Thursday, September 29, 2016

Friday Morning Upper Body Endurance Training

On the morning of Sept. 30
as soon as I climbed out of futon,
I did some home workout.
Today I did three exercises:
pull-ups, hand-stand, and dips.

Today's focus was not so much on intensity
but rather on endurance.

First, pull-ups.
Instead of cranking up the intensity by doing many reps
in a certain period of time,
I endured statically.
Starting from the dead-hang position,
I quickly pulled halfway up, and stayed there for four seconds,
and pulled all the way up to stay there at maximum contraction for another four seconds.
Then this time I pulled down half way and stayed there four seconds.
Finally, I pulled all the way down to the dead-hang position and gave myself four seconds
before repeating the same cycle of movements
until I hit 30 seconds.

Next exercise is hand-stand.
I stood on hands for thirty seconds.
That's it.

Finally, dips.
Beginning from the starting position,
I quickly dropped all the way down where the chest muscle is maximally extended.
I held that position for four seconds,
and then slowly pushed up to the starting position.
This was repeated till I hit 30 seconds.
This is expected to build isometric endurance of the muscle in full extension,
and endurance in the concentric phase.

This is one set.

I did them three sets with a minimum rest between exercises
as well as between sets
so as not to lower the intensity.
It could kill the benefit of the training.


Thursday Night Barefoot 5 K Run

On the night of Sept. 29 I had a training run.
I ran 5 K, and I ran barefoot.
The conditions were perfect for the least protected mode of running.
The road was wet from a short late-night shower,
so friction between the road and my sole was expected to be minimum.
It had let up awhile before,
so I didn't need to worry about getting wet.
Also, it was cool, and humidity was relatively low.
My spirit was high, and the legs had completely recovered
from the previous run.

I went around my favorite 2.5 K circular route in my neighborhood
twice to cover 5 K in 21:29.58.
The laps were as follows:
1st 2.5 K: 11:11.51
2nd 2.5 K: 10:18.07
Total: 5 K: 21:29.58 (Average pace=4:17/K)

Tomorrow I am going to do some high intensity total body workout
mainly hitting upper body in the morning,
and do some stretching at night.

My next training run will probably either on Saturday night or Sunday morning.
But I might go to take a dip in the sea on Sunday to refresh myself.
If I do, I will probably run on Saturday.
But I'm not sure.
Another typhoon is coming.
Should it get too close to the Japanese archipelago,
it may affect the sea condition.
Snorkeling won't be too much fun
in murky water...


Tuesday, September 27, 2016

5 K Jog & High Intensity Total Body Workout

After coming home from work,
I got out and hit the road to have a 5 K jog.
I kept my slightly fast full marathon pace to run my favorite circular route near my house 5 laps.
The laps are as follows:
1st: 5:10
2nd: 5:13
3rd: 5:06
4th: 5:14
5th: 5:05
Total: 25:50.60

After getting home from jogging,
I did some high intensity total body workout
to squeeze the last drop of sweat out of my body.
I aimed for 4 to 5 sets of one-minute workout
consisting of various total body movements,
but ran out of gas half way into my second set,
so I called it a day.
Click the link below to check out the exercise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZngMhmONPuU

Monday, September 26, 2016

Total Body Workout

I skipped running training today,
and hit my upper body
that had shrunken quite a bit
because I'd been mainly focusing on running
and had been completely neglecting everything else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr6h4C_uhmM

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Weekend 5 K Barefoot Run

I ran 5 K on Sunday afternoon.
I ran barefoot.
It was warm and sunny, perfect for a fun run.
I was originally scheduled to run on Saturday night.
But I felt tired and and sleepy after dinner.
So I delayed the workout till this afternoon.
When I woke up this morning,
I felt much better.
After patrolling my backyard to get rid of pests,
I made myself a bowl of salty and sour noodles to fill my stomach.
I felt fully energized once breakfast was done.
I changed into my athletic gear and hit the road barefoot.
I said hi to a few neighbors as I sped on.
Some gave me a startled look because I had nothing on my feet.

I went around the usual 2.5 K circular route in my neighborhood twice
to cover 5 K.

The laps were as follows:
1st 2.5 K: 11:18.81
2nd 2.5 K: 10:48.21
Total: 22:07.02

Should I be able to keep the same pace another 5 K,
I can finish the race well under 45:00.

That'll be great.

I am going to gradually increase training distance.
Meanwhile, I am also going to combine distance training with speed training.
By speed training I mean interval training.
Together they will help me improve my ability to produce a quick surge during the race,
and also the ability to withstand frequent changes of pace throughout the race.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Midnight 5 K Barefoot Run

I ran 5 K after coming home from work.
It was raining and it was almost midnight,
so the streets were deserted and perfect for running.
As the roads were wet and friction was expected to be minimum,
so I ran barefoot.
It was my first training run after the 20 K race this past Sunday.
After running a race rich in undulation,
running on a flat course was as easy as 1-2-3.

The lap of each K was as follows:
Lap 1: 5:06
Lap 2: 5:00
Lap 3: 4:55
Lap 4: 4:49
Lap 5: 4:46
Total: 24:37

I didn't feel any pain in the sole after the run.
I was glad it had become tough after months of training
in the least protective foot ware like MUTEKI.

I hope to run a short distance at regular intervals
to harden the sole
so that by the time I run a 10 K road race in November
it will have been strong enough to withstand the stress of
competitive running.

What Happened When a 50-Year-Old Man Pushed Beyond His Limit

What can happen when a 50-year-old man pushes beyond his limit?
Below is my personal experience associated with this interesting topic.
As I wrote in my previous post,
I ran the Kyohou no Oka 20 K Road Race this past Sunday
and renewed my personal best.
I didn't realize it then because I was ecstatic at that time,
and was completely unaware of the repercussions
resulting from the extreme physical stress
that I had to endure during the race.

However, as the excitement of the race subsided,
a number of signs of illness manifested themselves.

The first was an acute joint pain.
It hit my right shoulder.
I had always felt a slight discomfort in my right shoulder joint,
like something feels stuck in the joint.
It started when I was a junior high school student,
and when I would play tennis day after day.
And this uncomfortable feeling that something was off
has been with me since.
But the sensation that hit the joint was of a different kind.
It's not discomfort. It was clearly pain!
And it wouldn't go away no matter how I moved my arm to find a less painful position.
I couldn't fall asleep because of it, and even after I fell asleep,
I woke up because of the pain more often than once.
It's less painful now, but discomfort remains.

The second sign was a stomachache.
It hit me two night ago.
It started with a slight discomfort during commute.
By the time I got home, it had increased significantly.
When I went to bed, it turned into pain,
and it grew in intensity.
Out of desperation I took a few pills of diarrhea medicine,
because it was the only intestinal medicine available then,
though I knew it was my stomach that was a problem,
not the bowels,
so its effectiveness was doubtful.
Naturally, it didn't work.
And I had to put up with the growing pain for almost two hours.
Lack of sleep took a toll on my entire body...

The third was minor.
It was a dermatological symptom.
The skin on my left middle finger started peeling off.
I had no idea what was wrong with me.
It wasn't itchy, nor was it painful.
But it was not pleasant-looking.

As time went by, all three symptoms got less serious,
and I am now feeling increasingly normal.
In fact, I feel ready to hit the road for a few miles of jogging.

So what did happen to my body?

My tentative hypothesis is that they are cases of TMS,
or tension myositis syndrome, a notion advocated and systematized
by John E. Sarno, MD

Sparing you heavy technical explanation,
TMS is our subconscious's reaction to a repressed feeling
that you do not want to deal with.

For example,
my conscious mind says, "Be stoic. Be strong."
On the other hand, my subconscious mind says, "Let me take a rest."
My subconscious is like a free child.
It demands freedom from pain.
However, when I have this consciousness that is so strong,
it doesn't not allow to admit the free child in my subconscious.
What will happen?
Well, my subconscious gets angry and forces me to somehow deal with it.
Not directly though.
But in the way which is acceptable to my conscious mind
that do not want to admit that I in fact have another self
that is not as stock and strong as conscious self.
How does my subconscious do it?
Well, at this point, maybe I should say how does my mindbody do it,
because the subjectivity between conscious and subconscious is kind of blurred,
and a physical symptom is a holistic reaction of my mindbody.
Anyhow, getting back to the point,
what my mindbody does is it shifts my conscious attention from my inner conflict
to a purely physical problem,
such as shoulder pain, stomachache, and peeling skin,

Do you believe what I just say?
Or does it sounds like some kind of rambling that has no scientific basis.
If you want to delve into this topic a little bit more,
I suggest reading, "Healing Back Pain" and "The Divided Mind"
by John E. Sarno, MD.
Both are great reads.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Kyohou no Oka 20 K Road Race 2016

Kyohou no Oka 20 K Road Race 2016 (or Kyohou Grape Hill 20 K Road Race 2016)
took place on Sept. 18 in Yamanashi City 114 km to the west of Tokyo.
I renewed my PB of 1:34:47 from Year 2014 to finish at 1:34:11,
improving the time by 36 seconds.
I am very happy with the result.

I would like to write a brief report of the event below.

On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 17,
after leaving work I went to Shinjuku
to catch Azusa 27 leaving at 5:30 p.m.
In a little less than two hours I arrived in Kofu
where a room had been booked for two nights.
My bilingual companion had already arrived there,
and she and I went grocery shopping together
instead of dining at a local restaurant.
We found so many good ready-made dishes
and fruits that were significantly marked down.
After checking in at the hotel,
we had some of the food from the store in the lounge.
There were tables and chairs,
and even a microwave oven was there.
When I asked a receptionist if it's OK to eat there,
she said no problem.
The discount food from the local store was quite satisfying.
It was carb-intensive, and atypical compared with what I usually eat.
But it is important to eat lots of carb before you run a long-distance race.
I went to bed early to give myself a good rest.

Seven hours of sleep allowed me to rise quite refreshed.
After taking a quick shower, I changed into my athletic gear,
got packed, and went down to the dining lounge to have breakfast.
The food served by the hotel was satisfactory,
rich in carb and not too oily.
But I supplemented it with some fruits from the grocery shopping on the previous night.
I was careful not to eat too much.

A shuttle bus was available between the hotel and the station.
A local train had already pulled in when me and my bilingual companion got there.
A ten minute ride took us to JR Yamanashishi Station.
A long line of runners were waiting for a shuttle bus to arrive.
We didn't wait any longer than ten minute before the fist bus arrived
and took us to the race venue.

My high school friend Eiro had already arrived there
as he got there by car.
Soon other members of my running team arrived.
We were a group of eight, six runners and two cheer girls.

At 9:40, the gun went off to signal the start of the 20 K division.
Me and four other runners slowly went ahead along the wall of cheerers on both sides of the road.
Ten minutes later the 10 K division started, and one female runner from our team followed the 20 K pack.

By the time the 10 K division started, some of us in the 20 K division had almost reached the 2 K mark. It was one of the hardest part of of the first half
with an upward incline continuing for almost 4 K before a brief break shortly before the 5 K mark.
The road is not wide enough to allow an easy passage through runners.
The steep incline soon made all runners gasping for air and made their heart rates elevate quickly.
The road was filled with heat generated by the runners,
and it was suffocating.

Though I ignored the water station at the 2 K mark,
I immediately got myself ready to hydrate myself when the one near the 5 K mark was in sight.
I already felt significantly hot from climbing almost 4 K.
I grabbed a cup of sports drink and quickly finished it. And then I grabbed a cup of water, had a sip,
and threw the remaining over both of my arms.
A momentary cold feeling lifted my spirit for a second,
but it was soon replaced by an agonizing pain caused by yet another insanely long,
and steep upward incline.
From this point on the course basically continued to go up until the turning point.
In no other time was the rain felt to be such a blessing!
It allowed my increasingly heating body to cool off.
I tried not to push myself too hard, saving my energy for the final phase of the race.
I pulled my chin down, slightly bending my upper body forward,
making it easier for me to take quick small steps
to efficiently gain momentum forward.

The turning point felt to arrive a lot earlier than I thought it would.
I had a lot more energy left than in the previous races.
It lifted my spirit.
When I crossed the electro-magnetic bar running across the road and heard a beep,
a panoramic view of the trail that I had just come up opened up before me.

From this point on, it's all downhill, except that there were three ridiculously steep upward inclines at 12 K, 15 K, and immediately before the goal.
The one at the 15 K mark was the toughest.

Before the race begun, my biggest concern was if I would be able to withstand the landing shock in the declining phase
in my sock-like shoes "MUTEKI". They have no cushioning except for a very thin rubber sole, so I have to absorb all of the landing shock on my own feet and legs.

I went down carefully at first. But soon I realized that the grip of the sole on the road was firm, and my running form was solid enough to cope with the shock. So I injected the pace and accelerated.

Once fully in gear, I ran like a tornado down the winding road,
almost looking forward to reaching those heart-break hills.

When I came to the first of the three near the 12 K mark,
I was still full of power, and no sign of fatigue was in my legs
even after I reached the top.
Another downhill continued for three kilometers,
and there came the second, which was the longest, and steepest.
Most runners suddenly slowed down, and I was one of them.
But pushing yourself would be suicidal.
Some gave up running, and started walking.
I didn't because that would be damaging to your motivation,
and also to the mechanics of your body.
I took even smaller steps so as not to over-exhaust the glycogen in the legs.
I took a steady breath to make sure my heart rates were kept even.
But no matter how hard I tried to keep my breathing steady,
the resistance of the slope inevitably took a toll on my legs,
increased my heart rates, and made my breathing more difficult.
I could feel my body temperature go up further.
A stronger runner overtook me. But I didn't care.
It was not a battle with someone. It was a battle with myself.
Can I control myself? Can I put under control all the pain, anxiety, urge to quicken the pace...
Can I control the demon in me that wants to opt out and end it all?
...
I saw runners take a right and go out of sight.
That's the top of the hill. Twenty more meters to go. Fifteen more.
And then ten...And finally I was on top!
An intolerable heaviness overwhelmed my thighs and calves.
I was not able to pick up the pace right away.
But I knew what to do when my legs were in extreme fatigue.
I swung my arms strongly, and the legs responded accordingly.
Soon the road started going down again.
The pain I had felt a minute before was soon forgotten
when I felt cool air passing over my face as I hammered through the road.

A sign was in sight on the left side of the road that said 2 K remaining.
And then came the last of the three heart-break hill.
Aid workers' encouraging voices reached my ears.
They all said it was the last.
I mustered up all of my remaining force and took small but steady and strong steps.
Strong arm swings helped just like before,
but my arms were as tired as my legs,
so they too got weaker and weaker after ten seconds or so.
Once the arm swings got weaker, so did my steps.
The top was visible, and yet seemed so unreachable.
I kept on telling myself, "This is the last. Once I reach the top, it's all down hill to the finish."

I visualized the goal in my mind.
Just then I felt something splash in my head,
and my body suddenly felt light.
I felt as if I was floating on a cloud,
and I had reached the top.
A tough-looking female runner was gasping for air next to me.
She was unable to immediately regain her original pace.
I went past her like a sea breeze, picking up the pace down the winding road.
The cheer girls were in sight.
They found me and waved their hands.
They became bigger and bigger as I forged along the road,
and just as I pasted them I heard the shutter sounds.
The announcement from the speakers at the finish area became louder
as I went on.
Turning another corner, the finish line was finally visible.
I ran down the last down slope like a rolling fire ball.
Immediately ahead of me was a guy in Tiger Mask costume.
He was strong and fast.
Would I be able to overtake him?
I swung my arms strongly like Eliud Kipchoge in the Rio Olympics.
Some cheerers were surprised how strongly I was finishing after running so many miles.
But it was no surprise to me when I considered all of the hard training I had gone through
in the past three months.
All my effort paid off.
I was going to achieve my goal of finishing this challenging race
in the least protective shoes, "MUTEKI".
I closed my eyes, put on a last spurt, and then opened my eyes again
just before crossing the finish line,
and threw up my arms in the air in victory,
and shouted, "Yattah!!"

The race was over.
All the tension immediately left my body.
I felt as if I had just taken off a jacket made of lead.
I walked slowly to an aid worker who read my chip with a sensor, and detached the chip from my number bib.
I received my official certificate a minute later, and saw my time.
It said 1:34:11.
I regretted a little that I didn't run faster
because at this moment I wrongly believed that my PB was 1:33:**.
But later when I double-checked my previous times,
and discovered that I had surpassed the best time from 2014,
I was ecstatic!

My next race is a 10 K race in November.
My goal is to run it barefoot and finish under 45:00.
A whole new set of tactics are required for a shorter distance.
I am going to do some research, and would like to write a training plan for myself
so that I can peak at the race.

http://kyoho-no-oka-marathon.com/course/


Thursday, September 15, 2016

3 K Pace Run

I ran 3 K this morning.
It was the last running training before the 20 K race this coming Sunday in Yamanashi.
I aimed at my average 10 K pace of 4:30/K.
The main purpose was to activate my entire cardio-vascular systems
so that they wouldn't have been too relaxed when I run.
The distance was limited to 3 K, not beyond,
because any fatigue in the legs should be avoided at this stage of preparation.
My carb intake today, tomorrow, and in the morning of the race will be slightly more than usual.
This is because the main source of energy when I run is glucose,
which is broken down from glycogen.
I want to store as much glycogen as I can in my leg muscles
so that it will break down immediately to provide my legs with the energy needed
when the race begins.
Too much fibery food will also go against the mechanics of running.
It can cause an upset stomach during the race, and it deprives you from focus.
How do I know?
Well, because it happened to me once in Kasumigaura Marathon.
I ate too much baked sweet potato at an aid station,
and felt pukey later!!

The time for each lap today is as follows:
1st K: 4:22.39
2nd K: 4:24.80
3rd K: 4.19.23
Total: 12:06.42

Tonight and tomorrow I am going to give myself a complete rest
except that I am going to do some stretching to relax my legs, neck and shoulders.
It's increasingly becoming hard to control my urge to get out and run,
but I must breathe deeply and stay calm
until the gun goes off to signal the start on Sunday morning
when a full explosion is finally allowed!


Tuesday, September 13, 2016

4 K Build Up Training

I hit the road to do 4 K build up training
as soon as I woke up this morning.
I aimed at my comfortable, a little quick full marathon pace,
and gradually injected the pace.
The laps for all 4 Ks are as follows:
1st lap: 4:54
2nd lap: 4:33
3rd lap: 4:23
4th lap: 3:58
Total: 17:49.39

I will rest tonight.
No major training is scheduled for tomorrow
as I have a business trip in Mie.
I am going to do some stretching at night.
The last running training will be on Friday.
It's 3 K pace run just to stimulate my leg muscles,
and keep my cardio from getting too relaxed.

Tuesday Night Stretching

Today is the for an active rest.
I did stretching for about half an hour
to relax my leg muscles 
as well as to allow the lymphatic glands to smoothly flush out the wastes
created through the +10 K runs conducted this past Saturday and Sunday.
I left light when it was done.
Though I wasn't scheduled to do it, 
I am going to do some stretching for my upper body as well,
with a particular focus on the shoulders and neck,
both of which have become fairly stiff 
from the increasingly challenging training regimen
over the past few weeks.

I am scheduled to do a 1.3K by three build-up training tomorrow night,
though I may change it to a 1K by four 
because it's easier to check the pace.
If I do, 
the target pace of each of the four laps is as follows:
1st K: 5:00/K
2nd K: 4:50/K
3rd K: 4:30/k
4th K: 4:10/k

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Final Phase Training Leading to the Race

This is the week leading to the 20 K race taking place on Sept. 18.
No long distance training is scheduled this week
as unrecoverable fatigue in the legs is a risk to be avoided.

Here are some things that I am planning to do:
<12th: Core Training>
The legs as well as cardio aren't completely recovered from the +10 K run two days in a row.
To avoid overworking the legs,
I am going to hit the core whose strength is as important as that of your legs
when it comes to running a long distance.

<13th: Stretch>
This is the day for a rest.
Stretching and deep breathing will help eliminate wastes,
and maximize oxygen reaching my body's entire cells.

<14th: 3.9 K Build Up>
By this day the legs will have recovered enough
to withstand another physical challenge.
In the  3.9 K build up training I run a 650 M-long circular course 6 times.
I start off at a comfortable pace, and gradually inject the pace as I go along.
I usually start with my full marathon pace of 5:20/K,
and then progressively quicken the pace next to 4:50/K,
and then finally to 4:30/K.
But this time, I may start at 4:50/K, which is my half marathon pace
since I have grown stronger through the training over the past one month.
If I should take that pace in my first 1.3 K,
then my second lap will be 4:30/K,
and the final lap under 4:20/K.
Considering my steady progress over the last couple of weeks,
it won't be so difficult.

<15th: Stretch>
This is another day for a rest.
Breathing and stretching just as 13th.
However, with the racing coming near,
I am going to bring in another element to it: mental rehearsal.
As I do the stretching, I am going to go over the entire route in my mind.
This is a very important activity for me.
If I do it a few times before actually running the race,
I can feel like I have already run the race
when I line up at the start line on the day of the race.
It gives me tremendous confidence and calmness,
both of which are indispensable elements
if you want to run a race strongly.

<16th: 3K Pace Run>
Two days before the race I am going to run for the last time
just to stimulate my leg muscles, and the entire cardio-vascular systems.
I go for a relatively challenging pace of under 4:30/K for all of the three Ks.
Also important is energy intake.
I am going to eat starchy food a little more than usual
because carbohydrates are the main source of energy
in long-distance running.

<17th: Travel to Kofu>
To give a good rest on the night before the race,
I am scheduled to travel to Kofu after work.
I am going to use an express train to secure privacy
that I want desperately in order to build concentration for the race.
On the night of 17th, I will eat good local food, and also make sure
that I eat a little more starchy food than usual
for the reason I mentioned above.
Local speciality 'houtou' may be a good choice
as nothing is more starchy than that!




Weekend One-Hour Jog

I just completed the second of my two weekend athletic missions,
namely a one-hour jog.
I changed my initial plan, and split the training into two separate session:
one before dinner, and the other after dinner.
The former session started ten to six.
It was drizzling, but that didn't bother me.
I started off at between half and full marathon pace,
and kept that pace for half an hour.
Dinner was scheduled at 6:30,
and I didn't want to keep Mom waiting to start the meal,
so I stopped after running 6K in about 30 minutes.

After having dinner, I was so sleepy,
so I took a nap.
However, what was meant to be a short nap
ended up being a substantial sleep.
I woke up almost past midnight.

I changed into my athletic gear and hit the road.
By then it had completely stopped raining,
and the road was dry.
Also, traffic was less, and it was more suitable
for undisturbed running.
I kept a similar pace to the one in the first session,
and ran another 6 K in about thirty minutes,
except that I injected the pace a little bit in the last K.

The lap of each K is as follows:
Lap 1: 5:04.86
Lap 2: 5:00.46
Lap 3: 5:00.64
Lap 4: 5:05.92
Lap 5: 5:01.42
Lap 6: 5.09.91
Dinner Break
Lap 7: 4:57.46
Lap 8: 4.58.68
Lap 9: 5:02.07
Lap 10: 4.59.58
Lap 11: 5:03.41
Lap 12: 4:41.76
Total 12 K: 1:00.06


The Athens Olympics Men's 5,000 M Final Commentary in the Last Two Minutes


"...And Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya leads. Bekele at second. And here comes El Guerrouj. Somebody’s gonna have to run close to 50 seconds for the last lap. And El Guerrouj, I would have thought, would make his move earlier than this. And he is about to be boxed in by the Ethiopians. They will not be doing him any favor. You are right. Three Ethiopians around him, allowing Bekele to really isolate himself against the Kenyan. And Bekele goes by Kipchoge. (He) Gets a narrow lead. (He) Now starts to pull away. Here comes El Guerrouj after him. Can he get him? Bekele, gold medalist at 10,000 M. El Guerrouj, gold medalist at 1,500. Here they are. The home straight away of the 5,000 M. Bekele! El Guerrouj! El Guerrouj! Alongside his talented younger rival! Bekele! El Guerrouj! Right together! Sprinting it the end of 5,000. And now El Guerrouj pulls away! To win!"

The commentary above starts at 9:31 in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3uXV2bJr2M

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Saturday Night 10 K Time Trial

Just came back from the 10 K time trial.
I ran the route below 10 reps and finished in 43:10.72.
Each of the ten laps is as follows:
Lap 1: 4:14.00
Lap 2: 4:10.73
Lap 3: 4:16.41
Lap 4: 4:17.64
Lap 5: 4:23.31
Lap 6: 4.25.26
Lap 7: 4:25.78
Lap 8: 4.25.71
Lap 9: 4:22.42
Lap 10: 4.09.46
Total: 43.10.72

This is my second best time for the distance.
The good time is probably for two reasons.
One, the course is almost completely flat.
Two, I ran the inner edge of all bends and corners,
and that spared me tens of meters.
So I suspect that the real distance is slightly short of 10 K!

My next mission is one-hour jog scheduled for tomorrow.
It's going to be very slow, and mainly for relaxing my legs.

https://www.google.co.jp/maps/dir/35.7136225,140.1359933/35.7136238,140.1360061/@35.7130256,140.1365745,18z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m10!3m4!1m2!1d140.1381685!2d35.7127632!3s0x602286f722126f69:0x13bca360bc81078d!3m4!1m2!1d140.1385247!2d35.7114973!3s0x602286f6ec80367d:0xdaa60a5fefe8005c!1m0!3e2

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Wednesday Night 20 K Run

After coming home from work,
I quickly changed into my athletic gear
and went for a 20 K training run.
I felt slight discomfort in my inner thighs
resulting mainly from doing weighted squats two days before,
but overall I was able to keep a relatively steady pace
throughout the training,
and was able to get the best lap time in the last of total eight.
I finished in 1:33:53, well under my original target of 1:36:59.
I am more than happy with the result.

The details of today's training are as follows:

1st 2.5 K: 11:41
2nd 2.5 K (5 K): 11:40/23:21
Hydration break: 13.43
3rd 2.5 K (7.5 K): 11:31/35:06
4th 2.5 K (10 K): 11:30/46:37
Hydration break: 12.35
5th 2.5 K (12.5 K): 11:45/58:34
6th 2.5 K (15 K): 11:46/1:10:21
Hydration break: 10.78
7th 2.5 K (17.5 K): 12:03/1:22:35
8th 2.5 K (20 K): 11:18/1:33:53

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Late Summer Calorie Burning Park Workout

After running 20 K this past Saturday,
my legs were still fatigued,
but the upper body was still intact,
so I went to a nearby park
to do some total body workout
with a main focus on the upper body.
Click the link below to check out the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi0iPfKy-rY

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Saturday Night 20 K Run

I went for a training run after coming home from work.
Before hitting the road, I had a light meal,
but I was careful not to eat too much
as it would mean extra weight and would be a disadvantage.

I rested for about an hour after the meal
as it could cause a pain in the stomach if I didn't.

When I got out and started running,
it was drizzling.
But it soon let up until it started raining again toward the end of the training.

Today I aimed to run 20 K in between 1:35:00 and 1:36:00.

I started off at a comfortable pace and ran around the usual circular route in my neighborhood
which is exactly 2.5 K.
My 1st lap was 11:51.
The 2nd lap was 11:39, slightly quicker.
I took my first hydration break after the second lap for 10.60.
The 3rd lap was 11:48,
and 4th lap 11:59.
I found it difficult to inject pace
as I was bit tired from a hectic work schedule and a slight lack of sleep this week.
I took my second hydration break before the 5th lap for 13.53.
The 5th lap was 12:03,
and 6th 12:02.
Both laps were over 12:00.
Fatigue was building up in the legs.
I took my last hydration break for 14.05
before starting my 7th set.
Two more rounds to go.
I tried to keep a steady pace, but my 7th lap ended in 12:08.
I was slowing down.
If my pace continued to deteriorate, I wouldn't be able to come under 1:36:00.
So I gave it all I'd got, and injected the pace right from the start of the final set,
and put on a (in my standard) long spurt in the last 600 M.
I came in 11:19 to finish 20 K in 1:35:30.
Mission complete, and my numerical goal achieved!

My next major training is next Wednesday.
I am going to run 20 K again.
Hopefully I can run more strongly then.

1st lap: 11:51
2nd lap: 11:39/23:30
Hydration break: 10.60
3rd lap: 11:48/35:29
4th lap: 11:59/47:28
Hydration break: 13.53
5th lap: 12:03/59:56
6th lap: 12:02/1:11:48
Hydration break:14.05
7th lap: 12:08/1:24:06
8th lap: 11:19/1:35:30

Click here below to check out the running route:
https://www.google.co.jp/maps/dir/35.7131937,140.1318452/35.7132272,140.1317692/@35.7139693,140.1330767,16z/data=!4m24!4m23!1m20!3m4!1m2!1d140.1346109!2d35.712684!3s0x602286f07d9f0451:0xe82a064ea8337d1!3m4!1m2!1d140.1387099!2d35.7115175!3s0x602286f6ec80367d:0xdaa60a5fefe8005c!3m4!1m2!1d140.140753!2d35.7155739!3s0x602286f8200d432b:0x3caa5862b527dc37!3m4!1m2!1d140.1397079!2d35.7167823!3s0x602286f9b2d36ba3:0xcca5792a380431de!1m0!3e2