Yuki Sato Gets Section Prize for 4th Leg of New Year's Ekiden Race

Yuki Sato of SG Holdings got section prize for renewing the course record for the 4th leg of the New Year Ekiden Race. Congratulations to you, Yuki Sato. You are the best-est.

Yuki Sato has been one of the leading long-distance runners of Japan ever since he displayed his eminence in his junior high school days.

His record from 2007 for the 1st leg of the famous Hakone Ekiden Race still stands as the best time for that section 13 years after his achievement.

However, over the last decade or so he didn't seem to live up to everyone's expectations. A big disappointment was in major marathons. He would run at a brisk pace until 30 K. But then he would almost always slow down after that. It seemed as if he hadn't done the training necessary to finish a marathon strongly.

But as I saw him run today, I'm beginning to think that it's more fair to say that marathon is not his ball game. The half marathon distance is where he excels most.

Sir Mo Farah decided to race in 10000m again after running several marathons with one win in a major marathon and some better-than-average results. Marathon isn't his ball game. 10000m is. The same can be said with Yuko.

Yuki is 34. Some say he's too old to win. But Carlos Lopes of Portugal won the gold medal at the summer Olympics in Los Angles in 1984 when he was 37. Long-distance runners can be at their best in their mid 30s if they maintain their mind-body well. If Yuki takes good care of himself, optimizes his training, and races in the distances that bring out the best in him, I believe he can continue to perform well in major races for a few more years down the road.

Hill Intervals: 4 Sets by 1 K @ 4:25 + Bonus K

Dec. 28, 2020　1:00-2:30 A.M.  Cloudy, 4℃

Warm Up 2 K: 12:02.45

1st K: 4:22.13

Rest: 1:00.57

2nd K: 4:23.72

Rest: 1:00.40

3rd: 4:16.19

Rest: 1:00.52

4th K: 4:25.04

Rest: 1:00.75

Warm Down 3 K: 18:31.55

Bonus K: 4:25.42

Rest: 1:00.62

Warm Down 2.5 K: 15:25.00

Total 12.5 K: 1:12:54 

I'm so glad I was able to do one set more than in the previous interval training. 

Hill Intervals: 3 Sets by 1 K @ 4:25

Dec. 25, 2020

Merry Christmas to you all!

Warm Up 2 K: 12:16.00

1st K: 4:25.54

Rest: 1:00.38

2nd K: 4:20.37

Rest: 1:00.52

3rd K: 4:14.48

Rest: 1:00.81

Warm Down 3 K: 18:24.00

8 K: 48:42.79

 

Midnight Barefoot Jog

Dec. 23, 2020

10.8 K: 1:02:25

After coming home from work, I wanted to a short lecture by Brian Tracy. I have an important corporate seminar tomorrow. I wanted to get some useful information from the world-renowned motivational speaker. 

The temperature was -1.9 degrees Celsius when I left home. I had bundled up expect for my feet which had nothing on. 

A minute into the run, I regretted not wearing shoes. It was freezing. My feet were so cold to the point of being painful from the cold. I hoped they would feel numb to the cold, but they remained cold and painful for the next 10 minutes or so. 

Ten minutes on the road, the feet finally got adapted to the freezing temperature and cruel hardness of the concrete road. I kept on going like an automaton. 

In the second half I felt warmed up, finding myself gradually picking up the pace without being aware of it myself at first. I could have gone on for another hour, but I didn't, because anything beyond that could leave me fatigued tomorrow morning. And tomorrow I have an important event where I need lots of energy to influence people. 

Midnight Barefoot Jog & Body Weight Muscle Training

 Dec. 18, 2020

I got out in shoes. But it didn't feel right. So I returned home, kicked the shoes off, and hit the road again. This time it felt right though in no time both feet got numb from the freezing cold. The sky was so cloudless, and the stars were beautiful. The Winter Triangle is always the first one to greet me. It's so majestic. I like it when it looks as though it hadn't moved a bit when I return from an hour-long job. 

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

6.2 K: 34:54.84

Body weight muscle training: 8:20.19

4 sets by [Single-hand push-ups (30 sec) + Slow pull-up (30 sec)]

※15-sec rest between exercises and sets

5:8 K: 32:43.47

Total 12 K: 1:15:58

New Hilly Course

Midnight Jog in MUTEKI

Dec. 16, 2020

14.9 K: 1:24:01

1 K: 4:27.51

Total 15.9 K: 1:28:30

It was 0.3 degrees Celsius when I left home. It was freezing cold. But the night sky was beautiful. The stars were so clear, especially the Winter Triangle as I headed to the south. I wondered why the Petelgeuse of the Orion is one of the three stars forming the triangle when the Rigel is brighter. But as I picked up the pace into a wider road, I focused on the lecture I was listening to by world-renowned sales consultant Brian Tracy, with the thought of the stars soon pushed to the back of my mind.  

I ran without deciding how far I was going. Ten K seemed too little, so I definitely wanted to go beyond that. When I covered 8.9 K, I felt I was able to run minimum 5 K more, so I added extra 3.2 K instead of going straight back the out and return course. 

I ran a little faster than in an average jog, because it felt easy. After completing a 10 K tempo run on a very hilly out-and-return course, I was able to climb hills with ease without slowing down. I feel my glutes have become significantly stronger thanks to the hard training.

I changed the gear and surged in the last K to cover the last kilometer in 4:27.51.

10 K Hill Tempo Run

Dec. 11, 2020

Warm Up 2 K: 12:00.45

<10 K Hill Tempo Run: Ultimate Target=4:35/K>

1st K: 4:31.27

I started off at a brisk pace, but was also careful not to go too quick. Extended my stride when going down, and increased cadence and ran in a shorter stride when going up for running economy.                                                                              

2nd K: 4:41.78

The Ks in the even number sets are harder, because the uphill is steeper than the Ks in the odd number sets. The lap deteriorates. But that's expected. 

3rd K: 4:42.68

The heart rate is still significantly high mainly from hammering up the uphill in the last phase of the second K. Want to bring it to a decent level, but soon comes a long downhill where I inevitably increase the pace for a time gain. Once I hit the bottom of the downhill, a slight uphill comes. The incline is minimum, so I control my breathing here to prepare for the second half which is mainly an uphill, not as steep as the last hill of the even number sets. 

4th K: 4:36.65

Surprisingly, the lap was better than the one that immediately preceded it though this one should be harder and therefore the time was expected to be worse. This is mainly because my body was gradually adapted to the fast pace.   

5th K: 4:39.97

I carried on at about the same pace. 

6th K: 4:44.53

The fast pace in the previous two sets slowly started taking a toll on my legs. An inner talk began. Should I quit with this lap? Or should I push myself through till the end???

7th K: 4:41.73

Lactic acid starts building in the legs, making it harder and harder to keep a brisk pace, let along increase it! 

8th K: 4:47.48

Shocked to see my time. It's not even under 4:45. I feel like crying from misery. But promise myself not to be a quitter. I keep on going into the 9th set.  

9th K: 4:43.26

I keep saying to myself, "Two more sets, and it's all over. Two more sets. Just two more sets."

Final K: 4:37.41

A prospect of imminent finish lifts my spirit. I work my arms more to keep a brisk pace. Gave everything I had while climbing the hill. When I reached the top, I felt like nothing more was left in my tank. But there was still a hundred meters to go. I try to surge, but my body won't respond. It feels as though my throat was choked with sand and half-digested pasta was welling up from the stomach. I felt sick to the core. But I pushed. And push I did to finally crossed the finish line to cover the last K in the 3rd best lap for the night.  

Sub-total 10 K: 46:47

Warm Down 2 K: 12:17.92

Total 12 K: 1:11:05

Post-Dinner Barefoot Run

Dec. 9, 2020

4.78 K: 27:00.00

Body weight muscle training: 8:14.90

3 Sets of [Eccentric Single-Handed Push-Ups (30 sec) + Slow Pull-Ups (30 sec]

4.78 K: 26:55.99

Total 9.56 K: 53:55.99

Got out for a second barefoot run for the night. The ball of the left foot was slightly in dull pain. It was probably from the training on the previous night. I went easy to avoid injury.                                                                            

The sole felt a little sore. I regretted not wearing shoes. But it was too late. I was already well into 1 K when I realized that. 

When you feel discomfort while running, all you can do is "cope with" it. It's a very important part of daily training, because that's what it's all about--"deal with it" when something unexpected happens during a race. 

To my delight, though, the discomfort in the sole increasingly felt manageable as I went on. I was pleasantly surprised by the human ability to adapt to the environment to withstand pain. 

I made a body weight training stop at the Minamisizu Central Park near Minamishizu Elementary School. I trained my upper body for a little less than ten minutes. It was quick, but highly intensive. It hit lats, arms, core and chest. 

A warm shower after coming home from the run was heavenly. While taking a shower, I washed two pairs of my running shows which I almost never wear when running. They are mostly for urban use. 

Tomorrow after a bit event is over, I want to put myself to a test. I am going to do a 10 K tempo run. At my previous attempt I was able to run under the target only in the last of four laps. Tomorrow night I will aim for 2 laps under the target. Anything better than that is a bonus.  

Pre-Dinner Barefoot Run

Dec. 9, 2020

1 K: 5:33.88

2 K: 11:33.13

1 K: 5:52.29

Total 4 K: 22:59.30

Hit the nearby park to run on the lawn in bare feet shortly after the sunset. It was mostly deserted but several locals were spotted here and there. A couple of young boys were playing soccer, and a handful of elderlies were talking a walk. A woman, who wasn't present when I got there, was seen running the oval walking path inside the park. We got close to each other a few times while I shunted back and forth across the park. The walking path is not very comfortable to run on, because it's either bare soil or covered with wood chips. I sometimes intentionally run it to toughen my soles. But today is not the day. My soles were a little sore from the barefoot run on the previous night. Today I needed to let them recover. 

The lawn felt so cold already, and my feet started feeling numb after running for several minutes. It felt as if my feel were cut off from the ankle, and I was landing on the soil directly on the cutting edge of the bottom of the shin. 

A long warm bath felt like seventh heaven after the run. 

My next mission is to recharge my bodies batteries and fuel myself for another run late at night. I'm going to have angler-fish hot pot tonight. Rich in collagen and highly nutritious. 

 

Midnight Barefoot Run in the Rain

Dec. 8, 2020

<On the Lawn>

1 K: 6:04.25

1 K: 5:15.18

1 K: 5:39.19

1 K: 5:56.96

<On the Road>

5.84 K: 35:00.00

<On the Lawn>

1.7 K: 9:00.31

Total 11.54 K: 1:07:55

I ran in bare feet after a long time. It felt cold on the lawn and hurt a little also at first. But soon both soles got numb to both the cold and the pain. 

It started raining 3 K into the run. I decided to call it a day after running another K. 

While running my 4th K I felt a slight discomfort in my left kidney. It was a funny feeling. I hardly ever feel any discomfort in my kidneys. I wanted to see what's going to happen if I continued to run. After running 4 K, I get off the lawn and hit the road. I aimed to run an out and return 6 K course rich in undulation. It's mostly straight and the road condition is good most of the way. I ran comfortably. In no time I found myself having completely forgotten about the kidney problem. 

While taking a shower after coming home from the training, I felt a sharp pain in my right heel. I took a close look to find a black dot in the skin. After the shower I sat on the floor and took an even closer look. A black piece of obsidian-like chip of stone was stuck in the horny layer. I picked it with a pair of tweezer. It easily came out. After that there was no pain. 

I hope to jog for an hour or so on Thursday. And hopefully on Friday or Saturday night I will have a tempo run.

Interval Training: 6 Sets by 1 K @ 4:25

Dec. 4, 2020

Warm Up 3.68 K: 20:54.42

Rest: 45.35

<Intervals>

1st K: 4:19.58

Rest: 1:00.36

2nd K: 4:16.12

Rest: 1:00.38

3rd K: 4:21.56

Rest: 1:00.47

4th K: 4:11.92

Rest: 1:00.33

5th K: 4:20.26

Rest: 1:00.49

6th K: 4:18.10

Warm Down 3.4 K: 20:40.32

Total 13.08 K: 1:13:09

I ran under the target of 4:25/K in all six sets. It feels awesome! It started feeling tough around the 5th set, but up to that point my body felt a lot lighter than before, and breathing was notably easier. I think it owes a lot to the completion of the 10 K tempo run the other day. 

8 K Midnight Jog in MUTEKI

Nov. 30, 2020

4 K: 22:53.48

Body weight upper body training:

3 sets by [arm hang oblique hold (20 sec) + 10 eccentric single-handed push-ups]

4 K: 22:33.68

Total 8 K: 52:47.91

I wanted to listened to the audio of some You Tube videos, so I recorded them on my IC recorder and listened to it while jogging. You feel so focused when you listen to something while running. It's the best time to learn, review, and re-enforce something important. I listened to one lecture on fitness by Jeff Caveliere, another on the importance of habit, which is Brian Johnson's review of a book entitled "Superhuman by Habit",  and yet another on the importance of power-posing by Amy Cuddy. 

10 K Tempo Run (Target=4:35/K)

Nov. 28, 2020

Warm Up 0.7 K: 3:57.02

2.5 K: 11:49.06 (+22)

2.5 K: 11:40.93 (+13)

2.5 K: 11:31.36 (+4)

2.5 K: 11:24.56 (-3)

Subtotal 10 K: 46:25.91

Warm Down 2.02 K: 11:24.56

Total 12:72 K: 1:03:17

The biggest limiting factor in self-development is self-doubt. The fear that you are not getting better for all your effort deprives you of motivation. The easiest way to prove you are wrong is to put yourself to a test, to do what you did in the past now and compare the results. As simple as that.

But that's easier said than done. One side of you is reluctant to do it, because it does not want to face the reality that you are not able to do what we were able to do in the past. It'd hurt your ego. But if you accept this side of you, and avoid facing the reality, there is no growth. The door to improvement is forever shut. 

So you need to listen to yet another side of you. It says, "What have you got to lose? After all, no single human being can continue to physically grow stronger forever. Even if you reach a watershed, and from that point on all you do is descent, there is no shame in it. All great athlete go through it" This is the realist side of me. I listened to it today, and decided to put myself to the test, whether I'd do it well or not.

The result? Better than I thought. I felt certain that my training is getting results. Slowly but surely I am getting strong enough to hold a faster pace longer. 

9.9 K Barefoot Jog & Body Weight Upper Body Training

Nov. 25, 2020

3.7 K: 20:15.18

Body Weight Upper Body Training: 12:55.24

Pull-ups, Chin-ups, Single-hand push-ups

3.7 K: 20:33.20

2.5 K: 13:27.44

Total 9.9 K: 1:07:11

I completed the first draft of a project whose deadline is next Monday. It will be checked by the boss, and needs revising after that. But nonetheless I am a little ahead of schedule. To celebrate the early completion I went out for a short barefoot jog. 

The road was wet from the rain in the daytime and felt chilly on the sole, but after running for a few minutes, both of the soles got numb to it. 

I did some body weight exercise in the park at the halfway point of the out and return course. I hit my upper body using the monkey bars and did some single-hand push-ups to hit the chest and core. 

I took a slightly different route to the park tonight. The road surface is a little smoother on the new route, but that adds to a little more distance, 200 meters or so. The slope is less steep than in the previous route. 

I ran a 2.5 K loop after running the out and return course to cover 9.9 K. The sole feels just a little bit sore, but I didn't get any blister mainly because the pace wasn't so fast. I checked my form carefully when climbing a hill. I tend to slouch when I get tired. I kept that in check, and push my belly forward and kept my torso upright. I also tried not to hop much, because that exhausts more energy than you should in your calves. In a short run, it doesn't cause much trouble, but in a marathon you end up paying a huge price in the last quarter of the race.  

Interval Training: 4 Sets by 1 K @ 4:25

Nov. 23, 2020

3.4 K Warm Up: 18:11.64

Rest :1:00.30

1st K: 4:17.46

Rest: 1:00.21

2nd K: 4:10.71

Rest: 1:00.38

3rd K: 4:12.94

Rest: 59.57

4th K: 4:10.48

Warm Down 3.4 K: 19:40.45

Total 10.8 K: 58:44.14

One important task of a big project was completed today. Also, I had a good mental rehearsal for an important seminar scheduled for tomorrow. I feel so good. To reward myself for accomplishing two of my top priorities for my day off, I went out for interval training. 

Though my legs were heavy from running at a fast pace the last quarter of the training last night, fatigue slowly went away as I warmed up. 

I finished under my target of 4:25/K in all four sets. I could have done more sets, but I decided not to, because I need to save enough energy for the event tomorrow, where I am going to facilitate a two-and-a-half-hour all English group session. 

14 K Barefoot Run

Nov. 22, 2020

3.5 K: 18:48.68

3.5 K: 18:11.32

3.5 K: 18:11.91

3.5 K: 16:50.97

14 K: 1:12:02

It's been 4 days since I ran last. In the previous training there was a brief body weight muscle training session after the first and third 3.5 K. Tonight I wanted to keep on running without any intermittent disruptions.  

I started off slowly. The legs felt heavy and breathing hard. I felt bad about not being able to run for the last few days due to preparation for an important corporate seminar. 

But once I hit the first 3.5 K the initial heaviness of legs was mysteriously gone. I kept on going almost in a metronomic tempo.

In the last 3.5 K I increased the pace to cover it under 17 minutes. More than half of this out and return course has poorly-maintained road surface, which prevents me from picking up the pace, but where the road surface was smooth, I surged like I do in a race, which resulted in one big blister in the right sole! But that's OK. It's one of those things. It happens all the time. It'll be all right in a few days, and the sole will have been toughened by then. 

Midnight Barefoot Jog Combined with Body Weight Muscle Training

Nov. 18, 2020

It was warm for the season. I dressed lightly. It's been a while since I last hit the road in bare feet. The course tonight is very poorly-maintained, and not very friendly to a barefooted runner. But nevertheless I went out without shoes, because I wanted to test my endurance. Or to be more precise, the endurance of my soles. 

As expected, much of the out and return course tonight was not comfortable to run on. But this discomfort is exactly what I asked for. Only outside the boundary of your comfort zone can you meet a stronger version of yourself. So I kept telling myself, I lapped the course twice to cover 14 K. 

Though 14 K is more than I usually jog for a daily routine, it didn't feel so long, mainly because the course is rich in undulation and landscape varies significantly along the way. 

Tonight I did some body weight muscle training in a park at the turn point of the our and return course. There are monkey bars there. I did pull-ups and chin-ups to hit lats, forearms, and bi-ceps. There is a significant amount of core engagement while holding a good hanging posture, also. 

I ate like a horse after coming home from training.

3.5 K: 20:27.87

Body weight muscle training: 7:16.08

3.5 K: 20:59.88

3.5 K: 20:29.58

Body weight muscle training: 7:48.16

3.5 K: 20:54.72

Total 14 K: 1:37:56

14 K Alternate Run

Nov. 13, 2020

3.5 K: 19:36.68

3.5 K: 16:44.90

3.5 K: 20:01.78

3.5 K: 17:18.14

Total 14 K: 1:13:41

Running a long distance is not always easy, even for someone like me who like running a long distance. Difficulty is caused by many things. One of them is lack of sleep. I hadn't been able to sleep enough because of a preparation for corporate seminars. The toughest time is over now. I had a brief moment of peace of mind today. I went out for a bike ride to my favorite town of Togane just to breath in some fresh autumnal air in the countryside. 

After dinner my eyes felt heavy. I knew I should hit the bed to catch up on the sleep that I should have had but hadn't been able to have. But then another side of me craved for something physical. I wanted to reward myself for a good job done on Tuesday and Thursday. A good run will suffice. I threw myself in my running gear and hit the road.

I ran a new course tonight. It's an out and back 7 K course rich in undulation. While exploring my neighbor on my Vulcan S I found this awesome hill, and badly wanted to run it someday, so as soon as I got home that day, I Google-mapped the new course. The red area on the map above is the steepest hill, but there are a couple of other upward inclines, and both are not easy. 

In order to stay motivated through the training tonight, I jogged the outbound 3.5 K and injected the pace on the return.

It's funny, because after running at a brisk pace, you want to jog, so after running 7 K, going for another 3.5 doesn't seem like an undesirable obligation. You feel like running for another short while at an easy pace. But then yet another funny thing is that after jogging 3.5 K, this time you want to kick. In no time you have covered 14 K!

 

Midnight 9 K Build-Up on Hilly Course

 Nov. 8, 2020

5 hours after jogging 7 K, I did 9 K build-up training with the target pace of 4:25/K for between 6 and 9 K. I did it on a very hilly course.  It wasn't easy, but I was able to cope with the pace till the end. It feels awesome.

3 K: 17:37.29 (Target: 18:00.00 // 6:00/K)

3K: 14:48.11 (Target: 15:00.00 // 5:00/K)

3 K: 13:13.16 (Target: 13:15.00 // 4:25/K)

3 K: 17:53.66 (Warm Down)

Total 12 K: 1:03:32

Sunset Park Barefoot Jog

 Nov. 8, 2020

Woke up a new man after sleeping 10 hours straight. Had a huge breakfast of hotpot with anglerfish I had bought from a local store. It was significantly marked down. 

Watched Japanese chess on NHK later. Defending champion Mr. Fukaura beat Mr. Ayumu Matsuo with 104 moves into the match.  

Studied Spanish for one hour. Then watched "Sleepless in Seattle" for about 30 minutes when the sky started turning orangish from blue. Decided to hit the park for a jog while still warm.          

1st K: 5:23.19

2nd K: 5:25.00

3rd K: 5:30.87

4th K: 5:28.77

5th K: 5:17.88

6th K: 5:13.48

7th K: 5:00.49

Total 7 K: 37:19.68

Made congee with the soup from the hotpot and had it for late lunch. It tasted so good.  Am hoping to go for my second run tonight. 

Interval Training: 5 Sets by 1 K @ 4:25

Nov. 4, 2020

Warm Up 3.4 K: 19:58.64

Rest: 30.20

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

<Intervals>

1st K: 4:01.90

Rest: 1:00.36

2nd K: 4:10.48

Rest: 1:00.32

3rd K: 4:11.74

Rest: 1:00.20

4th K: 4:24.05

Rest: 1:00.36

5th K: 4:07.77

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

Warm Down 3.4 K: 20:14.39

Total 11.8 K: 1:05:40

Biltong

Nov. 4, 2020

Immanuel Kant is known to have lived a very structured daily life. Some of it is said to have been spent on writing. When I learned this habit of the great thinker, I decided to try to make time to write a short essay before going to work. It won't work if I choose a topic totally irrelevant to my work. So I've decided to write about something that directly relates to a lesson I'm teaching on the day of writing. 

My topic therefore is Biltong. What is biltong?  Simply put, it's meat dried in the sun. It's originally from South Africa. But it is said that all the food shows are raving about it! Of course, that's the case in the US, so I'm not surprised if you've never heard of it,  born and raised in Japan where I write this now. 

Anyhow, I did some research on Biltong, and discovered a few interesting facts. I'm going to share them. 

<Similar to Beef Jerky But Different>

When I say beef dried in the sun, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably beef jerky. You may react by saying, "Hey, what's the different?" In fact, they are not so different from each other, except that beef jerky is cut first, and then dried while biltong is cured and dried, and then cut into pieces. 

<Comes in Different Cuts>

Biltong, according to a website, comes in a couple of different cuts. Most typically, it's cut along the grain of the muscle into strips. However, a rump may be cut across the grain into flat slices.

<The Most Interesting Origin>

The most fascinating fact about biltong, though, is who made it. In fact, it was made by Dutch people living in South Africa. Why did they made it? Well, in the early 19th century there was a large migration of Dutch people in South Africa who were oppressed by invading British people. During this great migration Dutch people needed food that lasted during a long journey of survival. That's the origin of biltong. 

All foods have some kind of history behind them. You may want to do your own research on some of your favorite foods. You may find something interesting.  

 

11 K Barefoot Run

 Nov. 4, 2020

Ran 5 K on the lawn and 6 K on the pavement to cover 11 K in a little less than an hour. Increasingly getting cold for a barefoot run, but that's not going to be a big problem, because at a certain point my feet become numb and stop feeling anything. 

11 K: 56:59.99

*******

<On the lawn>

1st K: 5:29.69

2nd K: 5:19.08

3rd K: 5:15.45

4th K: 5:03.91

5th K: 5:02.82

***********

<On the pavement>

6th K: 5:16.38

7th K: 5:42.27 (lap timed a while into 8th lap & not completely accurate)

8th K: 4:38.87 ((lap timed a while into 8th lap & not completely accurate)

9th K: 5:16.37

10th K: 5:22.37

11th K: 4:32.78

**********

Total 11 K :56:59.99