Sunday, October 30, 2011

OSAKA MARATHON 2011

Quick result blog. Happy with this for what training I did going in. The race went extremely well all considering. I'll write more in the next few days but thanks as usual for your kind words/support going in. I love you guys almost as much as I do this sport! ;)

地点名 Point スプリット (ネットタイム) Split (Net Time) ラップ Lap 通過時間

Time 5km 00:19:19 (0:19:08) 0:19:08 09:19:19 10km 00:38:25 (0:38:14) 0:19:06 09:38:25 15km 00:57:33 (0:57:22) 0:19:08 09:57:33 20km 01:17:09 (1:16:58) 0:19:36 10:17:09 25km 01:37:01 (1:36:50) 0:19:52 10:37:01 30km 01:57:06 (1:56:55) 0:20:05 10:57:06 35km 02:17:29 (2:17:18) 0:20:23 11:17:29 40km 02:38:35 (2:38:24) 0:21:06 11:38:35 Finish 02:47:51 (2:47:40) 0:09:16 11:47:51

Video of the last 400 meters taken by my son in slow motion. I felt like I was running this slow! Hard to finish off today.


Sunday, October 23, 2011

Countdown!



Thanks for the kick Clairie!

Sorry again that I haven't been updating. It's not that I have nothing to say. It's just that nothing is really clear. I'm in two minds about many things thesedays so instead of taking a position and/or waffling I'd just as soon not write at all.

Anyway here is the news to date. One week out from Osaka marathon. The last two weeks I've ran two 10K races, first at 36:50 and second 36:37. Not setting the world on fire but they have helped me get in the below marathon paced runs and shown that I can at least run 19:00 minutes to 19:30 for 5K (what I need for a marathon PB, I reckon up until 30K I'll be OK with these splits but the last 10K will be interesting. These short build ups can either work real well or be a complete disaster! I'm still basically finding my fitness still if I have a good day who knows?!

Whatever happens it will not be the end, there's always another race. I plan to do my best in the inaugural Osaka marathon so let the chips fall where they may! I'm uploading a short video of my struggle home in the heat today and a couple of photos. One of me handing my youngest son my finishing certificate and the other "Api" a former, favorite, private student.





Wednesday, October 05, 2011

So far, so good!

Starting to get fit and although I missed a few days last week, busy with work, I was able to salvage the week with a good 30K (all sub 4:15) on Sunday morning and a strong second run that evening (10K).

I went to the place I was supposed to do a half on Sunday but as I was driving there I looked at the card and saw that the date in big red letters was the day before. I smiled thinking they had made a mistake until I realised it was me who was mistaken! I've never done that before but in my defence, I am an idiot, and I've never had a race on Saturday before and knowing it was around that date I just assumed it was Sunday. Anyway, there's always another race and it did allow me to get in my regular long run, which I pretty much need at this stage.

I've got a few 10K races within the next few weeks those should give me some idea what I can expect to run in the marathon at the end of this month! Like I said I'm getting fit and reckon I can peak in 3 weeks. That is I reckon I'll be fast enough to PB but worried whether I can maintain the pace the last 10K as my mileage has not been anywhere near what I have done in my last 3 marathon training periods. Basically. I will have done between 100K and 140K per week for 8 weeks. Do you think it's enough for me?

On the injury side I have some small worries with sore Achilles and I am noticing a slight cramping when I run at pace over distances of more than 20K. But really getting in some good training and I haven't been running this well for over 8 months.

Basically I'd be happy with a small PB in this coming Osaka marathon and to use this run and this training as base for a bigger attack on my PB with a marathon in March 2012, hopefully I can get in to the Kyoto marathon to be held here March 11th. I have some time off in Jan Feb so I'll be better able to put in miles then.

I have a couple more questions: Do you find running at night easier than in the mornings? I mean does it feel easier effort wise to you to run the same session early or late? And if you are tired from training and busy with work would you blow off an important mid week 24K run in the cold rain to write a blog post and get a massage? And if you would do you think it would make any difference 3 and a half weeks out from your goal race?!

Nothing really connected to running but it's good to let off steam sometimes with a good rant! Don't you think? Caution some swearing!