An Enjoyable Week

Week of April 18 ~ 24

63.4k/39 mi. 5:31

The people of the Tohoku region in Japan where the earthquake/tsunami hit are still suffering a lot of hardships, and there are many charity events and activities aimed at helping them. You may have already donated some money, but if not and you would like to, or if you would like to donate a bit more, I am participating in a fund-raising activity that one of the women in my club organized. Each person logs their mileage from March 20 to April 30, and then contributes a certain amount per kilometer. The person can also have supporters who contribute. Any amount per kilometer is ok, in fact, a small amount such as 10 yen/cents is fine. So if any of my readers would like to support me, let me know by email to tokyoracer@me.com and I will tell you the final total and send you a PayPal request for money.
As you know, I have not been doing big mileage recently, so I suspect the total will be just under 350km.
The money will go to the Japan Red Cross relief efforts.
Thank you.

Monday
3:00 - 9.5k in 51:42.
Easy/average pace with ASIJ track team, including two hilly 1k loops.
100m x 4 barefoot on artificial turf.
Legs a bit tired but not bad, considering did 20k @4:14 yesterday.
Weight: 61.7kg

Tuesday
11:00 - machines and abs at gym.
3:30 - at Fuchu 300m track. 600, 400, 300, 200 x 2 with track team girls.
2:10/85/58/40 2:02/81/60/36. 2' after 6 & 4, 1.5' after 3, 5' bet. sets.
Good workout., legs felt fine.
Temp: 11C/52F, windy

Wednesday
7:30 - 9.5 in Yoyogi Park. 2000, 1000, 2000, 1000.
9:01/4:17/8:57/4:09.
Legs felt ok.
This workout was written up here
with a nice photo of yours truly.


Thursday
3:30 - 6.8 at Fuchu track.
400 x 4, 300 x 4, 200 x 2 with track team girls.
82/86/85/85, 64/61/62/60, 36/37
Temp: 16C/61F
Weight: 61.1kg

Friday
11:00 - machines and abs at gym.
12"30 - 10k in 50:00 (25:49/24:11). Felt ok.
Temp: 19C/66F

Saturday
Rest
American School track meet. Terrible weather - very windy, with rain on and off, mostly on.

Sunday
1:30 - 20k in 1:40:16 @5:00
25:56/24:49/24:25/25:05
Legs feeling stiff last 5k.
Weight: 61.5kg
Temp: 20C/68F, sunny, a beautiful day!

Some Speed and a Good 20K

Week of April 11 ~ 17

This week's schedule planned around running with the ASIJ track team and a 20K "race" on Sunday.

Monday
10:30am - 6k easy in 34:09 @5:42
Not much time, but didn't feel like doing more.

Tuesday
11:00 - machines and abs at the gym.
3:00 - on the 300m track.
6.5k inc. 400 x 8 with the girls.
80/82/78/84/84/80/78/82 (150m walk in between).

Wednesday
3:00 - 9k with kids at easy/average pace.
7:30 - 10k in the park. 3000/2000/1000. Very easy pace.

Thursday
3:30 - 7.2k at 300m track with the girls.
400 x 4 83/82/85/84
300 x 4 59/62/62/62. Felt ok.

Friday
11:00 - machines and abs at the gym.

Saturday - second day of rest to prepare for a 20k run tomorrow.
Also ASIJ track meet. Our top boy ran a 4:21 1500. Not bad.

Sunday
9:00 - Marathon time trial (the Not the Nagano Marathon) organized by another club for people who had entered the (cancelled) Nagano Marathon. All major races in eastern Japan in March and April were cancelled. They offered 10, 20, 30, 40K and full marathon. There were 75 runners, including 11 from Namban Rengo.
The course was a wide, flat bicycle path next to a river. Hardly anyone on it, which was good. It was a 5k course, marked every k. You went out and back, etc. Temp at the start was 14C/57F, which rose to 17C/63F or more, but the course was in shadow for the first hour. One of our guys wanted to run a sub-3 marathon, so I decided to pace him for 20k. Hit 1:24:50 (4:14/k), so just under 3:00 pace. I felt good - legs got tired the last 2k, but it was a nice run. Quite happy to feel that good just 4 weeks after the marathon. It was a nice event and an enjoyable day. And the guy I paced finished in 2:58:54!

Back At It

Took one week off after the marathon and have been running the last two weeks, mostly easy, but some up-tempo stuff with the American School track team. I run with the 1500/3000m girl runners - the boys are too fast over short distances.

Week of 3/28 ~ 4/3

Monday
10k in 56:35 (27:40/28:54)
Quads sore after 6k, calves slightly sore. Should have run 6k.
Temp: 11C52F
Weight: 62.3kg (gained about 2kg after the marathon)

Tuesday
11:00 - Wt. machines and core
2:00 - 5k in 29:37. Quads and thighs sore.

Wednesday
7:30 pm. 10.5k with 5k time trial. Easy in 24:50. Quads felt ok.

Thursday
3:00 - 7.5 easy with kids, part of it on a hilly loop.
Weight: 61.7kg

Friday
3:00 - 7.5 easy with kids in 39:34
100m x 8 barefoot on artificial grass.
Abs and other exercises with the team.

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
10:30 - 16.6k to/from and around the Palace.
29:04/26:25/26:39 (5k + 26m)
Easy with other people.
Temp: 10C/50F

Week of 4/4 ~ 10

Monday
3:00 - 8.4k. 4k warmup, 300 x 10 @62sec., last 2 @58
With girls, good workout.
Temp: 13C/55F, windy
Weight: 62kg

Tuesday
3:00 - at 300m track. Easy 1200, 1500 in 6:16, jog 600, 1500 in 16:36, jog 600. 1500s: run straights, jog turns.
Temp: 15C/59F

Wednesday
3:00 - 8.4k with kids at about 5:30/k. Legs stiff.
7:30 - 9.4k in park. 1000m x 6.
4:56/53/58/46/59/42.
Took it easy but felt much better than in the afternoon.
Temp at 3:00 - 19C/66F

Thursday
3:00 - 8.5k. 2.1 WU,400 x 2 strides, 400 x 8.
83/85/85/83/87/86/87/85. With two girls. Legs a bit tired.
Temp: 20C/68F, windy (it's windy every day).
Weight: 61.9kg

Friday
10:00 - 8k easy in 44:59.

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
10:30 - 15k in 1:14:38 @4:59
26:49/25:28/22:20 @5:22/06/4:27
Temp: 17C/63F
Legs felt ok, but stomach feels heavy due to extra weight. Esp. during last 3k at about 4:20/k.
The sakura (cherry blossoms) are 100% full! And no wind today. The wife and I went to Koganei Park with wine, cheese and crackers - along with 1000s of other people (most people were under the trees, and there are LOTS more trees).

New Favorite Song, New Favorite Singer

Brandi Carlile - The Story