Today marked six weeks of consecutive days running and tomorrows' run will bring this weeks total dangerously close to 150 kms. I'm stoked that I was able to of handled this sort of build up without any adverse affects.
I've been on a very healthy diet and my weight has come down to where I haven't seen it since I was sixteen. I believe that if I am at the same weight and fitness level I was when I was sixteen then I should be able to run as fast as I did when I was sixteen! Why not? Anyway I'll keep believing that until my old body collapses trying.
Next post I'll reveal the stats and upload a couple of before and after photos for the benefit of my throngs of female readers ;) And I'm going to open a competition on who can guess closest to my marathon time in Hawaii this March. The prise will be a souvenir from the marathon sent to the winner. The smart money would have to be on me breaking 3 hours but my history of choking and fuck ups will definitely spread the field and make a competition of it.
I'm going to upload a cover of one of my favorite songs when I was sixteen. It was while listening to this last week and powering along that I thought "Yeah I am sixteen again!"
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
KAWACHINAGANO HALF
Sunny 16 degrees
What the Kawachinagano marathon hills look like, minus the sheep of course ;)
Just came back from running the Kawachinagano half marathon. Those that follow this blog may remember that this was the same race last year where Eddie, my mate who necked himself, beat me and I complained of the shitty weather, conditions and my overall bad impressions of the race.
Well, as they say, a year is a long time in marathons (Nobody actually says this do they?) and things went much better this time. The hills were still there, dam high and long ones, and I still struggled with them but this time I wasn't reduced to walking and after getting my breath back made a decent job of the course this time.
I wasn't on fire, those hills still took the wind out of me and I indeed felt humble climbing up the third long one. And if I can complain, please allow me one or two, I have been battling with a pulled shoulder/neck muscle for the past week and I also had a big stitch for 4 or so kms after the turn around but I was able to run through these problems and post a time 11 minutes faster than last years effort.
I have 5 weeks left until my full mara in Hawaii so if I can sort out my breathing, shoulder aches, train well and have a good taper then things are going to be shiny in Hawaii.
By the way, does anyone exactly know what causes stitches and how to avoid them? No smart arse comments please.
Anyway, for only the second time in Japan I mounted the podium, so to speak, with an age group 3rd place. This was out of 700 runners, that was 29th overall, about 2500 runners. My time 1:24:35 (chip).
A couple of photos taken today.
Mrs. Kato of the Kawachinagano running Club and me.
Me receiving my 3rd place presents.
Me and the music teachers from the last high school I worked at in Kawachinagano.
What the Kawachinagano marathon hills look like, minus the sheep of course ;)
Just came back from running the Kawachinagano half marathon. Those that follow this blog may remember that this was the same race last year where Eddie, my mate who necked himself, beat me and I complained of the shitty weather, conditions and my overall bad impressions of the race.
Well, as they say, a year is a long time in marathons (Nobody actually says this do they?) and things went much better this time. The hills were still there, dam high and long ones, and I still struggled with them but this time I wasn't reduced to walking and after getting my breath back made a decent job of the course this time.
I wasn't on fire, those hills still took the wind out of me and I indeed felt humble climbing up the third long one. And if I can complain, please allow me one or two, I have been battling with a pulled shoulder/neck muscle for the past week and I also had a big stitch for 4 or so kms after the turn around but I was able to run through these problems and post a time 11 minutes faster than last years effort.
I have 5 weeks left until my full mara in Hawaii so if I can sort out my breathing, shoulder aches, train well and have a good taper then things are going to be shiny in Hawaii.
By the way, does anyone exactly know what causes stitches and how to avoid them? No smart arse comments please.
Anyway, for only the second time in Japan I mounted the podium, so to speak, with an age group 3rd place. This was out of 700 runners, that was 29th overall, about 2500 runners. My time 1:24:35 (chip).
A couple of photos taken today.
Mrs. Kato of the Kawachinagano running Club and me.
Me receiving my 3rd place presents.
Me and the music teachers from the last high school I worked at in Kawachinagano.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
OUT OF THE BLUE
I didn't have long to wait to see if my last fast 10k training run was just an aberration. On Saturday, while attending my regular boxing class with my eldest son the coach informed us that the 3K race for Casey and the 10K race for me were on the following day. While I knew that we were signed up for it, we were to run representing this small local boxing gym, I thought it was for April as a race with the same name is run then as well.
Anyway this Sunday morning Casey, 8 years old, ran his first 3K race in 22:34 and I the 10K, PBing in 37:19. Sorry I couldn't get 36 mins something like Ewen had said but I appreciate him thinking that I was capable of doing such a time.
You know, it wasn't so long ago that I thought it impossible to get near any of the kind of times I'm getting now, I scarcely believe it myself. But I know that without this blog, your feedback and encouragement I wouldn't have been able to do it.
Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu (roughly translated "Thanks, I look forward to your continued well wishes and support.")
Anyway this Sunday morning Casey, 8 years old, ran his first 3K race in 22:34 and I the 10K, PBing in 37:19. Sorry I couldn't get 36 mins something like Ewen had said but I appreciate him thinking that I was capable of doing such a time.
You know, it wasn't so long ago that I thought it impossible to get near any of the kind of times I'm getting now, I scarcely believe it myself. But I know that without this blog, your feedback and encouragement I wouldn't have been able to do it.
Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu (roughly translated "Thanks, I look forward to your continued well wishes and support.")
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