Counting Down

Week of Mar 25 ~ 31

Two weeks until the Boston Marathon.

71.6km / 44.5 mi.

Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Extra rest day, having run long and hard Sat and Sun.

Wednesday
7:30pm - 9.6k - club track workout - 5,000m time trial.
Wanted to run under 20:00 and ran 19:36.
1000m splits were 3:50/57/59/4:00/3:49
Ran strong, but not all out. Picked up last 1000 with no problem. Felt very good, with fresh legs. And that with just two days rest after two hard days. Tapering is overrated!
Weather: 9C/48F, no wind
Weight: 59.8kg

Thursday
12:30 - 10k easy in 55:42 (28:20/27:22)

Friday
1:00 - Gym workout
3:00 - 22k with 12k of hills (1.2k up/down x 5)
First 3 hills fast down, then fast up, then fast up and down, continuing for 5k at almost marathon pace in 4:35/37/38/36/31.
Felt ok, but not really "good." Into wind coming back, plus had on heavier shoes.
Weight: 59.9kg

Saturday
Namban Rengo hanami (cherry blossom viewing) party - ate and drank too much (but managed to limit carbs pretty well).

Sunday
1:00 - 30k in 2:34:45 @5:10/k
28:19/27:02/26:11/24:05/24:17/24:49
@ 5:39/28/14/4:49/51/58
Planned to go easy out and 4:45 pace in. Legs got tired and a bit sore the last 10k.
Last long run before Boston.
Weather: 8C/46F (typical Boston weather).
Weight: 60.3kg

Hard Back-to-Back Days

Week of Mar 18 ~ 24
88.7km / 55 mi.

Monday
12:30 - Gym workout

Tuesday
11:30 - Gym workout
2:30 - 20.7k. 5.5k easy to school, 3.3k moderate pace, 3 x 1k very hilly loops non-stop in 4:39/42/42. Slower than last week, but it was very warm. Extra 1.7 looking for lost kid. 2.1 moderate pace then 5.5 back in 26:38 @4:50/k.
Felt ok, but legs a bit tired.
Weather: 23C/73F, sunny
Weight: 60.8kg

Wednesday
7:30pm - Club track workout.
600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1000, 800, 600
2:28, 3:12, 3:57, 4:47, 3:53, 3:12, 2:16
Warmed up 6 and 8, felt ok on middle 3 - ran the 1000s fairly hard.
Weather: cool
Weight: 61.2kg

Thursday
Rest

Friday
11:30 - Gym workout. Decided to rest for 2 days, then do 2 days hard.
PM - Cherry blossom viewing picnic with the wife in nearby park which is famous for cherry trees. Blossoms are very early, although only about 50% out. They used to always be out in April - it's only March 22nd!

Saturday
1:30 - 22k hill workout. 8.5WU @5:41. 5 x 500m hill up/down. 4 hard down, then hard up, hard down and continue on for 8.5k. 3.5k @4:39, then 5k @4:27. Going back was into a moderate wind, and with the heavier shoes, so 4:27 was pretty good. Wanted to tire my legs out for tomorrow.
Weather: 18C/64F, cloudy.
Weight: 61.1kg (and worked for it - no food since after yesterday's picnic)

Sunday
1:00 - 35k in 2:52:31 @4:56/k
26:57, 25:43, 25:23, 24:53, 23:33, 23:15, 22:44. @5:24/07/04/4:59/42/39/33
So a progressive run, although I didn't plan that at all and after 15k really didn't think I would do it. Was planning to be happy with 4:50 kms coming back, so this was  a good run. Especially after yesterday's hill workout. Rt knee and left hamstring were slightly sore, but didn't worsen.
This is the last really hard, long effort before Boston, which is 3 weeks away.
Weather: 14C/57F, cloudy, only slight wind, thankfully
Weight: 60.5kg

One Month to Boston!

These marathons always come up too fast! I need two more months!

Found out my Boston number, which is 5837, first wave. There are 3 waves of 9000, 20 minutes apart. The cutoff time for the first wave is 3:18 — 9000 runners under 3:18! That's Boston.... (2nd wave is 3:43.)

Week of Mar. 11 ~ 17
83.4km / 52 mi.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
11:30 - Gym workout.
2:00 - 19.4k, total running 1:39.
Easy 5.5k to school, long rest, 3.3k at decent pace inside the cemetery to a very hilly loop, which is about 1k. 3 non-stop loops in 4:27/35/39 trying and failing to stay with most of the boys. 2.1k back to school at a good pace, continuing on 5.5k home in 25:14 @4:35. Good, hard workout.
Weather: 14C/57F, sunny
Weight: 60.6kg

Wednesday
3:30 - ASIJ team practice cancelled due to high winds. Didn't bother me - I ran an easy 8k.
7:30 - club track workout - 1600/1200/1000/1000/800/400.
7:01/5:05/4:06/4:02/3:19/96 (jog 2' + walk 1' or 2').
Quads sore at first, but felt ok on the 1000s.
Weight: 60.2kg

Thursday
Rest

Friday
11:30 - Gym workout.
2:15 - 25k Killer hill workout. Total time 2:10. 8.5k warmup @5:33, 8 x 500m up/down with 5 hard up, 2 hard down, last one hard up and down, continue on 8.5k @4:58. Had to kick to get last 5k under 25:00. Into steady wind coming back. Legs very tired and quads sore. Need to cut back a bit.
Weather: 13C/55F, sunny but felt cooler due to wind.
Weight: 61.1kg (inching up- need to lose some).

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
3:00 - 20k (rather than 25 or 30) with last 15k at "marathon pace."
This went pretty well, legs felt ok - much better than Friday. Averaged 4:25.6/k for the 15k, with the last 10k into the wind.
Weather: 16C/61F, 35%, sunny.
Weight: 60.8kg

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.