Catching up on some business

Time to do some blogging. Where have I been? I'm still here, always have been. Blogging has lost the luster that it had though so I'm visiting my own sight less frequently. Anyway I'll continue to update but it might not be so consistent.

First order of business: Kanuma Satsuki Half Marathon. What is there to say? 1:43:47. Obviously a sub par performance but about on par with where my training was at that point. Nice day, decent course, just didn't have it. I got out to a 1:35 pace and held that through 10k or so even though after just 4-5k I knew I didn't have it. I was surprised at how quickly I got into the "I don't care" phase. Didn't care about pace, finishing time, drinking water, anything. I just wanted to be done running. I carried a gel with me that I planned on taking at about the half way point. At that time though I had such indifference that I thought it was too much trouble. Not only that but it might make me feel better and then I'd run faster and that didn't sound like much fun, just more work. So there you have it.

Now on the other hand was last night's 5k time trial, in the rain, around Oda field. I was shooting for a time under 19:30 but figured I'd go out at a 19:10 pace and see how long I could hold it. Turns out I could hold it the whole way, finishing in 19:07. Quite happy with that, given my recent training (see paragraph above). In fact that is my 4th fastest time since moving to Japan. So now I have a little more confidence that I can perhaps step up the pace of my training a little bit. Put in a little tempo run here or there and see how it goes. I'll keep you posted.

TELL 10k

The TELL 10k last Saturday turned out to be a hot and hilly affair. But then I knew that going in and so I wasn't expecting a very fast time. Still I was hoping for a decent time and since the first kilometer is downhill I went out a little bit fast, 3:53. After that came a long hot, sunny stretch that made me realize I was going to have to slow down. the 4th and 5th kilometer being uphill, were even slower. I finished in 43:36, 4:36 per k. I suppose given my recent training that is about where I should be. Now the goal will be to step up the training in order to be able to step up in the races.

This weekend is a half marathon. When I originally signed up I had high hopes for an attempt at a PB. But since my knee started acting up those hopes went out the window. Now I'd just like to stay under 1:40 and would be happy to stay under 1:35. Anything better would be like an extra present at Christmas. Anything worse would be grudgingly accepted as a sign that continued work is needed.

Finally I'm able to state that I believe my knee is fully recovered. Mentally I'm still a little wary of it but I've been trying to pick up the pace during recent workouts with no negative impact (so far). However it seems that with the fading of the knee injury, the hamstring tightness/pain is coming back into the forefront. Maybe because of the increased pace? I am trying a new stretching regimen though and hoping that will help. If not the next step is massages. Now that sounds good.