Enjoyable Ekiden

Week of Nov. 25 ~ Dec. 1

40.4km / 25 mi.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
12:00 - Gym workout
3:00 - 12k with 4k warmup, 8k hard tempo in 34:03 @4:15/km
Splits: 4:15/26/14/11/18/15/07/14
Felt ok, but still have some sinus and chest congestion. Legs felt good.
Weather: 16C/61F, 40%
Weight: 57.8kg

Wednesday
7:30pm - club track 5,000m time trial.
Cruised in 20:51 - 4:06/09/10/12/13
Knee a bit sore for 2k, then ok.
Interesting that the pace, when running on the track with other people, felt so much easier than yesterday.
Weather: 13C/55F
Weight: 57.9kg

Thursday
3:30 - 12k easy in 1:08:15 @5:41/k
Weather: 15C/59F
Weight: 57.1kg

Friday
11:30 - Gym workout

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
7.4k leg in the Okutama Ekiden.
28:15 @3:49. Happy with that, as I wanted to run under 29:00.
This is an old (75 years) and popular ekiden out in the hilly countryside in the far west of Tokyo.
6-man teams running 3 legs out and 3 back. I ran the last leg, which is rolling with more down than up for about 3k, then flat for the rest. I ran the anchor leg, as it is the least interesting, since the teams are so far apart by that time that you're running by yourself. Our team had some slow guys so we were near the end of the 120-team field. Fortunately there were some slow people that I had fun catching and passing. I ran hard the whole way and felt good.
We had 3 men's teams and 3 women's teams (which have 3 members and shorter legs). Beer and sushi afterwards while watching the end of the Fukuoka marathon completed a very enjoyable day.
Weather: beautiful day, slightly chilly but sunny.
Weight: 56.9kg