Another Good Week

Week of Mar. 4 ~ 10

87.6 km / 54.4 mi.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
11:30 - Gym workout.
2:30 - 22k.
Easy 5.5k to American School (track season starts today).
Long rest, then 11k run which I thought would go out at 5:00/k and back at 4:30, but which was much faster. The varsity boys are already in shape, or maybe they're always in shape. Started at 5:00, but quickly went to 4:30 and then faster. First 5k 22:48 @4:33. Then 500m more out and back, then 5k in 21:51 @4:22. That was with the 4th boy - 3 others were far ahead.
Then kept right on going 5.5k home in 25:43 @4:40. So a good 16.5k run.
Weather: 12C/54F, sunny
Weight: 60.6kg

Wednesday
7:30pm - 10.6k.  track workout 1000 x 6.
4:02/3:47/49/48/49/48. Good! Fastest 1000s in a very long time. Quads were not at all sore. Knee was sore for the first one only. Had people to follow.
Weather: 12C/54F
Weight: 60.1kg

Thursday
Rest

Friday
11:30 - gym workout.
2:00 - 25k killer hill workout.
Easy 8.5k to the hill, then 500m hill up/down 8 times. First 5 came down fast, next 3 went up fast, last one up and down fast and kept going 8.5k back. 3.5k in 16:57 @4:48, 5k in 22:56 @4:35.  Worked hard to stay under 4:40/k. (Heavier 270g shoes.)
Weather: 21C/70F !! Sunny
Weight: 60.6kg

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
1:30 - 30k in 2:34:51 @ 5:10
27:54/13/26:26/24:26/24:20/24:31 @ 5:36/27/17/4:53/52/54
Hard runs may be catching up with me - legs were tired and quads sore last 10k, but managed to stay under 5:00/k pace. (Heavier 270g shoes.)
Weather: 21C/70F > 14C/57F. First 30 minutes violent wind which brought huge clouds of yellow dust, possibly from China (really, this is a big problem in Japan, esp. southern japan), but mainly I think from the fallow fields out in this region. I actually went out with a surgical mask on (every household in japan has these, mainly for pollen allergy sufferers (like my wife) but also for Chinese pollution). Fortunately after 30 minutes it lessened and coming back the wind had died down considerably.
Weight: 60.4kg

Good Week

Week of Feb. 25 ~ Mar. 3
82.8km / 51.5 mi.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
12:00 - Gym workout
2:30 - 20k - 10k easy, 3-4' rest, then 10k at MP or thereabouts.
28:07/26:40/22:25/22:17
Last 10k were: 4:23/24/32/36/29/28/26/30/29/23
So not bad - against a wind, too. Felt ok, but not real good.
Weather: 8C/46F, 20%, sunny
Weight: 60.4kg

Wednesday
7:30pm - 10.8k - 5,000m time trial on the track with club.
20:30   3:58/4:08/4:06/4:09/4:08
Wanted to run 20:00, but this was ok. Not much warmup. Felt pretty good from the 2nd k, good effort the whole way.
Weather: 5C/41F ? anyway, cold

Thursday
Rest

Friday
12:30 - gym workout
2:30 - 22k killer hill workout
5k warmup in 27:21, 1.2k hill x 5 up and down.
3 hard effort down, 1 hard up, then last one hard up, hard down and continue on for hard effort 5k, which was 23:54 @ 4:48 (into wind and with heavy shoes). Hard workout!
Weather: 16C/61F but very windy so didn't feel so warm.
Weight: 60.3kg

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
1:00 - 30k in 2:28:55 @4:57/k
27:44/23:58/25:38/25:16/23:24/22:54
@ 5:33/4:48/5:06/5:03/4:42/4:36 last 2k 4:26/26
Tried to run MP (4:30 or less) or at least hard 2nd 5k (to tire my quads), than again last 10k. Didn't run MP, but worked hard and finished well. Knee ok. Left hamstring and butt a bit sore, but not bad.
Weather: 9C/48F, 20%, cloudy, slightly windy (always against me)
Weight: 60.4kg

Two Weeks — One in Cairns

Weeks of Feb. 11 ~ 24
11 ~ 17 - 64.7km / 40 mi.
18 ~ 24 - 83.4km / 52 mi.

Well, since Ewen is publicizing my blog, I guess I had better post something.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
11:00 - Gym workout
2:00 - 30K w/ 2:30 walks after 10 and 20k
Plan: Out - 27:30/5k, In - 25:00/5k
Ran: 27:10/27:04/26:48/24:54/24:56/24:38
Average 5:11/k
Usual knee and hammy niggles, but not bad. Legs felt much better the last 5k than last week.
Weather: 6C/43F, clear
Weight: 59.9kg

Wednesday
7:30pm - Track workout.
1000/1000/1000/800/800/600/400
4:31/4:10/4:02/3:11/3:09/2:20/88 (2' jog, 1' walk in between)
No warmup, so first 1000 was the warmup. After that, felt better and better.
Weather: 6C/43F?, windy
Weight: 59.7kg

Thursday
Flight to Cairns (I won two roundtrip tickets on JetStar in a raffle.) (Pronounced "cans".)

Friday
6:30am - Easy 10k approx. along the Esplanade.
About 30C/86F, which is what it was every day.

Saturday
7:00am - Easy 6k. Exact, as I found the 500m markers along the Esplanade.
Boat trip to Green Island.

Sunday
6:30am - 10k in 55:37
4k @6:00/km, 2.5k @5:45, 2.5k @5:15, 1k @4:30.
Not bad for early am and having eaten a lot the night before. High fat, no sugar diet is going to suffer a bit. Well, won't eat a lot of carbs, but I will eat some desserts (I'm on vacation!).
Great trip around Cairns surrounding area with Mike Lacey, Steve's brother. He works for the famous Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Monday
4:00pm - 20k w/ water stops after 5k and 10k.
5ks in 27:18/25:16/24:38/22:45.
Average 5:00/km
Felt good for the first 15k and worked _really_ hard the last 5k.
Hot, but no direct sun from 5:00, so not brutally hot.

Tuesday
Rest
Trip on Scenic Railway up to Kuranda, back down on Skyrail cable car.

Wednesday
7:00am - 10k in 54:52 (28:30/26:21)
Back home from Cairns. Did NOT want to come back, wish I was still there.
By the way, the Esplanade (2.5k wide path + bike path) is now my all-time favorite place to run. Ocean on one side, small park on the other side, marked every 500m, and lots of very attractive walkers and runners (not much like the bike path I usually run on). Plus, I like warm/hot weather. I'm happy to run up and down it, even for long runs.

Thursday
1:30 - 10k in 54:21 (28:00/26:21).
Felt ok the second 5k.
Weather: 7C/45F, clear but cold, damn it.
Weight: 61kg - only gained about 1kg....

Friday
11:30 - Gym workout
2:00 - 22k hill workout. Easy 5k, then 1.2k hills. Up moderate/down hard x 3, up hard, down easy, up hard, down hard, then continue on with 5k in 22:31. Pretty good workout.
The last 2k of the 5k was with a young guy at 4:20 pace, which felt easier than the previous 4:40 pace alone. Says something for having training partners.
Dinner with blogger Marty Lever, here for the Tokyo Marathon.

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
AM - cheering for 20 Namban Rengo members in the Tokyo Marathon, as well as Marty. Temp was 5C at the start, 7 or 8 at the finish, but very windy. However, they had the wind at their backs about half the time, including the last 15+k. Hard going into it, though.
2:30pm - 20k around the Palace, hoping to run 4:30/k pace for 15k. That's a 3:10 marathon, but is a much harder run than I have been doing.
Ran: 26:45 (2:00 walk) 22:29/22:36/22:23. So that was good. Alone and in a strong wind, too.
5:00pm on - Club post-marathon party!

Tokyo leaders at 5K.

The Cairns Esplanade

Shaved my head before I went to Cairns. This is my new Bruce Willis image.

4 Hard, 3 Off

Week of Feb. 4 ~ 10

79.4km / 49.3 mi.
Sticking to the four days on, three days off schedule. Seems to be good for me. I'm not running high mileage, but working pretty damn hard every day, which is good, I think.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
11:30 - Gym workout
1:30 - 30k w/ 2' walks after 10k and 20k.
28:26/27:36/26:43/25:44/25:08/25:24
Pace per k: 5:42/31/20/09/01/05 total 5:18
Knee was ok, hamstring got a bit sore. Also got tired the last 5k.
Ran 30 rather than 25 because forecast for tomorrow is snow.
Weather: 12C/54F, 20%, cloudy
Weight: 60kg

Wednesday
AM snow and rain.
7:30pm - 9.4k with 1000m x 6 in 4:13/10/10/12/13/05
Felt ok, but not "good." Quads a bit sore.
Weather: 3C/37F, cold but no wind.
Weight: 59.7kg

Thursday
Rest

Friday
11:30 - Gym workout
1:30 - 18k. 2k WU, 1k WD, 5k x 3 "hard."
4:31/26/27/37/32 (5' walk) 4:25/38/43/44/30 (5' walk) 4:35/28/31/36/28. Aver: 4:32.7.
Cold, strong, swirling wind. Faster ones were with the wind, slower ones against.
Didn't feel too good, but worked pretty hard.
Wore Adi Zero Feathers, which I don't especially like. They're light, but have a big heel and are stiff.
Weather: 6C/43F, windy
Weight: 60.1kg

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
11:30 - Gym workout
1:30 - 22k with 5 x 1.2k hill (5 up hard, 5 down easy)
5k WU 26:37. Hills: 5:42/41/43/42/34
5k back in 23:24 @ 4:42
Legs a bit tired, wore the heavier shoes that I usually do long runs in.
Weather: 8C/46F. 30%, clear, no wind.
Weight: 59.9kg

I will be going to Cairns next Thursday with the wife for 6 days. Heat training. Looking forward to it.

Same as Last Week, But Faster

Week of Jan 28 ~ Feb 3

81km / 50.3 mi.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
11:30 - Gym workout
1:30 - 25k. Planned: 5ks in 29/28/27/26/25.
Ran: 28:57/27:52 (1:30 walk)/26:52/26:00 (1:30 walk)/24:53
So accomplished that with no difficulty. Bit of soreness here and there, but no problems.
Weather: 10C/50F, 20%, clear
Weight: 59.9kg

Wednesday
12:00 - 10k easy in 59:46 - quads sore.
7:30 8k with 5,000m time trial.
Only 2k warmup, didn't expect much, but felt good and quads were not sore!
Ran 20:41 in 4:02/12/13/11/03.
So that was a nice surprise. Don't know where that came from, except I guess I am getting into shape.
Was running mostly alone and it was cold and windy.

Thursday
Rest

Friday
11:30 - Gym workout
1:30 - 16k with 4k x 3 hopefully at at goal MP of 4:22.
4:23/20/26/24 (5:00 walk)
4:23/25/25/18 (5:00 walk)
4:21/25/20/24. Average for the 3 4ks: 4:22.8
Felt ok, but not great. Still not easy to run at this pace.
Quads not sore, but hamstring a bit sore.
Weather: 10C/50F, 40%, clear
Weight: 60.3kg

Saturday
Rest
Saw "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel." A very good movie - recommended!

Sunday
Watched the Beppu-Oita marathon for inspiration, which Kawauchi provided in spades (check japanrunningnews.blogspot.jp - report should be up soon)
2:30 - 22k hill workout.
5k in 26:27, then 10 x 1.2k hills, hard up, easy down.
Up in 5:27/29/29/37/38 Down easy in abt. 6:50
So up the hills at about 4:35/k.
5k back in 23:28 @4:42.
Hills and 5k both considerably faster than last week.
Knee was fine, left hamstring and butt were a bit sore on the 5k.
Weather; 12C/54F, 20%, clear
Weight: 60.3kg

Feeling Pretty Good

Week of Jan 21 ~ 27

84.6km / 52.5 mi.
Started my program of 2 on - 1 off - 1 on - 1 off - 1 on - 1 off.
In other words, 4 runs a week, 3 days off. All runs are hard efforts. It seems good, both for giving the knee sufficient rest, and having fresh legs for hard workouts.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
11:30 - Gym workout, inc. 10' on elliptical.
1:30 - 25k - 5k x 5 w/ 100m walk breaks.
5k Pace: 5:48/36/18/17/19
Felt ok, good the first 15k, legs tired the last 5k.
Temp: 8C/46F, clear
Weight: 59.6kg! Legacy of the norovirus.

Wednesday
1:30 - 10k very easy (28:24/28:59)
7:30 - 9.6k on the track. 1000 x 3, 800 x 2, 600, 400
4:35/19/14/3:23/22/2:36/1:40 (200m walks in between)
Knees felt fine when running "fast.". Quads were very sore, but that's good, I need to work on strengthening my quads.
Temp: 6C/43F
Weight: 59.6kg

Thursday
Rest

Friday
1:00 - Gym workout
2:30 - 18k (4k WU, 4k x 3 at MP 4:22, if possible)
5k @ 5:42, then 4k x 3 in 4:28/30/28/21, 4:19/24/29/22, 4:22/26/29/31
Had to work hard, but did ok. Knee was ok, hamstring was 95% ok.
Couldn't keep the pace down around 4:20, but not bad.
Temp: 10C/50F, clear
Weight: 59.9kg

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
2:30 - 22k with 1.2k hills x 10 (hard up, easy down)
5k: 26:34 1.2k uphills: 6:02/5:46/47/52/53 (so bit under 5:00/km)
Down easy in about 7:15.
5k back in 24:45 - 5min pace and picked up last 2k.
Good workout! Best I have felt since I started running again.
Felt good at 5:00 pace the last 5k, which was good after the hills.
Quads not sore. Encouraging!
Temp: 6C/43F
Weight: 59.8kg

So I will try to keep doing weeks basically like this for the next 10 weeks.
Should get me into shape...I think.

Norovirus!

Week of Jan 14 ~ 20

Struck down by the norovirus, which you don't want to get, unless you REALLY want to lose weight, but even then...no, you don't want it.

Monday
Rest. Snow! Quite a bit for Tokyo....

Tuesday
Norovirus. Came on suddenly late Monday night. From initial strange feeling in my stomach to being in   serious pain, doubled over, vomiting, was only an hour. Then constant trips to the bathroom, every 30 to 60 minutes for like 10 hours. Stomach was very painful for 6 hours, then still hurting for another 18. Stayed in bed all day.
Got it from my wife, who had it for 3 days up until Monday. Don't know where she got it.

Wednesday
Feeling quite a bit better, but still not 100%. Ate a little for dinner.

Thursday
16k at an easy pace but didn't feel too bad. Bicycle path still icy in 6 or 7 places.
Weight: 60.1kg. Had been 62.5. Wanted to get down to 61, which had been proving difficult. Thought 60 was out of the question. So, one silver lining. Now have to keep it down.

Friday
Relapse. Drank a breakfast shake with milk, cream, egg and coconut milk - too rich on the stomach. Didn't feel good all day.

Saturday
15k. Very slow - felt weak.
Weight: 60kg
By the way, the high-fat diet is being shelved for a while. I can eat ham and small sausages with toast, but have no appetite for large sausages or cheese (had been eating huge amounts of cheese).

Sunday
9:30am - 20k. Hate morning running but had no other time. Surprisingly, felt quite good. 5Ks out in 27:55/26:55, then back in 24:49/24:54. Took a 200m walk break in the middle, but the knee felt fine running 10k at a time.
Weight: 59.8kg

Had an interesting anecdote from triathlete Chris Parry on the high fat diet. He had been doing it "somewhat" for a while, then did 4 days very strictly. The next day he did a hard 5-hour bike ride inside (bike stand) and felt great. Did not get fatigued. Even felt good at the finish. NOT the usual result. Decided he had really gone into fat burning mode and it gave him plenty of energy. So I'll try to work my way back onto the diet. My secret weapon for Boston.