

Felt slower but I maintained the pace fairly easily.

2x 3k    1:  11:19   2:11:46

Felt knackered esp. on lap 2.  Quite a big wind but it was more the fact that I was drained.

8am  hot but cloudy.

Easy 8-miler around the in-laws town.  Felt easy to relax a bit more than usual.

43.07 10 km course. Felt really tired and crappy.

10 K route.  Felt the need for a session even though I wasn't able to do it this morning. Finished it in 40.40  with some fastish miles sprinkled in, but kept it at a 4/5 pace.

Need to take a bottle with me from now on.

Very easy 5 miles after work.. Didn't do the usual run just followed  my nose. It was hot but pleasant.

Given all of about 20 minutes to go for a run. So I had to make the most of it.  It felt nice running at 6.30 pm and I wanted to go for more but wife had the last say on this.

Damn, I wish I was stronger.

Getting very humid now. Took myself on an easy run, just 6/7 miles at around 6.40 -6.55 pace.  Felt tired with a very bad sleep last night. The wind was annoyingly strong on the back straight and it helped to zap me even more.

Half hour steady.  No watch just an easy run.   Getting hot out there.

No time to do training but I snatched a 30 minute easy run into town.

Easy run, no watch, kind of a fun run in the rain.

Roughly 10k course. Started easy and picked it up a little, running at a comfortable pace.   41:03

1. 6:58  2.    6:41 (1.02 mile)  3: 6:18 ( .98)  4:  6:35    5:  6:40   6.  6:23  (.98)

 Nice and cool.  5pm run

8 miles at a slow pace in the heat (around 30c). Felt sluggish but I was desperate to get in a bit of mileage before my day today. Felt wacked afterwards but very happy that I did the run.

Forgot my watch today but felt about 6.30 pace for the first 2 miles (wind behind me) and a nasty wind blowing against me for the remailning 4.  Felt very light winged though and this was maybe due to the clouds above sheltering me from that darn sun.

Big difference from yesterday, it felt like I was running ina different body.

6 miles.  DId not go in with a plan today, just turned up at the river near work and decided to see if any other runner was up for a chase.  Saw the local fast boys turn up but the were not going very fast.  So I gave up on those and did a 6-mile lap. Kept up to about 6:40 pace which was just below a strain in the ever increasing heat.

Went to bed at 12:30 which is pretty late for me these days. Woke up at 8 and headed into the sun for an easy run.  8 miles of hard slong was the result.  Not very fast  the quickest was 6,59 and I averaged 7.15/20.  But it was hard. I had two slices of toast before heading out the door which may have made me feel a bit heavy but really it is down to the season.  From here until October I will have to cast aside any hope of a great run, if it happens I will be very happy. 

Yanbo Summer run.  Very very hot  35c    Crawled around.  Horrible but at least it was some mileage in the bag with some runners.

Easy run at night, nearly twisted my foot though owing to poor visibility.  Lesson learnt there, keep off the pavement when it gets dark or face an easily avoided sprain.

easy run again.   1:  7:57  2.  7:23  3.  7:24   4/5   15:35

Blisteringly hot.

Ran from Alpark  to in-laws

1. 9:15   2   7:11   3,4,5  23.18  (39:15)    

Very hot conditions but very enjoyable

Yakushigaoka  hill run.

1.   6:37 downhill  2.   6:33   3.  8:37  uP up up 

Alpark run,  Raku Raku en, Uniglow,  big hill

1,2 miles  14:42   3,4  14:25    5 9:09  (Hilly)  6.   8:21  (right to thetop)

Beautiful feeling to get to the top after so much hill running.

Ushita Lap.  Hot 30c   Windy back straight   42:15

1:  6:26   2. 6:27  3.  6:48   4.  6:46 5:  6:57   7  7:05     1:44

Knackered at  3 miles but kept up a pace which considering the heat was good.

28c   lots of up hill running around the in-laws

Yakushigaoka run with hills tagged on the end.  Muggy but a little cloudy with rain. Felt comfortable and kept it steady.

1. 6.48  2. 6.54  3. (1.01)  7.04  4. 8.43  (hill)  5. (1.09 hill)  9.36

Ushita Lap. 6.25 miles 40.25

1. 6.20  2. 6:14  3. 6.21  4.  6.34  5. 6:37  6. 6:40    1:36

Nice run, wind assited at times but a good solid quick pace and although I worked hard I was very pleased with this one. Not a season best but a great effort for this time of year.

4 laps of Ushita River (Small lap  2 miles) at night 7pm. Very dark but nice and cool, felt brilliant, just cruised around although there was a very strong wind on one straight as usual. Nice run, must have been inspired by the World Championships. Felt easy.

1.   7.07     2. 6.27  3.  6:38  4.  6:38  5.  6.46  6. 7.03 7. 7.01  8.  7.00  

1. 7.06  2.  6:44   3.  6:50   4.  6:39  5. 6:54  (1.02)  6. 6:22 7 .1:39

Ushita lap  42:17   Easyish 10k run and I felt a bit sluggish  but it was very hot and windy down the back straight.

Hill Running, Yakushigaoka.  Down hill, one mile flat and 3 up a BIG hill. Felt great. Cool 28c

1. 6:43  2.  13:51  3. 8.24  4./5  17.05

Alpark to Yoshiyuki's house.  Easy run   4.30 pm  cloudy so not so hot.   28 degrees

1.  7:46  2. 6:45  3. 4  13.33  5. 6:47 

5.04 miles 35.03

Ran from Asa Zoo to Yoshi's House. 10.89 miles   Around 28 degrees 5pm run.  Up  and down hills. Stopped at 7/11 on mile 8 for well^needed a bottle  of  water.

1. 7:26  2. 6.40  3. 7.15  4.7:09  5. 7.20  6. 7.30  7. 6:47  8. 7:04 9. 7: 01  10/11 (14:06)

Addidas Stripes

Big Golf Lap  55.56

1. 6.64  2: 6:55   3.  6:43  4.  6:48   5.   6:42   6.  6:56   7.  6:43   8.  6:45

Felt pretty good but had an achillis pain afterward.

5 easy miles to test achilles.  Felt Ok

5 miles easy, no watch around river.  Felt fine again.About 7 minute pace

Big Golf Lap: 8.26 miles   55.59

1. 7:24 2. 7:04  3. 6:27   4.   6:28 　　5.6   13:15   7.  6:43   8.  6:55

Slowed on the last on purpose, didn't want to push my luck on the achilles. Felt great

Easy run   

1.7:15  2.  6:52   3.  6:53  4.   6:48   5. 6:50  6. 6:56  7. 6:54

Ad hoc laps around the river.

Big Yanbo Lap (summer time lap) 12 miles    (8 am start)

1 7:51       2 7:20   3/ 4  14:52    5. 7:44    6. 7:00      7 7:23   8 7:09   

9 7:05   10 6:53     11 6:59     .58 miles   4.02

Easy long

5pm Run   Big Golf Lap 56:37

1  6:51   2:    6:39   3.   6:39   4.   6:39    5.    6:44

6.  7:09    7.   7:09     8.  7:34   

Felt knackered in legs and arms.    One of those hard runs

7.20 am start.  Cloudy but sunny, about 25-30 degrees as the morning progressed.

 Aimed for 7 min. mile pace

1.   2.  15.05  3 7:13   4.  7:00   5.  6:51  6.   6:59 7. 6:53  8. 7:02

8. 7.03  9. 7.02  10.  6:42   11.  6:49   12.  6:55 13. 7:03   14.  7:35   .5 mile  3:43

  Felt great, easy start and comf. all around, easy pace , v comfortable.

Speed Session around the river.

2 x 2k   8:15 (over 2k)    7:38

2 x 1 mile 6:02  5:58

Felt relaxed all through, kept to pace. Intended to do a bit more but I was pushed for time. Pleased overall.

Fun run.  Ran to see daughters ballet lesson and ran back home. Easy run with Nike Free.

Tempo run around Big Golf Lap 8.25m  53:09 (2nd fastest) 5pm, 27c

 1   2 miles: 13:00  3. 6:16   4.  6:20    5.   6:29     6.      6:37    7.   6:37   8.   6:27

     remaining 1:27

Intended 6:30 av. so not bad really. Felt tough mile 6 owig to some sharp turns and up hill parts, but I was pleased I managed to focus.  Very pleased with the run. 

LSD. Exhausted this morning but I had to try and get something done as I hadn't been able to run at the w/e. THe weather was nice, cloudy and cool and I managed to leave work at 3.30 to start it - perfect!  Took it easy and I didn't take any gels with me, but I did carry a water bottle and ate a half a snicker bar: 1h 52:00

1. 7:42  2. 7:30    3.  7:13  4.  7:30   5.  -  6.   14:52   7.  -     8.  14:50  

 9. 7.21   10. 7:13  11. 7:21  12.  7:24  13. 7:41  14.  7:33  15. 7:42   

8.25 miles.  Extremely windy with the typhoon approaching but I wanted to put a few quick miles in.

1.   7.40   2.7.10 (nasty winds)       3. 6.35      4.6:15    5. 6:15    6. 6:32      7. 6: 45     8. 7:10 (terrible winds)

10 mile easyish around river.  Felt easy going around apart from the last 2 miles when my legs felt heavy.

Speed session along river. Unfortunately I forgot to charge my watch so I had to run these intuitively. 

1x 2km half m pace

1x 1 mile  10k pace 6min

1x 1k 5k pace

Ran in Nike Free 5.0  First time to use them for a fast session and they felt good.  Warmed down 1 mile.  I liked the feel of a sesion in them.

8 miles steady run around the river.

Half marathon Race : Etajima

Went into this wanting 1.25 but with a scorching day  26c and a blue sky it was roasting for this time of the year. Met Paul Walsh and he said he intended to go out conservatively for the first half.  But when the race started he went out at 6:10 for mile 1 and I stayed a little behind him, then at 2 the same pace emerged so I put the brakes on a little.  As the course hit some hills with some quite strong winds I was feeling puffed by mile 5 and when someone went to go past me I dug my heels in to stay with him and looked at my watch to see a 6:42 mile -  I was gutted with all that effort and it was the beginning of my decline.  I couldn't believe that a 6:40 mile would be so draining. By the mid point I had decided to call it a taining session and forget about the time.  

I learnt that pacing is not only important but CRUCIAL if you want to get agood time.  Incidentally a guy who passed me at mile 8 flew past me and went past Paul. He said he would pace himself at 6.30 at the beginning. It clearly payed off.

6 miles easy pace. Felt  rested and decided to have a run at 6:40-50 pace to relax 

my legs and tell myself that this pace is easy after running slower at the half on Sunday.

3 mile jog. I wanted to go for my long run but I decided it was too late leaving at 4:30 in the evening so I settled for a pre-long run jog.

LSD  Longest run of the season, started off slow at 8:15 and kept it easy at 7:15- 7:40 p/m.  For a change I took my Ipod out with me for the company and I surprised myself by really enjoying it. It was a safe course, 2 loops of 8 miles and a small lap of 2.

Unfortunately I have had a pain in the side of my foot since then which is bothering me, but I will have to moniter it and see where it leads me in my running.

  Beuatiful day though, 8am start, cloudy and cool 23c.

Foot felt better today, no pain to start so I joged a mile and did some 1 mile intervals. No pain until the last one when I could feel it a little.  I stopped at 4 as I thought it was quite enough - maybe too much.  The miles felt easy though, with 1-2 min. recovery.

1.  6:03  2.  6.02   3.  6:01  4. 6:03

10km Peace Marathon Race.  Time  38.50.  av pace 6:10.

Despite little training I managed to do better than I thought. I was worrried about  my

foot injury and so I went into the race very cautiously, I started with the intention of doing 6.30 p.mile but when I saw the first mile was 6:05 i cut back a little to 6:15 and then 6:20  and felt fine.

I reckon I could have gone a little faster at the beginning but I am glad I held back as I felt strong all the way. It was a great course and I finished 80th out of 5000 so not bad really.

Easy run with Colin arounf the river. Foot felt fine and so I feel that the race was a good thing to have done.

Day off so off I headed into the morning with a LSD.  Ended up doing a little bit faster at the start than I should have which left my legs all wobbly on the last mile.

My right foot pain wasn't so bad but I was pretty dehydrated the last half.

Easy run around the river, extremely windy conditions so i  took it easy about 7.20 with a full gale blowing against me.

Easyish run, slow start with Colin (7.50) and I picked up a little 6:50 p.m for a few miles

but needed to stop for a nature call so I called it a day at just short of 5 miles.

LSD.  Averaged about 7:50-8:00 p/m. Had a half-day so I went out at 3pm, starting out with Colin for 5km and I went onwards towards the Higashi airport and came through town. It felt longer but when I got back to the start I had only done 13 miles so I ate a banana and half a snickers before starting the next part.

10 miles 1:09:47

10 miles again. A little bit faster av. 6,50-55 and I felt good all the way though.

Erina had been sick this wek so I couldn't go running.

LSD 20 miles. Had a job getting up after a latish night getting little one and big one to bed.  I dragged myself from the warm bed after what seemed an inadequate sleep because I couldn't go for a long run last week.  I knew that if I failed on this one I would be doomed.

I took it easy, running down to Mazda factory and back, up the hill behind Ushita and then to the rive for some more laps.  Fortunately I met up with some other runner doing a little race (10km) so I tagged on some guys shoulder for an easy 7-30-45 pace running.  I then carried on for another 10 km to round off the 20miler.

Speedy session. Really windy going up a slight slope but easier coming back with the wind behind me.  Warmed up for 2 miles and did a mile warm-down.  Felt good but hard with that wind.

5 x 1200m.  4.42  4.20  4.36  4. 20  4: 34  

Speed session around river   apprx. 1 mile

3 x 1600m

6:04

6:11  THought I was alright for the time and relaxed too much -  I could have done the time easily if I had paid better attention.

Woke up at 5am for a ten-miler as tonight I am busy.  It was one of the coldest mornings this winter and my bones creaked as I stepped out of bed. No actually I was well on for an early run and I soon got going.  Had to take a toilet break halfway but I felt ok.  My watch's battery went so it was a fun run, untimed/  I was buzzing all day after the early one though.  Tired but elated that I did this -  I am hoping to do this again soon, although I did have a slight niggle on the outside of my right knee - something I have never had before. 

2 Warm up/down miles  and a 7 miler (Av. 7:04).

Felt fine all the way through. Wore new shoes, Asics.

8am start.  Was not able to run this week as family was busy and Erina sick.

After 5 miles my right knee was killing and I was close to finishing but after a toilet stop I reviewed things telling myself I will go home if it hurts when I start again, but miraculously  it went away and never returned during or after the run. 

4 x 1 mile along river near Yoshiyukis house. Started at best denki side at an inlet and ran until 'kuromeko sign.  Felt good.