Week of Mar. 26 ~ Apr. 1
Ran: 10/10/8/13.5/13.5/20/10 - 85km / 53 mi. 7:48
Gained weight after the Tokyo Marathon, which I'm having trouble losing, so I'm not feeling too light on my feet these days.
And speaking of Tokyo, I got my results and was 2nd in my age group (60-64 men), out of 1,312. Rather a surprise, since there are a lot of good veteran Japanese runners (who can run faster than 3:08:22). I guess the lottery kept a lot of them out of the race.
The Tokyo Marathon is not in the internet age yet, so they mail you a piece of paper. No way to search age group results, or any results except your own time, on the website. You can't contact them either, so I wrote to the company that handles the registrations (the wonderfully named Kinki Nippon Tourist), and asked them to pass along the message that this situation is unacceptable and they should do such and such. I got an answer saying they had heard the same thing from other runners and would pass along my plea.
However, I don't think I'll run Tokyo again. We were lucky with the weather this year and I am going to quit while I'm ahead. When the weather is bad in February, it's really bad. Rain in April or November, ok, rain in February, no. Next year I'll run in April or go overseas.
The American School is on spring break this week, so no track workouts.
Monday
3:30 - 10k in 48:49 with splits 27:03/21:45.
A bit sore, but felt better going faster. Last 2k in 4:12, 4:10, so not too bad.
Weather: 11C/52F, 15%, sunny
Weight: 62.8kg (was 61)
Tuesday
3:30 - 10k very easy in 58:00. Legs sore,
Wednesday
7:30 5,000m time trial on the track. 20:13 (4:00/05/09/02/3:57)
A bit shocking, since I was running hard. Was breathing hard after 800m, showing that I haven't run "fast" for quite a while. And of course, I'm heavy. Legs felt ok (took 450mg of ibuprofen 2 hours before).
Weather: 9C/48F, slight wind
Thursday
5:00pm - 13.5k very easy with another guy. 1:19:32 @5:54/k
Weather: 14C/57F, sunny
Weight: 63.6kg!
Friday
11:30 - gym workout
1:00 - 13.5k with 3k x 3 "hard"
12:34/12:28/12:56. (5 mins. walk in between). 1st and 3rd had a short, steep hill and were 2/3 into the wind.
Slow times, but a hard workout.
Weather: 18C/64F, 30%, sunny
Saturday
10:00am - 20k easy in 1:56:03. Butt got sore last 4k.
Tremendously strong wind made running a bit difficult.
Sunday
10:00am - 10k easy in 56:29. Legs tired and fairly sore.
But...I got a massage cushion recommended by Chris Parry, who says it really helped his piriformis/HS/butt problems. You turn it on and metal balls inside roll around and painfully massage wherever you are sitting. So we'll see if that helps.
2 days ago
congrats on the ago place. that's fantastic in a major marathon event. looks like you did rather well.
ReplyDeleteFantastic Bob, well done. I take it that kinki has a number of meanings in Nippon.
ReplyDeleteWell done on 2 nd place. Would be interesting to know time of winner.
ReplyDeleteYour weight is 63.6 !! Surely this must be a mis-type! :-)
Surprising that the Tokyo Marathon is still living in the past. Well done on the 2nd place. I'm packing a good 11 kgs more than you, but I guess I'm taller.
ReplyDeleteThe massage cushion could do the trick. Let us know - I have a friend with chronic hamstring problems.
Bob - truly world class result at Tokyo... and thefact you ran a 38 min 10k 6 weeks before suggests you should have been sub 3 by a margin and clearly No1. I guarentee the massage cushion works... enjoy the pain. Unlike a professional hand massage, you choose the right point..... Agony
ReplyDelete