Hill Sprint: 200 M by 5 Sets

July 30, 2019

<Morning>

3.5 K jog

High intensity cardio: high knees, jumping leg lunges, knee-to-elbow push-ups, burpees, all for 30 seconds without rest between exercises

180 M sprint by 2 sets

Tire run: 30 seconds by 2 sets

<Evening>

2.5 K: 14:5.64

2.5 K: 13:39.54

1 K: 5:46.37

Total 6 K: 34:11.55

July 31, 2019

<Morning>

2.1 K: 14:40.33

[200 M Hill Sprint]

1st: 45.91

Jog: 2:01.51
2nd: 48.64
Jog: 2:00.11
3rd: 49.03
Jog: 2:00.22
4th: 48.49
Jog: 1:59.98
5th: 48.46
2.1 K: 13:41.04
Total 6.2 K: 40:24

It was so bloody hot, and I almost puked as I went into my 5th set, but I hammered up the hill to complete the entire 5 sets. When it was over, all the discomfort was immediately forgotten, and replaced with an awesome feeling of accomplishment.

Sunday Barefoot Double Training: 180 M Sprint + 24.2 K Build-Up

July 28, 2019
<Morning>
60 tire throws: 9:35.52
3.5 K jog: 21:47.27
Rest 44.87
<180 M sprint>
1st: 28.54
Rest: 59.94
2nd: 27.79
Rest: 1:00.41
3rd: 29.49
Rest: 3:00.27
4th: 28.70
Rest: 2:00.18
Tire run: [30 seconds followed by 15-second rest] by 2 sets
Warm down
Total: 47:47.38
********************
<Evening>
24.4 K build-up
12.1 K: 1:05:48
12.1 K: 1:02:55
Total 24.2 K: 2:08.43

Mini Fartlek:15 Sets by [1-Minuite Jog+1-Minute Fast Run]

July 26, 2019

It's Friday night. My legs were still a little heavy from interval training on Wednesday night. Plus, I ached all over from upper body muscle training in the last two days. I have an early start tomorrow morning, so I didn't want to go for a long run, 'cause that's gonna take a couple of hours. I decided to do a mini fartlek session consisting of 15 sets of 1-minute jog followed by 1-minute fast run. It's a kind of alternate runs. 

I started off without deciding the number of repeats because that seemed too stressful for a tired mind-body. I went with the flow, running as fast as I could when I was in a mood, not pushing too much when it felt too painful, and slowing getting used to the intensity of the training.

I didn't count the number of repeat. But instead I just listened to the voice of my mind-body.

When I finally felt that I did enough for the night, I looked at my watch. I was just about to do the 31st run, which is the 16th jog. I stopped, turned around, and slowly walked back home.

When I got home, I was drenched with sweat. It was only for 30 minutes that I ran. Yet, I feel like I gained so much out of the training. Alternate run was the best choice for a night like tonight. You are a little too tired for both a long session and hard-core interval training. In the alternate run, there is a minute of break after every fast run. So you can reset your motivation every minute. Yet the fast run is far more challenging than simply running a long distance at a manageable pace. So there is a greater sense of accomplishment than just jogging for an hour or so. I should make good use of this type of training more often.

Barefoot Intervals: 3 Sets by 2.2 K

July 24, 2019

Warm Up 4.1 K: 24:48.26

<Intervals>

1st 2.2 K: 9:40.26

Rest: 1:00.25

2nd 2.2 K: 9:29.83

Rest: 1:00.18

3rd 2.2 K: 9:17.79

*****************

Warm Down 4.1 K: 25:28.31

Total 14.8 K: 1:20.44

Recent Training

July 19, 2019

10 K: 54:00.00

Ran the hill shuttle course for a little less than an hour to cover 10 K. 

July 21

10 K: 58:00.00

Ran near the beach including a cycling road along the Pacific Ocean at night. Breeze felt great. Surged in the last 3 K or so. Drenched when I got home. 

July 23

11.5 K: 1:04:43

Jogged a hilly course in bare feet for a little more than an hour to cover 11. 5 K. Couldn't pick up pace as I did some body weight muscle training a few hours prior to the run and felt a bit exhausted. Weighed 61 kg after the run. Will slowly lose weight, hopefully below 60 kg. It's considered a key factor in renewing my PR both for 10 K and full marathon.

Interval Training on Bike: 8 Sets by 4-Minute Sprint with 1-Minute Cruising Between Sets

July 17, 2019

Interval training on bike:

8 sets by 4-minute sprint with 1-minute rest between sets. 

Wednesday night is interval night. But I had slight soreness in my right calf. So I decided not to run tonight. But I didn't want to lose the gain of my previous training, so I decided to do something on my bike. Cycling allows you to use thighs, but not so much your calves. The thighs represent the biggest muscle mass of your body, and therefore cardio-vascular benefit of training these muscles is enormous. 

I cruised on to a long stretch in Yukarigaoka, and did 8 sets of 4-minute sprint between the 2.1 K shuttle course below.

I really put the hammer down when I did it, so my heart rates were elevated to quite a high level throughout the training. So although I didn't run, the cardio-vascular gain should be pretty close to that of doing regular intervals by running.

10 K Jog in Huaraches

July 14, 2019
10 K: 52:28.99

The day following a 20.6 K build-up session, I ran 10 K at a very easy pace just to relax the leg muscle and check the running from.

I ran in the huaraches above. Their cushioning is too soft and I don't like it. But the soles were a bit sore from the previous training, and I needed minimum protection to run 10 K without worrying about injuring them. 

I ran the 2.5 K loop above four times. It's almost completely flat, with occasional changes in undulation almost imperceptible. 

I was originally thinking of going farther. But then my desire to watch the Wimbledon final got better of me, and I called it a day after running 10 K.

20.6 K Barefoot Build-Up in the Rain

July 13, 2019

6.3 K: 33:25.28 (5:18/K)

5 K: 25:45.14 (5:09/K)

5 K: 24:35.17 (4:55/K)

4.3 K: 19:49.99 (4:37/K)

20.6 K: 1:43:35 (5:01/K)

It's Saturday night. I will usually feel bushed on Saturday night after a week long hard work. And I often put my legs up and watch a movie just to relax, forgetting about work and athletic effort. But tonight, though I should feel tired, and I did actually feel so, I felt this urge to run welling up from within. I attribute this interesting advent of motivation to diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber on the one hand, and low in animal fat and absence of alcohol on the other. It doesn't overly excite your mind. It keeps it nice and calm. It allows you to make sound judgments regarding what one should do best. Tonight I should go for a practice run, because I haven't been able to run between Wednesday and Friday, the reason being there was a big seminar for corporate clients on Friday and I skipped training on the previous night to save energy, and also that there was an early start and a tight schedule on Saturday, so I chose to save energy of work by skipping training. I have been away from training too long. Another day of absence of training could kill all the precious gain from previous effort. 

Bringing myself to the road was somewhat effortless, because the temperature was just right for a run, and it was drizzling a little. Perfect condition for a barefoot runner! 

I started off without setting a fixed goal in terms of neither time nor distance. I just went with the flow. But I wanted to run at least 20 K. Anything beyond that depends on how I will feel along the way. In terms of the pace, I wasn't so ambition. Because I didn't run for three days, so I knew it would take a while for my body to adjust to the running mode. But there was one goal I wanted to cling to. That is to gradually increase pace and run at the fastest pace in the last 4 K or so.  

The course tonight ended up being exactly the same as the one I ran on Tuesday night. I ran the first 6.3 K segment fairly slowly. That's OK. I went as I had a dialogue with my mind-body about how far and fast I could go tonight. 

But once I came to the 5 K loop in the Yuhkarigaoka residential district, I injected the pace, aiming to hammer out 4:58/K pace. It's my target pace for the Dec. 1 marathon in Shonan. 

To my disappointment, the first lap wasn't even close to it. I was 11 seconds slower than the target per kilometer. The reason wasn't so much for limited cardio-vascular capacity; but rather because I ran a bit too carefully not to damage my soles. They didn't feel as durable as usual, perhaps because they had softened a bit while I was away from training...

I didn't want to fail to meet the goal in the second lap, so I made conscious effort to run faster by running on the center line which is painted, and which therefore has smoother surface. It was past midnight, and traffic was scarce, so that helped me to do it without causing anyone trouble. 

I ran the second lap well under the target. I was glad.

Now came the last 4.3 K segment. I wanted to run it the fastest. My ideal pace is 4:30/K. How close would I be able to get to it?

I significantly increased cadence. I was listening to Jean Luc Ponty's "Mystical Adventures" while running. I kept up with its tempo, which was tough, but that seemed exactly the pace I should be keeping in the final phase of the target race if I want to run a sub-3.5 marathon. 

Eventually keeping that tempo became impossible, but I did my best to stay as close to it until I finally reached home. 

I was 7 seconds slower (4:37)per kilometer than my target (4:30), but nonetheless, I did run the segment the fastest, so I patted myself on the shoulder.  

2-Hour LSD in Bare Feet

July 9, 2019
22.4 K: 2:06:15 (5:38/K)

I ran for about two hours @ sub-4 marathon pace tonight after coming home from work. I did it to balance between speed and distance training. The build-up training on Sunday is speed-focused. This one focuses on distance.

LSD feels so easy when done two days after the 20 K build-up. The cardio-vascular capacitity seemed significantly improved thanks to the strenuous training two days before. It feels great when you enjoy the fruit of your past effort. 

The sole seemed to have become more durable as well. The road condition isn't so good in today's course, but discomfort was minimum. 

Tomorrow is Wednesday, the day interval training is scheduled. I'm going to do 6 sets of 1 K at 4:30/K pace with a minute rest. To increase resistance, it will be done on a hilly course. Hopefully, my legs will have recovered by tomorrow night. 

20.6 K Barefoot Build-Up in the Rain

July 7, 2019

6.3 K: 32:00.93 (5:04/K)

5 K: 24:02.68 (4:49/K)

5 K: 24:06.87 (4:49/K)

4.3 K: 19:32.46 (4:32/K)

20.6 K: 1:39:42 (4:49/K)

It was raining and winds were strong when I woke up in the morning. I had a slightly irregular working schedule this past week with a seminar at a distant national university on Friday, and a long train trip had gotten me more physically exhausted than usual. So I gave myself a longer rest than usual before going for a weekend run this morning. 

I always try to achieve two goals with respect to my weekend training session:

1) Running a longer distance than on weekdays

2) Doing something challenging in terms of both pace and distance

The goal this morning was to run minimum 20 K at a pace equal to or faster if possible than the one required to run a sub 3.5 marathon. It's 4:58/K.

I ran without shoes, because nothing is more demotivating than running in wet shoes. 

The course today is made up of three segments. The first one is 6.3 K. It's from home to the entrance into the 5 K loop which is the second segment. It's hill and winding. I like it because it allows me to use different muscles and also to pay attention to running economy. 

Every time I run in bare feet, the soles feel sore the first 10 minutes or so, and a mere prospect of running at least ten times more feels quite depressing. 

But seventeen minutes or so into running, there always comes a moment where initial discomfort in the sole is forgotten, and legs suddenly feel lighter. I love this moment. I can believe in the arrival of the moment like I know spring comes after winter...

My target pace for this segment was @ 5:00/K, but I was slightly over the target, but not too much.

The second segment is the 5 K loop below. My goal was to increase the pace here and cruise around it twice at the race pace of 4:58/K or faster. I ran both laps at 4:49/K. So the goal was achieved.

The third segment is 4.3 K. The course is shown below. It's from the end of the 5 K loop to home. The first half is rich in undulation. And then the last half is pretty flat. But the road condition is bad at some points, which makes it hard to sustain the pace that I injected in the first part. But I grit my teeth and bore as I listened to the commentary while running of London Marathon 2016 which Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya won by running a 2:03 marathon for the first time of his marathon career.

My pace in this segment was the fastest (4:32/K). But I don't think it reflects my real ability right now, because there were three brief stops at intersections due to the red light. They gave me time to recover. If there had not been those stops, it would have been a little harder from me to keep the higher pace than those in the preceding segments. 

But overall, I'm happy with the result. Last time I did build-up training on June 30, I only ran 15.6 K at an average pace of 4:48/K. Today I ran a longer distance of 20.6 K, and the average pace didn't deteriorate so much. In fact, it was only a second slower. 

Hopefully, next time I do it, I will extend the distance to 25.6 K, but still I will keep the similar pace, and ideally will run the last segment the fastest! 

I love this feeling of becoming stronger and stronger with each effort. 

. 

Teaching a Seminar at Tohoku University

I have a seminar in Sendai today. It takes place at Tohoku University. It's scheduled between 16:45 and 17:50. The event is promoted by IIBC, the organization responsible for the management of the TOEIC Program in Japan. The purpose of the event is to help students of the university, both of undergrad and grad school, to get their target score on the TOEIC L&R Test and/or the TOEIC S&W Tests. They need it to get the job they want in the public sector. My job is to show them how, and make them want to do it NOW! I'm going to take three steps to achieve the goal: One, have them identify weakness. Two, show them how to overcome it. Three, recommend a tool, help to set a goal, and encourage them to take action NOW. I'm addressing a very, very intelligent audience today. Tohoku University is No.1 in terms of the number of patent applications with a staggering 104 as of June 27, far ahead of the runner-up, Osaka Univ. by a large margin of 24. The university is also No.1 in terms of the number of approvals with an astonishing 34. The key to success is speaking logically with ultimate succinctness, establishing credibility with accurate data and relevant episodes, and tapping their pride and willpower to carry on with their mission till they achieve their goal. Tohoku Universtiy is where my academic supervisor studied in his younger days, and worked also in the last years of his carrier as Professor of the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies. I owe him much of what I'm capable of teaching now. How special it is that the day has finally come when I can give back something in return to the students of the school he loved so much.

5 K Barefoot Jog

July 4, 2019
5 K: 29:44.39

I ran 5 K near near my house after coming back home from work. My legs were heavy, and I didn't feel like going out, but I hit the road anyway. My soles felt a bit sore from interval training on the previous night. But the discomfort soon disappeared around 17 minutes into running. My body felt lighter and lighter with each step. But then before reaching 4 K, I suddenly felt exhausted, and a mere prospect of going farther than 5 K seemed too much for the night.

Ordinarily I would have pushed myself through this kind of reluctance, hoping for my motivation to come up again. But tonight it didn't seem like a good idea, because I was expecting a big seminar in Sendai tomorrow, and any small sign of fatigue during the seminar should be strictly avoided.

I changed the route, and headed straight back home. When I stopped my watch on arriving home, it said 29:33.35. It's not a lot of work, but is still better than nothing.

Double Training With Barefoot Hill Intervals: 6 Sets by 1 K @ 4:30

July 3, 2019

I started my day with a solid 30-minute workout in the morning. It mainly consisted of jogging, tire throws, tire runs, and sprints. It's a quick workout. But nonetheless it's quite intensive in terms of resistance and endurance. 

＜Morning Workout＞
1K jog: 6:15.30
60 tire throws: 8:51.57
1K jog: 6:23.62
Tire run: 30 sec by 2 sets
180 M sprint: 35.17
Rest: 45.16
180 M sprint: 34:33
Rest: 45.22
180 M sprint: 34.61
Rest: 45.33
180 M sprint: 34.01
Rest: 44:86
180 M sprint: 34:67
Rest: 46.68
Total 30:24.62

Later in the day I hit the road to do intervals. It was raining slightly, but the condition is favorable for a barefoot run. The rain decreases friction between the sole and the road surface.

I chose the hilly shuttle course above to do the intervals. The target tonight was 4:30/K with a 1-minute rest between sets. The results are shown below:

＜Evening Workout＞

Warm Up 3 K: 17:35.92
1st K: 4:34.58
Rest: 1:00.17
2nd K: 4:11.08
Rest: 1:00.16
3rd K: 4:23.52
Rest: 1:00.42
4th K: 4:21.88
Rest: 1:00.17
5th K: 4:32.71
Rest: 1:00.21
6th K: 4:09.58
Warm Down 3 K: 18.11.92
Total 12 K: 1:07:02

Though I didn't come under the target in two of the six sets, the whole session felt fairly manageable. To make it challenging, I may need to consider increasing the challenge by either making the rest shorter to 45 seconds, or making the target more challenging, like 4:20/K, though eventually I would like to do both.

21.5 K Huarache LSD

July 1, 2019

20.5 K: 1:45:59 

1 K: 4:17.30

Total 21.5 K: 1:50:17 

I wrapped up my weekend with a 21.5 K LSD in a pair of huarache sandals made from flip flops from a dollar shop. The rain in the daytime had left a significant amount of humidity in the air, but the temperature was just perfect for a pleasant night run.

I ran my favorite 10.5 K course, added two laps of the 5 K loop in Yukarigaoka, and wrapped it up by yet adding a 1 K fast run at the end, to make it a solid 21.5 K session.

While running, I listened to an interview of world-renowned sales consultant Brian Tracy. Among a number of things the interviewer asked him about was: "What is the most important quality of a leader?" Brian's answer was a good leader gets results. To get results, it's vitally important for you to be 100% clear on what are the most important results expected of you. I asked myself, "What is the most important result expected of me?" I thought of a couple of things, which I will not mention here. But my goal tomorrow is to prioritize tasks that contribute to getting those results.