THE TARAHUMARA

No, not the boss's life story, but one you will relate to.



I downloaded the above onto my ipod the otherday and been listening to this book on my runs lately. Now I normally wouldn't recommend things to read as I don't know what I'm talking about, yes I know it has never stopped me from blogging about anything before. Still, I have to let you know about this book. Just listening, in parts, gets my heart and mind racing.

Fantastically entertaining and deep on many levels I'm sure everyone could get something out of it. I will be referring to this book for years to come. Do yourself a favor.

By the way, my University closed today for at least a week as there has been a sudden uptick in the cases of so called "Swine Flu" in the greater Kansai region. Don't worry, no dead people here yet, it is just a happy overreaction. Being the positive guy that I am, I'll take advantage of it to get some more some miles in and finish this book ;)

And if you're reading Robert Song, I got the DVD packed with your music mixes that you sent today. Great stuff! Really looking forward to going through these, thanks again mate.

MENTAL TRAINING

How would you like to run like this in your 80s?


The following is an extract from a speech Earl Fee made about his book, "The Complete Guide to Running" Here he talks a little about mental training. My comments are in bold.

Many runners are spending about 6 to 12 hours per week on running training but hardly anyone is spending even 1 minute per week on mental training. (Being somewhat of a self help book junkie I was very interested to see how these kind of techniques can be used to help one run better)

If you are knowledgeable about the mental techniques and practise them frequently you can greatly improve your performance. You need to learn about the many relaxation, breathing, visualization, focusing techniques and assertive statements.(I've noticed as I've increased my training efforts, mileage, and intensity, it takes great strength of mind to continue, follow through on the plans I've set. Today I had a goal of trying to run as many sub 3:45Ks as I could but was only able to do 6 before I called it quits. I didn't have any lactate acid problems and I think my body was up for a few more but my mind was screaming to me from the 3rd K on to stop. "It's too hot, it said; You're not fit enough for this; Is that a pain in your knee? Did you leave the oven on?" Well you get the picture.)

Vividly imagining is like the real experience The nervous system does not know the difference. This visualization technique is further reinforced by assertive statements which you can use at any time during the day, Repeat to yourself positive statements like” I can run relaxed and light.” “I am strong and prepared.” etc. One powerful technique is to act as if. By acting relaxed, confident and energized you can actually achieve these characteristics. ( I fully endorse what Mr. Fee says about being positive. While I was a really active positive kid, in the last 20 years I've not always been that way. But recently I try to put a positive spin on everything even if I do come off sounding like a bit of a tool. Example Person A: "Hey Scott how was your weekend?" Scott: "Well it was less of a weekend and more of a journey of personal fulfillment." Person A: "You're a wanker!")

Mental training can give you that winning edge. (Once more I totally agree. It has certainly worked for old Earl and it may, I mean will work for me too.)

SAKAI CITY 10K

Above, resting with an egg sandwich after the todays race. "Living Large!" ;)


Good race today. Beautiful weather, you couldn't buy a cloud, 21 degrees with a cool breeze. Did 37:24 my 3rd fastest 10K. Although it's not a PB it is five minutes faster than my time on this course 3 years ago, and I didn't do any specific training going into this race. I'm certainly a better runner than I was. Next goal for the 10K is sub 35 mins in a race in November.

I don't know how far I can get my 10K time down at this stage of my running career but I'm starting to realize that this game is to a large extent limited by the mind so I'm going to look for examples of better runners,(there are plenty of them), convince myself I can also do that and continue to improve.

I start my 12 week preparation for Townsville marathon on May 4th. This will require some "wanting, needing and bleeding" and of course "putting in the time" but I'm happy to do it. This time around though I'm not going to put pressure on myself to break 3 hours in Townsville I'll just do the training in a "Zen" kind of way focusing on completing the day to day requirements of my running, nutrition (last weekend of deep fried grilled cheese sandwiches for a while, see below) and exercise plans and I'm sure the race results will take care of themselves come August.

Hope this finds you well.

DOWN HOME

Me at the 10K in 2006


Tomorrow, Wednesday, a public holiday here, I'll be running a local race. The Sakai-City Marathon. They have a few family runs and 2 10K races, one for anyone up to 44 years old and a "Masters" for those 45 and over.

I'll be running in the general race for the last time as next year I'll be 45. I've run this race 3 times, 2004 in 47:22, 2005 in 42:50, and 2006 in 42:15. It isn't my favorite race as I haven't ever done real good in it but I like it because it is local, it gets a good 500 plus runners and the atmosphere before and after is relaxed and friendly.

I'm not expecting to PB this course but it will be interesting to see how I go in relation to 3 years ago. I remember talking to a young American boy at this race in 2006, we were the only foreigners running, and his goal time was 36:00 minutes, I thought at the time "Wow people can actually run that fast?" Now I'm capable of times like this but as for tomorrows race I'll be happy to get out there and run better that I did here in 2006.

By the way, Amazon just delivered a book I ordered by Earl Fee, Speedygeoff talked about him a little while back. He is a 80 something world class master runner. The book "The complete guide to running" "How to be a champion from 9 to 90" is a cracker. I'll share some of its wisdom in the coming blog posts.

SPOOKY

So you pretty much all think I should give the comedy a miss. I'll take that advice, for the most part, but it's going to be hard ;)

I wanted to get back to the standard blogging today but I came across something that made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. You all know this guy, right?



I kept thinking "Now where have I see this shot before?" and it hit me!!!



The resemblance is spooky, isn't it?

Anyone looking to buy Ewen a Chrissy present look no further. Poncho and/or wide brimmed hat!

HORRIBLE

Not too much happening here with me, slowly getting back into the swing of full time teaching again after a nice spring break.

While I was on holidays I was playing up a bit, nightclubbing and the sort. My wife wasn't real happy about this as I often got so drunk that I came home with "throw up"
all down the front of my shirt.

It got to the stage that my wife said if you come home late again with vomit on your clothes "I'm going to leave you!" Well that made me take notice so I devised a plan for the next time I got para and chucked up on myself.

I simply placed a 1000 yen note, about 10 dollars, in my front pocket and when I again came home, covered in sick, I quickly pulled it out and told my wife. "Look honey, someone else threw up on me and they gave me this money to pay for the dry cleaning costs."

It seemed to have worked when my wife noticed another 1000 yen sticking out of my other pocket. "Well what's that for!" she screamed.

"Oh that" I said "That's from the guy that shitted in my pants!"


It's a joke..... so I don't want to hear from any of my student's parents or other concerned citizens. More on my main pastime, running, next post.

HELLO PETAL

Into "Cherry Blossom" season now over here. Above you can see a photo of one of my running paths lined with cherry trees in bloom. It makes the world of difference running in the pink, so to speak.

As it is spring, a time of renewal and new plans, I've been mapping out a plan for the coming year. At the end of this month I'll run a 10K as fast as I can and then settle into 12 weeks of marathon training that will take me to the "Townsville Marathon" in beautiful far north Queensland Australia on August 2nd.

There aren't any good races close to here from mid May until early September so I'll simply train for the marathon in Australia, take one month off after that and start running in earnest for the fall/winter racing season here. I'm thinking of a 10K in Oct, a Half in Nov, and a full in Dec.Early next year it will be the same build up to another marathon in Feb 2010 and again a few more races culminating with another full in April 2010. Exact locations I'm still thinking about.

Anyway I'm going to race as much as I can in the next 2 years to take advantage of my "peaking" and then try to hold it until at least 50 and reassess things then.You might think I'm getting ahead of myself but I'm the type that likes to plan and believe it or not am now even looking at which newspapers I will subscribe to when I retire at 65 ;)

Back to 2009, I'm glad to have another crack at a marathon before my B'day on August 16th when I'll turn 45. This race should finally rip that my sub 3 hour monkey off my back, and then I'll be looking at going as low, time wise, as I can.

And if I don't do it in Townsville, well....I'll swallow a half dozen live goldfish, try again, or both ;)

PHOTOS

Hilo Hawaii Marathon Feb 22nd 2009



From left to right, up to down.

The Mayor of Hilo and me. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place getters in the full marathon. Jared and me. Jared and Ali. Germain and me. Germain and Sean. Me and Garrett 2nd place getter in the half. Me and young Hawaiian girls. The marathon start. 40~44 age group winners.

Punters Post Mortem

Thanks for all your comments. I'm blown away by how nice you guys are, and helpful to boot !!!!

I was coming back after the marathon I wasn't feeling too good with my race and as I was riding my bike to my hotel some f#!* wits threw something hard at me from out their car window. But after when opening up my blog and seeing all the kind and thoughtful comments it has reaffirmed my conviction that people are basically good! Well the ones that don't want to kill you that is ;)

Anyway, first the numbers. 5K splits.

1st 5 K 18:40
2nd 5 K 19:51
3rd 5 K 20:30
4th 5 K 20:29
5th 5 K 20:54
6th 5 K 21:55
7th 5 K 22:20
8th 5 K 25:00
last 2K 10:09

Those tell most of the story but I'll fill in the gaps. We started at 6:00am bused up the mountain hugging the coast. It was a cool overcast morning with little wind to start with and I set off like a whip with the eventual winner of the half marathon. I stuck with him for about 13K only one other guy in front of us a young guy who was flying about a K ahead of us. This guy was to hold the lead until about the 37th K when he broke down and walked it in.

I did think that perhaps I was going out too fast but it was mostly downhill, very beautiful jungle and ocean scenery, and only about 6 or so uphills in the first 10kms so I thought my heart rate would be relatively low and I felt good, maybe it was my day to go sub 2:50:00 after all ;)

The eventual winner zipped by me at 12 K without so much as a "How's your Mother?" I let it go thinking I would ask how his was when I passed him later, but never got that chance ;(

The course flattened out about the time my half marathon partner split to finish his race and at about the 28th K mark two very cheerful fellas past me, Sean the Ultra marathon runner from Portland, Oregon, I think, and a young local, a small stocky guy that encouraged me to join them. They came in, in reverse order 2nd and 3rd. It was pouring down at this stage and we were zigzagging our way through empty streets around the airport. Somehow I had no energy to give chase and although I had plenty of carbo drinks I felt like I was pulling a car tire on a rope behind me.

While I kept on moving and nobody else passed me I couldn't pick up the pace. I was acutely aware that even sub 3 was slipping from my grasp. All I could do was think about why? I haven't been that frustrated since my elder sister's boyfriend held the top of my head while I thrashed about trying to punch him but falling way short of my mark.

I'm still not altogether sure why but I think Ewen said it about how the hills must have played havoc with my quads. I reckon that is right as 2 days later and I can't bring my legs back to where the heel touches the bum. I haven't had this kind of pain before after a thon.

I was a little worried as I had such a good build up going into this and I expected more but it wasn't an ideal PB course, weather conditions being too humid too. Still, I was given some hope of redemption when I read Sean's blog I'll link to it next post. Sean was the friendly ultra marathon fella that came in 3rd 3 mins ahead of me. I found out later that he went sub 2:39:00 in a marathon in Dec 2008 and got a 1:15:00 in a half in Jan this year.

Again thanks for your comments and caring about this runner's progress or lack of it. Congratulations Toasty your prize is on its way just send me your snail mail address to abenoki@gmail.com Toasty said he thought I'd do just under 3 hours, close enough son ;)

I told you in not so many words that nobody has made money betting that I would come through :) But this will have to change one day, stick with me ;)

Photos next post.

Update

Well I don't know whether to laugh or cry but I have a lot to say about this race. Overall it was good still a much harder course and worse conditions than I was obviously prepared for. I'll post the gory details in the next couple of days. But now for the time 3:00:08 ! 1st in age group, 4th overall.

Hope you are all well, thanks for your thoughts and comments they were, as usual, very much appreciated.

10k PB

Miki 10K sunny/windy 10 degrees

Had a terrific race today PBed and feel none the worst for it so I'm ready for the marathon next Sunday. I did , chip time, 35:48 and got 3rd place in my age group, see photos below, that's about 15th overall. Very happy with that at this stage but I'm not through with 10K yet ;)

So please finalise the marathon time you think I can run in Hawaii and get them into me. Not only can the closest get a nice little souvenir the winner will have the satisfaction of knowing, they were right! Maybe that doesn't mean a lot to you but in this family I haven't been right since August of 2001 and I'd like to increase those occurrences. I'll say 2:55:40

I leave on this coming Wednesday but I'll try to post in Hawaii before the race on Sunday. Thanks, and take care of yourselves, I'll be in contact soon.

The photo below shows the first 500 meters in the stadium and me coming 5th.

At the bottom of this post I uploaded a grainy video of the last 500 meters going into the stadium with my wife shouting encouragement and if you listen closely you can also hear my 8 year old booing me, little shit :)

JUST A REGULAR EVERYDAY NORMAL GUY

I was thinking about my last post and maybe I come across as kind of vain and narcissistic but that is not the case. In fact "I'm just a regular everyday normal guy" trying to improve himself taking one step forward and two back most of the time.

The one step forward I've taken this week was a 3KTT PB of 10:32. Anyway, the following song describes more of what I'm about so take a listen if you don't mind the word "Mother----er!"

"BRACE YOURSELF MY DEAR"

The title above, another line from "Holiday in Cambodia" is fitting, I reckon, when you see the transformation I've undergone in the years since taking up running. The First photo was taken in Singapore (Which is also fitting as I had "more Chins than a Chinese telephone book) in 2000 two years before I ran my first step. You can see that I'd let things go a tad. I was still smoking at this stage, drinking everyday and I ate just about anything I could get my hands on.

The other two photos were taken today. I'm closer now to what I looked like at 20 than I did at 35 years old. I still have someways to go before I feel I'm perfectly fit but you can see that things are moving in the right direction as in the last 3 months I've made even more progress.

Since my 3:03 marathon in Dec 2008 I've lost 10cm off my gut. I've lost 7kgs and gone from 23% body fat to 14%. Knowing this and that I have had a good 12 week build up for my coming March 22nd marathon in Hawaii may help you decide a time you think I can run it.

Some bad news. I'm not running today, broke my 7 week running streak, because I have a very sore lower back (maybe going out in sympathy with Ewen) and yesterday after my 38kms long run, that gave me a 153km week, I developed a sensation of really wanting to take a piss and nothing coming out for 8 hours after the run. Not sure if that had anything to do with the amount of Ks but it won't hurt to take the day off today. In fact I'm feeling better on both accounts now. No need to worry I suspect.

I have a 10K race on the 15th of this month and I'm starting to taper from now so saving any sickness, Hawaii would have to be a PB certainty!

WHAT YOU NEED MY SON

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!"

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.