1:25:03 Half Marathon

Week of Sept. 20 ~ 26

Plan: 11/22/8/9/0/6/21 race - 77km
Ran: 10.9/23.2/7.4/0/6/5/21 - 73.6km / 45.7 mi.

Finished the week with a good half marathon. See below.

Monday
9:00AM (no school, but a few of the kids came and ran). 10.9k.
Ran with No. 2 girl Arisa. 57:48 - Out 30:25, In 27:23 @5:36/5:00.
Legs felt ok.
Weather: 26C/79F, 50%

Tuesday
11:00 - weights and core at gym.
3:00 - 23.2k. 5.6k to/from school in 32:40/32:28 @5:50/48
2k warmup. 6 x 600m hill (about 300m is actual uphill). Up in 2:40/41/37/29/27/27, jog down (with varsity girls). Plus one extra with one of the boys. 1k warmdown.
Legs very tired running home (I have run for 9 straight days). I need 4 easy days before the race.
Temp: 31C/88F

Wednesday
7:30pm at the track. 7.4k.
1000 x 3, 800 x 3, 400. 5:03/27/02/3:54/43/37/1:46.
2nd with two new slow girls. Last 2 barefoot.
Legs very tired, so took it very easy - just an extended warmup.
Temp: 27C/81F

Thursday
Rest. Heavy rain, so rested today instead of Friday.

Friday
11:30 - 6k. 18:48/16:56
Easy. Legs still not feeling fresh at all.

Saturday
12:00 - 5k. 31:58. Very easy 3k, then 2 500m pickups with easy 500m after each.
Legs felt better but still only so-so.

Sunday
10:30 - Watarase Half Marathon
Got up at 4:30, left home at 6:00 - long trip of almost 3 hours (north of Tokyo).
A nice, fairly small (about 1,500 runners) low-key race around a lake (3 times around). It was a warm, sunny day...I would almost say hot (24-25C/75-77F ?). There was a breeze off the lake (about half of the way around) but the sun was bright and there was no shade.
I felt ok after warming up. Planned to run 4:00/k pace (1:24:23) with Paddy, who ran 1:21 here last year, and we started off at what we thought that was. No kilo markers until 5k and we were at 19:46. The next 5k was 20:21. I felt good, but Paddy's calf became painful so he slowed and eventually stopped. I picked up the pace and ran the next 5k in 19:47. The top woman had been right ahead of us the first 5k, then got further ahead. However, I caught her at 16k and we ran together all the way in. We were going at a good, steady pace, I am sure I did not slow down the 4th 5k, but my watch said 20:58. Very strange. Even if I slowed slightly, I certainly did not slow 1:15 from the previous 5k. The last 1.1k was 4:11 - 3:48/k pace, so too fast, but only by about 12 seconds. So was the course long or just the 20k marker in the wrong place? I measured the course on Map My Run and got 21.22k instead of 21.1 (extra 27 seconds), but actually I do not really trust Map My Run. So...the time might have been faster, but I am happy with 1:25 on a hot day. Gun time was 1:25:13, putting me 4th in the over 50 age group (no 60s age group). I won a thermos.
By the way, the top woman and one of our Namban women who took her 5k splits both said they also thought the 4th 5k was too slow/long.
My legs seem to feel ok tonight, but i will play it by ear for a few days. 5k time trial on Wednesday night...maybe not.

A Bit Shorter and Faster

Week of Sept 13 ~ 19

Plan: 24/18/8/23/25/20 - 118km
Ran: 22/21/10/20/20/10/10 - 113km / 70 mi. 10:15

No long run but a few hard efforts as I am (not too scientifically) preparing for a half marathon next Sunday.

Monday
22k. 1:59:15
To and from school (5.6k) in 33:18, 29:17 (@5:57,5:14), with a long break after the run to school (pre-workout meeting).
10.8k run, out at 27:49/5k pace, back at 24:15 pace. Legs felt ok coming back.
Weather: 32C/90F, 40%
Weight: 60.3kg

Tuesday
21k. 1:57:29
To/from school - 31:15, 31:15 @5:35. 16:33 warmup. 600m hill x 5. Up: 2:35/40/32/34/30. Torrential downpour on 2nd, 3rd and 4th, which made it fun (and cooler). Then the sun came out again as I was running home.
AM - weights and core at gym.
Weather: 32C/90F > 26C/79F, 35% > 65%
Weight: 60.1kg

Wednesday
10k. At track: 800/1200/1600/1200/800/400
3:17/4:54/6:46/4:18/3:26/1:42. 200 jog after 800s, 400 jog after 12s and 16.
Took if easy, except for 2nd 1200, which did not feel very hard.
Weather: 23C/73F, light rain

Thursday
Rain, so did not go to school, as I had to go in to Tokyo afterwards.
3:00 - 20k. 1:42:46 @5:08
27:26/26:04/24:20/24:55 @5:30/13/4:52/59.
Wanter to run last 10k at 5:00 pace. Felt ok.
Weather: 21C/70F, rain

Friday
20k. 1:40:08 @5:00
27:44/15/23:28/21:41 @5:33/27/4:42/4:20
Wanted to run last 5k at marathon pace (4:21). The pace felt fast, but it was no problem. A good run.
Weather: 29C/84F > 26C/79F, 40% > 65%.

Saturday
5:00 - 10k easy from my father-in-law's place. 30:00/29:10. No time for more.

Sunday
Instead of 20 yesterday and 0 today, ran 10/10, which was just as well.
5:00 - 10k. 29:57/29:36 Very easy. Legs tired. Also have to run with the kids at 9:00am tomorrow (no school, but most of the varsity kids will be there to run).

Next Sunday is the Watarase Half Marathon, in northern Saitama, which is just north of Tokyo. Some guys ran it last year and said it is a flat course, nice race, not too big with about 1,500 runners. So it will be an interesting test of my fitness, and I hope to run a good time (good being under 1:25). So I will taper the last half of the coming week.

Keeping Up With the Kids

Week of Sept 6 ~ 12

Plan: 23/18/18/19/15/30 = 123km
Ran: 23.9/18.2/9/21.6/20/20.4 = 113.1km / 70 mi.

Ran with the ASIJ X-country team on Mon, Tues and Thurs, which requires some extra effort, and then did a good run on Friday, so it was a hard week, even though I didn't run as much as planned.

Monday
3:30 - 23.9k 2:08:01
To/from school - 5.6k x 2 32:54/32:00 @5:52/42.
Long break after getting to school. Run with varsity boys 4k to Tama river and 1.4k along river. Easy out @5:49, hard back for3.8k @4:10. Ran back .7k to run in with a slow kid, then 4 x 100m barefoot and a series of ab exercises. Fairly hard day.
Temp: 32C/90F
Weight: 60.3kg

Tuesday
11:00 - Weights and core at the gym.
3:30 - 18.2k 1:34:16
To/from school - 5.6 x 2 32:50/31:38 @5:51/38
2k warmup to and in the huge Tama Cemetery (great place to run, wide streets with few cars), then 800 x 2, 400 x 2, 800 x 2.
3:18/06/1;32/34/2:54/53 (abt. 3:30 walk after the 800s). Legs stiff. Saved myself for the last 2 800s with Bess, the top girl. (2:53 800 is 3:36 1000 pace)
Weather: 34C/93F > 30C/86F, 40% > 50%
Weight: 60.4kg

Wednesday
AM - planned to run 10k, but legs sore (right hamstring). Also heavy rain due to nearby typhoon.
7:30 - 400 x 4 x 3 at easy pace - first 4 @ abt 1:42, next 4 @ 1:35, next 4 @1:37. 200m jog in 1:40 after each one, adn 400m jog after 4th and 8th.
Right hamstring was a bit sore all day, but felt fine as soon as I started running!
Temp: 25C/77F. Felt very cool!

Thursday
3:30 - 21.6k 2:38.
To hill near Nogawa Park next to school - 28:20 @5:15.
600m hill x 3 with girls. Up in 2:46/28/18 (2:18 is fast.) Down easy.
3k loop (by myself) x 2 16:47/58 @5:36/39. 5.7k back in 31:55 @5:36.
Felt good on hills but legs a bit tired coming back.
Temp: 28C/82F

Friday
11:00 - Weights and core at the gym.
4:00 - 20k. 1:41:32 @5:04
27:50/43/23:13/22:44 @5:34/33/4:38/4:33
Legs tired all day, but felt ok after 2k. Planned to come back at marathon pace (4:21) but that did not happen. Still a very good run after 4 good efforts the previous days.
Weather: 27C/81F, 60%
Weight: 60.1kg

Saturday
3:00 - 20.4k 1:55:43
28:11/57/20/30:17 (first and last 5.2k) @5:25/47/39/50. Took it easy. Legs tired, but not too bad. Hot.
Temp: 32C/90F
Weight: 59.3kg
First ASIJ x-country meet. Kids ran pretty well, considering it was hot. Bess won the girl's race, kicking in strongly to beat another girl.

Sunday
Rest

By the way, does anyone use Map My Run? I have mapped some runs very carefully at the highest magnification, but they never turn out the same as I had previously measured (by car, for example) or estimated (by pace, but over the course of many runs, so I am pretty confident of the accuracy). Usually the Map My Run is longer. Is this thing really 100% accurate?

Unrelenting Heat

Week of Aug. 30 ~ Sept. 5

Plan: 20/20/20/30/0/20/20 - 130km
Ran: 23.4/17.7/16/7.8/15/35/0 - 114.9km / 71 mi. 10:02

Plan got altered due to start of American School X-country season, so I ran with the kids 4 days. Monday is their hard day, so I will run long on Saturday and rest on Sunday for the next 8 weeks.
As for the heat, this is officially the hottest summer ever in Japan since record keeping started in 1898. We are now at over 50 days/nights of the temp never falling below 25C/77F, and the average temp is way higher than ever. And it's supposed to continue for another two weeks!

Monday
3:30 - 23.4k. To school and back (5.5k each way, easy pace). 11k with top 4 boys, including about 5k @ 4:20-4:50.
(Long rest after arriving at school and short rest before starting back).
Weather: 33C/91F > 30C/86F, 30% > 45%
Weight: 59.7kg

Tuesday
3:30 - 17.7k. To school and back, easy. 2k easy. 800, 400x2. 800, 400x2, 800
3:15/1:28/1:23/3:04/1:27/1:29/2:53 (with top 6 girls, last one with No. 1 girl)
Weather: 34C/93F > 30C/86F, 30% > 50%

Wednesday
4:30 - 6k. In Nogawa Park, next to school. 3k warmup, 3k time trial. 11:00 (@3:40/k). I came in 4th (ahead of 31 boys). The good thing was, the next 6 boys in back of me were not too far behind, so the team should be pretty good (the girls team will be awesome).
7:30 - 10k. 1000 x 6
4:22/09/06/3:57/4:12/05
Legs a bit tired, but running easily. On the 4th, ran the last 300m at a good pace with Paddy (I was in group B, he was in group A). Last one barefoot, then 1000m easy barefoot.
Temp: 4:30: 32C/90F, 7:30: 30C/86F

Thursday
4:30 - 7.8k. At school, 600m hill x 4. 2:58/3:00/2:42/2:46. With girls, average effort.
No time today to run more.

Friday
2:30 - 15k. 1:24:44. 29:33/29:08/26:12
Weather: 32C/90F, 40%

Saturday
1:00 - 35k. 3:14:44. @5:34
28:39/27:55/27:31/28:05/27:17/53/21 @5:44/35/30/37/27/35/28
Legs real tired last 10 (15?) k. Not bad pace, considering that and the heat (had to run at 1:00 because I had to go out at night).
Weather: 34C/93F > 32C/90F, 30% > 40%

Sunday
Weights and core in the gym. Because I forgot to go on Tuesday and had no time on Friday.

Recovery Week

Week of Aug. 23 ~ 29

Plan: 10/10/15/10/15/18.6 - 78.6km
Ran: 10/10/15/0/15/18.6 - 68.6km / 42.6 mi. 6:41

A strange recovery week, with a 5,000m time trial, then a marathon pace 5k in a 15k, then 2 hours of hills on Sunday. But one extra day of rest. That's because tomorrow (Monday) will not be a rest day, because the American School X-country team starts practice.
By the way, my fall races will be: a Half on Sept. 26, a 10k on Oct. 10, a Half on Nov. 7, and a full marathon (Tsukuba) on Nov. 28. The first three are speed work for the marathon.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
10:30 - Weights and core at the gym.
5:00 - 10k. 58:54 (29:55/28:59)
Legs stiff and heavy. Ran in old Mizuno's zero dropped (that is, I cut the heels off). I don't know where that term came from, but it seems to be what people are using. So they went from 240g to 205g. They felt ok.
Weather: 31C/88F, 50%
Weight: 59.6kg

Wednesday
7:30 - 10k. 2k warmup, 5000m time trial, 3k more (1200m barefoot).
18:49. 3:49/43/50/47/40. Legs felt good. Running with Yoshida-san all the way, which helped a lot (he is generally a bit faster than me over 5k (much faster over a marathon)). Kicked well, with last 400 in 84.
Wore new super-light shoes - Asics Sortie Japan Lyte, which I hope to use for the marathon. They weigh 145g on my scale (previous lightest shoes were 180). They weighed 160 in the store, but actually their scale said 1.6kg, so it was only accurate in steps of 100g, and in fact, did not look very accurate. I trust my own scale more and anyway that is what I weighed all my other shoes on. Anyway, they are very light!
They felt great, except that in the last k the bottom of my left foot hurt. I was worried about this (too light?) but ran in them Thursday and realized...ah ha! they were laced too tightly. My left foot is bigger, so when I lace shoes too tightly, the bottom of the foot (for some reason) starts to hurt. This happened once before, but I had forgotten about it. Anyway, I loosened them up and they were fine over 15k. I'll try them in the three races and for one long run prior to the marathon.
Weather: 29C/84F

Thursday
5:00 - 15k. 1:15:14. @5:01
27:40/26:09/21:25 @5:32/14/4:17. Last k 4:07
New shoes again. Planned last 5k @4:30-4:40. Seemed to have forgotten that this is a recovery week.
Weather: 32C/90F, 40% > 30C/86F, 50%
Weight: 59.4kg

Friday
Rest - Business trip
Planned 10k early in the morning but decided to take a rest day since I ran fast the last two days and next Monday will not be a rest day.

Saturday
10:00 - Weights and core at gym.
4:00 - 15k. 1:21:54. @5:27
28:50/27:21/25:42 @5:45/28/09
Felt only so-so, legs stiff.
Weather: 32C/90F, 40%

Sunday
18.6k. 2:17:32. Out: 1:15:00 very easy. In: 1:02:32 moderate.
On the Ome trial course. Through the woods, constant up and down, with some major climbs, including up large steps (roots and rocks) where you just haul yourself up slowly. Last 4k at a decent pace. Legs were pretty tired at the end.
Weather: 34C/93F, although cooler on the trial, which is completely in the shade. (Still hot of course.) Used Camelback and drank a liter and a half of sports drink.

Another 140k Week

Week of Aug. 16 ~ 22

Plan: 25/30/5/25/20/35
Ran: 25/30/0/25/25/35 = 140k / 87 mi. 13:04

Had to go on a business trip on Thursday, so planned only 5k in the morning, however, after 4 runs the preceding two days, even 5k in the early morning was too much. But made it up on Saturday.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
9:30 - 10k. 57:36 29:30/28:06
11:30 - Weights and core at gym.
5:00 - 15k. 1:20:59. @5:24
28:27/26:47/25:45 @5:42/21/7
Felt ok coming back although legs a bit heavy.
Weather: 33C/91F, 40%
Weight: 59.2kg

Wednesday
10:30 - 15k. 1:26:44 @5:47
29:38/28:53/28:11
7:30 - 15k. 9k @6:00. Track workout: 800x4, 800x3.
3:39/32/29/22/50/41/14
Legs tired, easy pace. 2:30 walk after each, but 400 jog after 4th. Last one barefoot.
10:30 - 33C/91F. 7:30 - 28C/82F

Thursday
Rest - business trip all day.

Friday
10:00 - 5k. 28:23
5:30 - 20k. 1:41:42. @5:06
27:58/26:53/23:37/23:12 @ 5:36/22/4:42/39
Last k in 4:25. Felt ok after 5k. Planned to run last 10k @ 4:40.
Weather: 29C/84F, 50%
Weight: 59.7kg

Saturday
9:30 - 5k. 29:59
4:30 - 20k. 2:00:27. @6:01
30:16/05/29:57/30:09
Legs real tired (as expected, from quick pace 10k yesterday). Just tried to maintain this easy pace.
Weather: 32C/90F > 28C/82F, 50%
Weight: 59.5kg

Sunday
3:45 - 35k. 3:15:42. @5:36
29:05/05/09/24/27:13/26:06/25:38
@5:49/49/50/53/26/13/06
Legs felt tired going out. Was thinking of cutting it to 30k, but forged on. Felt really tired at halfway point and walked around for a bit. Then coming back, kept feeling better and better. Part psychological? part due to temp dropping somewhat? Stopped for water 8 times (with a bit of stretching each time).
Weather: 33C/91F > 29C/84F, 40%
Weight: 59.7kg

Next week will be a recovery week, which I definitely need (last 3 were 130/140/140). 80-90k with a 5k time trial on Wednesday.

141k - No Aches or Pains

Week of Aug. 9 ~ 15

Plan: 20/20/20/25/20/35 = 140k
Ran: 20/21/25/20/20/35 = 141k / 87.6 mi. 12:39

Top Namban runner Brett Larner says that he found several plateaus as he increased his training. When you reach and maintain those levels, you show improvement. His were 80k, 100k, 130k and 160k per week. In other words, running 120 a week does not do you much more good than running 100, but if you can do 130, you will show more improvement. I would agree that above 100 (62 mi.) seems to make a difference. Since I have been doing that consistently, my quads are never sore anymore. I'm hoping that 130 or in my case 140 is another plateau.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
11:00 - Weights and core at gym.
4:00 20k. 1:45:27 @5:16.
28:44/27:03/25:12/24:26 @5:45/24/02/4:53
Legs not moving too well going out, but ok coming back.
Weather: 30C/86F, 60% > 28C/82F, 60%
Weight: 59.4kg

Wednesday
12:00 - 12k. 1:08:04 @5:43
35:05/32:58 @5:51/30 (32C/90F)
7:30 - 9k. 400 x 4 x 3 sets.
Nice pace. All 95-105, but last one in 87. Last 4 barefoot.

Thursday
2:00 - 25k. 2:13:42. @5:21
Pace varied quite a bit as I slowed to run with another runner the 3rd and 4th 5ks.
Weather: 28C/82F (felt cool!), rain at start, nice at finish.

Friday
9:00 - 10k. 54:04 @5:24. 29:21/24:43. (28C/82F)
11:00 - Weights and core at gym.
1:00 - 10k. 48:15.
26:08/22:07 @5:13/4:25.
Felt pretty good at 1:00. Didn't plan to run 2nd 5k so fast...a bit surprising (in the heat).
Weather: 30C/86F, 50%

Saturday
4:15 - 20k. 1:45:03 @5:15
26:49/29:18/25:46/26:08 @5:21/15/9/13
Legs a bit tired, but felt ok. Running easily...had to force myself to slow down last 7k.
Weather: 30C/86F, 50%
Weight: 59.5kg

Sunday
4:00 - 35k. 3:12:39 @5:30
29:27/28:48/28:05/27:46/26:13/26:41/25:36 @5:54/45/36/33/14/20/06
Legs felt just "ok." Took it easy going out, picked up the pace without really trying to the last 15k. Felt ok the last 5k.
Really sweated a lot the whole way - more than usual. Stopped for water 6 times.
Weather: 32C/90F, 50% > 30C/86F, 65% (still 30° at 7pm)
Weight: 60.1kg (pancake brunch).