Intervals: 7 Sets by 650 M @ 3:50/K Pace.

I tried something that I had never done before. It's interval training consisting of seven sets of 650 M with the target time of 2:29. This is equivalent to running one kilometer at 3:50/K pace. My usual target in interval training is 4:00/K, so it's way faster than the pace I'm used to running at.  This training session wasn't originally planned. But after giving myself a full rest on Monday following the massive intervals and double training on Sunday, I felt strong enough to do something challenging. Even if I had fatigued myself, I would still have had four more days for recovery. That's more than enough. So I went ahead and did it.

Although my target time was 2:29, I couldn't make it right from the first lap. I didn't realize how hard it was until I actually did it. My heart sank in dismay. But I carried on. In the first lap I started off too fast and went out of breath toward the end, so in the second lap I kept my speed in check and saved energy for a final kick. I finished 3 seconds faster. I preferred this approach to the first one. I stuck to it for the following three laps. When the 5th lap was over, I felt so exhausted that I wanted to take a longer rest, like three minutes. But the last moment I decided not to, because I didn't want to kill the intensity of the training.

The time in the 6th set was as bad as that in the first set. I was afraid I would continue to slow down till the end. But I mustered up all of my will power to forcefully press on right from the start and in the final stretch kicked even in a state of oxygen debt.  I finished in 2:25, the best time of all, and well under the original target of 2:29. So after all it IS possible. All I need to do is to increase the number of successful sets.

The laps in the session today are shown below:
1st: 2:36.92 
Rest: 2:00.47
2nd: 2:33.05
Rest: 2:00.45
3rd: 2:35.02
Rest: 2:00.40
4th: 2:33.42
Rest: 2:00.24
5th: 2:32.76
Rest: 2:00.43
6th: 2:36.36
Rest: 2:00.22
Last: 2:25.28
Total 4.55 K: 29:55.02 

For the footwear for the training tonight see the picture below:

Double Training: Total 30 K

These days I try to run the race distance a week prior to the race itself. A 30 K race is scheduled next week. So today was the last chance for me to run that distance. Earlier this afternoon I did 13 sets by 1 K interval training. Including 5 K that I ran as warm up and warm down, I covered 18 K. I was still 12 K short. But then came dinner time. I rested for a few hours as I watched the Pyeong Chang Olympics on TV. Around 10 pm I felt recouped enough, so I threw myself into running wear and hit the road, aiming to run the 6 K shuttle course twice.

The springy warmth of the afternoon was already gone, and it was very chilly. The bloody blisters in my right sole were already flat with the liquid inside all gone, so they didn't bother me. I felt comfortable in aqua shoes. I cruised along in the darkness. As long as the pace was easy, I felt like I could go on forever.

But shortly before I finished my first lap, I felt a sharp pain in my right knee. I know it's not a structural problem. It's my subconscious asking me to stop. So I walked for a few tens of seconds. I started running again. The pain was mysteriously gone. All it takes is a short rest. Well, in fact, that's not entirely true. I also told my subconscious that I would take a short break inside the house. Once a prospect of imminent rest is registered, the subconscious immediately stops acting up. 

I DID take a rest inside the house when the first lap was over. I made myself 'amazake',  sweetened juice made from sake lees. I sat in front of the heater and made myself warm too. I gave myself about twenty minutes. A brief rest with a warm cup of sweetened juice renewed my motivation. I hit the road again for yet another 6 K. 

I ran at a brisk pace at first thanks to the drink, but in no time ran out of gas. The highly intensive training in the afternoon took a toll on my legs. My breathing became hard too. My cardio vascular system was fatigued. The legs weren't in pain, except that the left hamstring felt a bit tense. It's probably because of a few kicks that I gave in the interval training. I didn't want a cramp, so I kept a slow pace until I reached home. 

I ran the first 6 K in 34:10.39, and rested home for 24:36.17. Then I ran the second 6 K in 34:51.02.

Thanks to the double training I covered the distance I wanted to cover. For the next 6 days all I'll do is some core training, stretching, and maybe a short run near my house. At this stage resting is more important than pushing.  

Hill Intervals in "MUTEKI": 13 Sets by 1 K

Seven days to Ohme 30 K Road Race 2018, I had my last major practice run in preparation for the event: 13 sets by 1 K intervals. The target was 4:15/K per lap. This is less challenging than that last Thursday. I lowered the intensity level of the training because two bloody blisters in my right sole were not completely healed. I chose MUTEKI for my footwear instead of aqua shoes because they are more protective of the sole.  

Because the pace was slower, I wanted to add a different element of challenge to the training. Today I shortened the recovery interval from the usual 2:00 to 1:45. The purpose is to improve my fatigue resistance. 

The result of the training today is shown below:

Warm Up 2 K: 12:30.74

Rest: 1.00.07

1st K: 4:20.68

Rest: 1:44.99

2nd K: 4:19.96

Rest: 1:45.26

3rd K: 4:06.14

Rest: 1:45.14

4th K: 4:09.11

Rest: 1:45.22

5th K: 4:16.14

Rest: 1:45.38

6th K: 4:18.75

Rest: 1:45.25

7th K: 4:17.89

Rest: 1:45.21

8th K: 4:33.13

Rest: 1:45.23

9th K: 4:22.68

Rest: 1:45.27

10th K: 4:37.59

Rest: 1:45.28

11th K: 4:18.66

Rest: 1:45.19

12th K: 4:38.81

Rest: 1:46.97

13th K: 4:10.28

Warm Down 3 K: 20:09.11

Total 18 K: 1:51:14

As you see the time started deteriorating significantly in the 8th set. A shorter recovery interval started taking a toll on me. The times in even numbered laps are particularly bad. This is because the steepness of the largest upward incline in the course is greater there than in the odd numbered lap, and therefore it's harder to pick up the pace. I felt like quitting because the time wouldn't improve. But I gritted my teeth and bore, and decided to go on. In the 13th lap I felt out of gas, but kicked after finishing climbing the last upward incline to come under the target time of 4:15. I was glad. 

Tonight, after dinner, I might go for yet another run to increase the total mileage for the day. I'll write about it if I do.

Barefoot Hill Intervals: 7 Sets by I K

With 9 days remaining before Ohme 30 K Road Race 2018 on Feb. 18 I did anaerobic training focusing on speed. It's 1 K hill repeats. The target pace is 4:00/K. It's doable on the flat. But it's not as easy with hills. I thought of wearing a pair of aqua shoes, but dropped the idea at the last moment and went barefooted. 

I jogged at a comfortable pace at first. I enjoyed the direct contact with the cold pavement at first, but soon it started feeling so cold that I feared frostbite. I hoped that the cold would stay bearable as I got warmed up. At least that's what usually happens when I run in bare feet. 

A 2 K jog brought me to my favorite 1 K shuttle course with a set of one long downhill and one long uphill, and another of one short upward incline and one short downward incline. (See the map below.)

By the time I reached there I had felt sufficiently warmed up, so I immediately went off for my first lap. You can never take wide stride when you run down a hill in bare feet. It could cause unbearable friction between the sole and the road surface, and your sole can easily develop blisters. So I need to take short strides, and cannot go so fast. This affect my time, of course. I need to increase my pace in other parts of the course, usually when the inclines are not so steep, or when I go up. But increasing the pace when going up can easily take a toll on your legs. But that's OK. It's training. Not a race. Pushing yourself is expected. 

I had originally planned to do it ten sets, but I dropped the idea and settled for seven. I didn't want to sacrifice speed over the number of sets. When I do many sets, I tend to slow down my pace a little. This is probably because my defense mechanism sets in and tries to allow myself to last until the tenth set. Of course there is a great feeling of accomplishment when you complete all ten sets, but the quality of each set is compromised. Tonight I didn't want that to happen. Instead, I wanted give my best to each single set. The results? Well, not all times were good, but I finished under 4:00 in one set, and I feel good about it. 

Here is the details of the training tonight:

Jog 2 K: 11:30.35

1st K: 4:05.30

Rest: 2:00.41

2nd K: 4:00.05

Rest: 2:00.18

3rd K: 3:58.91

Rest: 2:00.31

4th K: 4:11.89

Rest: 2:00.46

5th K: 4:05.30

Rest: 2:00.19

6th K: 4:16.07

Rest: 2:00.21 

7th K: 4:07.33

Jog 3 K: 18:07.34

Total 12 K: 1:10:24

As a result of running at a fairly fast pace without shoes and on the incline, I got two large bloody blisters in my right sole. Now that's really bad at this stage of final conditioning toward the race on the 18. But what's done is done. There is nothing I can do. I'll give it a complete rest for a couple of days, and hopefully by this Sunday it will have healed enough to allow for a shoe-clad training.

First Recovery Run After the Full Marathon in Tateyama

I ran 6 K after work. It was the first recovery run after running a full marathon in Tateyama on Jan. 28. A few days after the race I came down with a fever for a couple of days, and finally felt strong enough to hit the road today.

I ran in a pair of split-toe cotton socks tonight. They were comfortable as well as durable. (https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00TTBSOIG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1)

I felt so good after the run. Hopefully by this Thursday night I'll be strong enough to do something more substantial. It will be either 24 K run, or hill intervals.

Race Report: Tateyama Wakashio Marathon 2018

On Jan. 28 I ran Tateyama Wakashio Marathon 2018. I finished at 3:43:13 (gross)/3:43:08(net). I renewed my previous personal best time by more than two minutes. I am happy with my improvement. Below is a report of how I ran the race.

The gun went off at 10:00 am sharp. I started off from the first zone. That's the one for the fastest runners where I don't belong. But I had no choice, because when I went to the starting area, it was already so crowded that I couldn't get through to my zone.  So when the race was officially under way, there was only a small gap between the official start time and the time I crossed the start line. 

I started off at a very comfortable pace, because I had planned to save energy until the 25 K mark. Between 1 and 2 K I heard a voice from behind, and a familiar face passed by my side. He is a student at my school who has a far better time than mine. We wished good luck for each other. In no time he disappeared into a crowd of runners as he picked up his pace.

The temperature in Tateyama was around 6 degrees Celsius at the time of start, and it felt fairly cold. It didn't go up very much as I went along. Before the 10 K mark, I took a pee break once and it caused a time loss of 30 to 40 seconds. I didn't like it, but it's far better than the discomfort of holding it. 

Near the 12 K mark there was the first food station. I took out a plastic bag from my left pocket and put four pieces of bread into the bag. The bread has custard cream in it, and is very delicious. It's from a local bakery.  I ate two and kept the rest in the pocket so that I could fuel myself in case I should get hungry between food stations. 

Between the 10 K and 20 K mark you can easily go faster than you planned. The course is straight and almost flat. Plus, the view is good and there are noticeably more cheerers along the road. I got overtaken by so many runners who happily picked up the pace. But I stuck to my pace. 

I passed the halfway point at 1:50:55. Much faster than I had originally planned. I slowed down a bit. In no time the course was going to take a left and go into hilly inland. A slight increase in pace at this stage could take a toll on my legs. But shortly after the halfway point I had to pee again. My heart sank in dismay. But again the discomfort of holding it could make me distracted, so I accepted another time loss of 40 to 50 seconds there. 

Soon after that, though, the pace runner for the 3:45:00 finish came from behind, so I decided to go with him. The runners around him all looked focused. Their quiet determination rubbed off on me. Then came the sharp corner near the 22.5 K point where the hilly inland route started. Immediately the course started going up. I overtook one runner after another who ran out of gas after running the first half too fast. I felt very focused as I was already freed from my pee problem. I still felt very strong because I was still well within the distance I was accustomed to in training.

Seven & I Holding's convenience store was in sight on the right at the top of a mild hill, which marked the 25.5 K point. As I reached the peak, I quickly took a left. A few seconds later I saw a man throwing his arms in the air and waving them. It was my friend Ui-san. I gave him a high five. I looked around for my bilingual companion. She was about ten meters down the road. She handed me some oranges. I took them from her hand, and said thanks as I left her behind. 

The highlight of the inland route is a long and winding slope at the 30 K mark. Last year I was already quite exhausted at this point. But this year I was full of energy and almost pain-free. God knows how many times I had trained on hills to prepare myself for this section of this particular race. I increased my cadence and took shorter strides to minimize energy loss. There was a water station halfway up the hill, but I ignored it as I didn't want to slow down. When I finally reached the peak of the hill and felt my heart rate still fairly steady, I realized that I had become a lot stronger than I was in the previous year. I felt proud. 

I enjoyed the descent at a brisk pace. But in no time I had to take a pee break yet again (third time in the race!). I didn't want to lag behind the pace runner, but there was no choice. The break was long, and my heart sank with frustration. As soon as I left the toilet, I picked up the pace to catch up. I was pleasantly surprised that I had the ability to to do so at this stage of the race. But I was also careful not to overuse my energy. So I increased the pace only gradually. 

When I reached the top of a downhill that overlooked the Gulf of Tateyama near the 33 K mark, I saw a yellow balloon attached to the running cap of the pace maker. I quickly measured the distance between me and him. It was somewhere around 100 to 150 M. I decided to give myself a couple of kilometers in order to catch up to him. I carefully slowed down my pace on an upward incline, and picked up the pace when the road was flat again. Between 34 and 35 K I finally caught up to the pace runner. From that point on each K was a countdown to the finish. 

When I reached the 40 K mark, I walked off to the side of the road and took off my aqua shoes, held the shoes in my hands, went past the pace runner and put on a spurt. The road felt cold on my sole but I didn't care.  I swung both of my arms like a mad man, and overtook one tired runner after another. "Go, barefoot runner!" a spectator yelled. A surprised cry followed, "He's holding his shoes in this hands! What happened to his shoes?" Nothing happened to my shoes, except that the wearer took them off! I ran past a wall of cheerers on both sides of the street, receiving warm words of encouragement as well as wild reactions to the barefoot run.  

I took one last left to the home stretch leading to the finish line. The pavement was  briefly replaced with a short graveled road. Nasty edges of small gravels hurt my soles. I grimaced in pain. But a moment later it was replaced with fluffy grass, and from there on it led straight to the finish line. Down I went, swinging my arms as if there's no tomorrow. I closed my eyes and kicked. A few seconds later four blue horizontal bars were in sight, and a moment later I was on the other side of it. I put my left shoe down and ran it across a few of them just to make sure the sensors registered my time officially. I took a few steps forward and stopped, and gazed up at the sky that was still hazy, but that expanded vastly. Suddenly a tremendously joyous sensation engulfed me and I couldn't help laughing. I got a major dopamine rush and couldn't control myself. I laughed like a mad man, and wowed, and yee-ed.    

I finally saw my wrist watch and found out that I had renewed my PB, finishing well under 3:45:00. It was almost 5 minutes faster than I had originally planned. I was satisfied.

My next race is Ohme 30 K Road Race on Feb. 18. This race has a different kind of challenge. Distance-wise, there is nothing new for a man who has run a full marathon. But precisely because it's shorter, you get to run it faster. And when you run faster, it means a bigger challenge for your entire cardio-vascular system. I will be doing one or two big interval training sessions, whose details I haven't decided yet. 

My goal is three. One, I will finish under 2:30:00. Two, I will run in aqua shoes. Three, I will cross the finish line barefooted. I will do the best I can in order to achieve all three goals. The key to success, I believe, is "barefoot hill interval training".  

Experimental Post-Race 6 K Run

On the night of the day I ran a half marathon at my best time, I had a post-race 6 K run just to loosen up my legs and get the blood going through my body so that it could get rid of metabolic waste more quickly (if I'm correct that it helps).

It was perfect weather for a night run. Not too chilly as the sky was covered with clouds. And there was little wind. Traffic wasn't bad so I didn't need to swerve to avoid cars that came from behind so often.

When I ran the race this morning, one thing I missed was hills. Sanspo's course is fairly flat, with the only exception being two pairs of upward and downward slopes over the Mihama Bridge. Tonight I ran the 6 K shuttle course that's rich in undulation with two pairs of long upward and downward slopes of massive steepness. I enjoyed running against the gravity.

Thanks to the post-race short jog, I feel more recovered at least for now than before the training. I'm excited to see how I will feel tomorrow morning as a result of this new attempt of mine.