13.8 K Build Up

April 21, 2019

13.8 K: 1:12:49 (5:17/K)

Today is Sunday. I had plenty of time all to myself, so I began it with high intensity cardio after having late breakfast. 

Later at night I was finally in long-distance running mode, so I threw myself into running gear and hit the road. It was warm enough to run in shorts. I put on the pair of aqua shoes below for minimum protection of the sole.  

I ran the new 13.8 K course below. It's a slight modification from the 15.8 K course which is a combination of a 10.5 K course and a 5.3 K one. One advantage of this course is I have earlier access to tap water and a public toilet. They are important for a 10 K + run.

The course is rich in undulation.  I picked up pace in both downward and upward inclines, and slowed down to let heart rates come down when it leveled off. It kept me motivated.  

With 3 K remaining, I increased pace and kept it until the end, imagining that I was running the last 3 K of a full marathon. I always feel it's ideal to finish a marathon strongly by running the fastest split in the last quarter.

Tomorrow I take a business trip to Nagoya and give a seminar in Toyota City. I stay over night in central Nagoya and give another seminar on Tuesday. I'm not going to run on Monday night. But I'm going to run the same course on Tuesday night.

My training still roughly follows the program by former ultra marathon world best record holder Mr. Sunada, but I'm beginning to slowly push myself beyond my previous norm. I'm thrilled to see how far beyond it I can get.