東京マラソン

　今日は、東京マラソンの日ですね。銀座まで応援に行くことにしました。同僚も走っているはずですが、三万五千人から探し出すのは無理ですね。一時間程応援しました。

　しかし、本当に老若男女、皆走っていますね。私も元気もらい、昼食後、銀座から等々力まで１５ｋｍを走って帰りました。

東京マラソンEXPO

　　東京マラソンのEXPOをやっています。ランニング関係の出展や出店が多く、出場者以外でも掘り出し物とかに当たるので、毎回覗いています。

　　今回は、ランパンとウィンドブレーカーとサプリを購入しました。

第14回 ワールドランナーズ･ジャパン（WRJ）新春ランニング感謝祭

  シンガポールに赴任する前は、日本で結構走っていたのです。しかし、シンガポールでは、それなりにトレーニングをしましたが、暑いので、距離を稼ぐことは、なかなかしんどかったんですね。10km以上は、それこそ汗びっしょりになるので、ほとんどやりませんでした。

　そして、去年、日本に戻ってきて、「さあ、走るぞ」という気持ちにはなったんですが、実績が伴いません。一応、ランニングクラブとか作ったのですが、イマイチ盛り上がりません。そういう時には、トレーニンング代わりにレースに出まくるというのが、いい方法だと、過去の経験からも言えます。

　しかし、最近の日本の異常なランニング・ブームにより、メジャーな大会は、全て抽選ということになっています。シンガポールに行く前は、抽選があるのは、「東京マラソン」だけだったのに。昨年は、それを知らずに、いくつか申し込んでみましたが、どれも外れてしまいました。

　ってなわけで、それでも申込みを続けて幸運にも当選したのが、2月16日の「京都マラソン（フル）」です。しかし、いきなりのフルには、トレーニングが全然できていません。練習不足でフルに出ると、ただ「悲惨」なだけです。

　幸い、家の近所の多摩川の河川敷で、マイナーなランニング大会がよく行われています。家から８ｋｍですので、チャリでいけるし、参加料も安いので、お手頃なイベントです。それで、ここの大会に焦点を合わせ、トレーニング代わりに参加することにしました。

　12月15日にハーフに出たのですが、１６ｋｍ地点からまさかの「歩き」で、2時間40分もかかってしまったのです。ベストタイムは、1時間43分ですし、フルマラソンを走っている時のハーフのタイムは、おさえたペースで、大体2時間です。42.195kmを、16kmから歩いたら（冬、歩くと異常に寒いし）、悲惨どころか、途中ストップになってしまいます。わざわざ、京都まで、高い参加料と、旅費、宿泊費を払って、途中ストップは悲しすぎます。

　それで、それからは、少しはトレーニングを強化しました。そして、今日が同じ場所でのハーフの再チャレンジとなりました。京都まで後2週間しかないのに、また歩いたら、もう終わりです。

　前回は、前半10kmを6分/kmで走ったら、もたなかったので、今回は、最初から6.5分/kmにペースを落としてスタートしました。結果は、そのままイーブン・ペースで、2時間17分で、歩かず、走り切ったのですが、最後の2，3kmは、少し、脚にきて、歩きたくなったのが正直なところです。

　うーん、ビミョウです。20kmすぎから、歩く自分が想像できます。30kmまでもてば、その後、歩こうが、なんとか完走できるのは、わかっているのですが、、。そこまでもつか、、。

　今からの2週間でどう身体を調整できるかですね。平日に少し走らないとだめでしょうし（疲れを残さない程度）、筋トレを少しやる、ダイエットも少しする、酒も控えるなどですかね。

　　って、今、ビール飲みながら、このブログ書いていますが、、。

 

～東日本大震災復興マラソン～クリスマスチャリティラン＆駅伝2013

　　二週間出張した後、ゴルフ二連荘して今日はハーフマラソンです。最近の日本はランニングが超流行っていて、抽選でないと大会にも出れません。今年、唯一当選したのが、今日のハーフマラソンです。

　　最近、全然練習できてないので、かなり時間がかかるのは覚悟していましたが、１６ｋｍ地点からまさかの歩きです。こんなことでは、2月の京都フルマラソンは地獄を見るのは必至です。今日を練習始めと位置付け、しっかり練習しないといけません。

　　No1077 ,2時間40分41秒　361位（ほとんどビリ）

Deja vu

  After the ”Koukyo Run”, we had a dinner in Yuraku-cho. The nostalgic Showa scenary jumped into our eyes. Uhmm, "deja vu"...

Tokyo Sakura Night Run

  There are a full of Sakura in Tokyo,now. I had an experience of running in the night enjoying Sakura viewing six years ago.

http://nasser.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2007-03-30

  So I invited my colleagues to run together after work to enjoy Sakura along the Meguro river. The distance from Shinagawa to Nakameguro is 5.5km.

  It was so wonderful scenery like a Sakura tunnel. Runners in Tokyo should run on this road.

 

Yomiuri 42.195km Relay Marathon

  The weather was beautiful today for running. Nine members did the relay and completed the full marathon in 3 hours and 20 mins.

  Spring has come. Yay!

Tokyo Night Running Club

  We have formed Tokyo Night Running Club. We ran aorund the Imperial Palace tonight. The cool weather refreshed us. Uhmm, really cool !

Tokyo Marathon Expo

　I will run my 4th Tokyo marathon (17th full marathon) tomorrow. We are five members as SIngapore team. The weather will be fine (5-8℃)　but windy. My last three month mileage is only 180km because of farewell party, house moving and welcome oarty etc. It will become definietly a tough race. I will start at 6:30/km pace and try to complete within five hours.

  I saw Q-chan (Naoko Takahashi - gold medalist) at Expo today.

  Anyway, I will go to bed..

 

Ist Run in Japan

  Now,back to Japan. It is a good season for running. It's not so cold during the day time. I ran from Shinagawa to the Imperial Palace. Around 18km for two hours and back to Shinagawa.

  Oh? You are also here !? 

(in front of JUMBO restaurant in Shinagawa)

24 days to go

  Do you know "Foot Flexer" which strengthen to adjust the angle of your ankcle? You can run properly and faster if the angle of your ankle becomes 90 degree.

  As the final weapon of my running towards Singapore marathon, I tried this which I bought last year on last Sunday.

  After 8km test running, I couldn't continue to run because of my right leg's pain.

  Though I have a little pain today, I should start to do my training because I don't have enough time before the race. So I did the morning run at the gym in Bankok.

  After 4km, I had a heavy pain and stopped to run.

  Sooooh, what does it meannnnns? Did I spoil my right legggggggg?

  24 days to go to Singapore marathon...

Newton Run 2012 (30km)

　There is only one month to go for Singaopore Marathon. In order to increase my mileage I participated in Newton Run (30km). Considering my recent practice, 30km run is challenging and it may take three and half hours, however I had no choice.

  I decided to run at 6:30/km pace. I could keep to run upto 18km at this pace. But it became 7:20/km from 19km onwards. Then my legs have jammed at the point of 26km and ran at 8:20/km. It ended at 3:32:12.

  Though this time was predicted, I have to train more. Otherwise, Singapore Marathon will end up at five and half hours with a little walking, which will not give me a full satisfaction.

  Most of the time, point which the legs jam will come in case of the full marathon. If this point comes earlier like before 30km point, it will be very miserable. You have to continue to run or walk more than ten km by your jammed legs like the solders who have lost the war and run away. If it comes after 35km points, you can manage somehow.

  So it is important to control this point, ideally after 35km.

  I used to run at 5:30/km but recentlly 6:00/km because of the insufficient practice. Even so, it came at 30+km point. I did 6:30/km at the last Tokyo marathon, supprisingly I my legs did not jam.

  So I spend this one month to run at 6:00/km. And ideally I should do 20km run two,three times.

  If successful, I will able to run within five hours at 6:30/km pace.

Yellow Ribbon Prison Run 2012

   It was a tough running course which had a lot of up and down hills. And I saw the inside of Changi prison at first time. It took me one hours and 1min. Zip 12914.

 

 【Wikipedia】 The custom of tying a yellow ribbon around a tree to symbolize waiting love seems to go back at least as far as the days of Nero. A recently unearthed villa (thought to be that of Nero's wife) in Pompeii and covered by the Vesuvius eruption of 79 CE contains a mural depicting a man standing at a tree with a yellow ribbon tied around it.

  Nowadays, The yellow ribbon is used for various symbolic purposes. It is often worn on one's person or tied around a tree. 

  During the Iran hostage crisis, the yellow ribbon was used a symbol of support for the hostages held at the United States embassy in Tehran.  Japan's Medal of Honor uses a yellow ribbon to acknowledge professionals who have become public role models.   In Malaysia, the yellow ribbon is used as a symbol of "Press Freedom".

  In Singapore, the government has initiated an annual Yellow Ribbon campaign, through the Yellow Ribbon Project, to promote giving ex-convicts a second chance in society. Typically, a person shows his support for ex-convicts by pinning a yellow ribbon on his shirt during the annual campaign held in September. This was probably influenced by its use as a symbol of acceptance in the song "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" as stated above.

  The Yellow Ribbon Project (Chinese: 黄丝带计划) started in 2004, is a Yellow Ribbon community-based program of the CARE Network in Singapore aimed at reintegrating ex-prisoners into society.  It was reported that by 2008 through awareness of the program in Singapore, 560 new employers had registered to offer jobs for ex-offenders.

 

The Imperial Palace Run

 

  Just after arriving from Narita, I ran to the imperial palace which is the running Mecca in Tokyo -around 6km from Shinagawa.

 Running become very popular in Japan. I saw more than hundred runner in Monday evening.

 Total 16km run.

SIngapore Running Magazine

  The first Singapore running magazine!

 

Tokyo Marathon 2012

  It was a fantastic 4 hours and 49 mins journey. 

  The main reasons why I could enjoy my 15th full marathon are

  1.  Good preparation for my calf; I reinforced my legs by the muscle supporting tape and wore the compression tights so that my right calf didn't cramp and did a good job for me.

  2.  Even pace ; I know that my training mileage would bring me around 5 hours journey. So I decided to run at around 6:30/km from the beginning. "Even pace " is the best tactics for the success of marathon.

  3. Teamwork ; I ran together with one of the colleagues and encouraged each other.

  Specially "Teamwork" worked very well.

  At 9:00 in Shinjuku, we started together with 4 colleagues. It was no rain but cloudy weather, the weather forcast said a fine weather, though. Anyway no rain is a big things. We began to run with a big excitement.

  The beginning part of the marathon is fun. We could chat and enjoyed the scenery. I became a instant tour guide to explain the sightseeing spots in Tokyo. 10km split time was 1hours 4mins.

  We were informed that our colleagues were waiting at 15 km point for cheering us on. Luckliy we found them in Shinagawa and they gave us a energy. Thanks!

  From this point we had started run separately and I continued with one of them. 20 km split time in Ginza was 2 hours 11mins as scheduled.

  Okay from now on we will do the last half part of marathon. If the legs are Ok upto 30 km point, we have a big possibility to complete it without walking.We reached 30km point, so far 3 hours 20mins. Yes still even pace. We have another 1 hour 40mins for 12km. We can run even at 8:20/km speed!!

  After having a big confidence to complete it within 5 hours, we started to encourage each other saying "Yes We can!".

  At 35km point, Our running pace slowed down a little bit as 7:12/km. We needed an extra enegy. We got the Onigiri and Miso soup by volunteer people. They support every year. "Thanks! This Miso soup is the best in the world!!"

  After having a Miso soup power, we entered into a climax stage of this Tokyo marathon where has a several uphills. We have trained at Mandai hill in Singapore as the counter measure for these uphills.

  We were shouting " One Two, One Two" each other to keep the rhythm. We could pass through this tough course at 7:30/km pace. 40km split time was 4 hours 33mins!

  I might be able to run faster than last year - 4hours 46mins. Encouraging us each other , we made a final effort to run within 4hours 50mins.

  Yes, we did. Our time was 4hours 49mins 16sec!!

  Thanks, Stanley.

点名 Point	スプリット （ネットタイム） Split （Net Time）	ラップ Lap	通過時間 Time
5km	00:39:22　(0:32:21)	0:32:21	09:49:22
10km	01:11:41　(1:04:40)	0:32:19	10:21:41
15km	01:44:35　(1:37:34)	0:32:54	10:54:35
20km	02:18:02　(2:11:01)	0:33:27	11:28:02
25km	02:52:39　(2:45:38)	0:34:37	12:02:39
30km	03:27:16　(3:20:15)	0:34:37	12:37:16
35km	04:03:22　(3:56:21)	0:36:06	13:13:22
40km	04:40:15　(4:33:14)	0:36:53	13:50:15
Finish	04:56:17　(4:49:16)	0:16:02	14:06:17

Tokyo Marathon 2012 Tomorrow!

  Tomorrow is the day for us to show the power. I ran alone in 2010 ,with 2 colleagues in 2011 and will run with 6 colleagues in 2012. Some Singaporean colleagues will cheer us on too in Tokyo.

   My previous three months running mileage is only 300km. The previous records were 370km which gave me the result of 4 hours 32 mins and 4 hours 46mins. Judging from this result, it will be a bit challenging for me to run within 5 hours.

  However,the weather forcast says that it will be fine tomorrow unlike two years ago. I feel some feeling of cramp in my right calf, but I will do my best!!

My running life

  "Hey! Mr.Driver.Stop here,I will get off." This is my starting moment to enter into the running life. It was springtime (Apr 1999) in Japan. I was commuting to my company by bus and saw that the leaves of the trees were so green and fresh. I couldn’t help but alight from the bus and started walking, enjoying the greenery. Since then, I started walking to my company from my house, a distance of about 5km. Gradually I tried to run a bit. After 6 months, I could run to my company from my house within half an hour.

  I took apart in a total of 57 races, including 1 Triathlon, 15 full marathons and 11 half-marathons, so far. I have run in Tokyo, Singapore and Honolulu, Hawaii. My best timing for a full marathon is 3 hours 55 minutes 29 seconds in 2007; Half marathon: 1 hour 43 minutes 14 seconds in 2001.I ran the Honolulu marathon with my elder daughter in 2006,which was great fun.

  I run 2 to 3 times a week alongside the Singapore River, usually about 10km.I also join a running club in company and we run 10km every Thursday around the office area.  Recently I discovered the route from my house to Marina Bay area passing by Clarke Quay, which allows me to enjoy urban running life. It is especially nice to run at night and look at the beautiful lights.

  In addition to my fitness, running gives me encouragement for my life and inspiration for ideas. If I don’t run for some time, my body becomes heavy and I feel my mind becoming the same. Usually I set some topics to think about before running. Running stimulates my brain, clears my mind and gives me positive ideas.

  Running gives me the extra energy and it allows me to meet new people, but sometimes it is very challenging for me to run in the morning before work, especially after a late night.

  I do feel that fitness and sports can help to develop one’s discipline and focus. For example, when I took up the challenge of participating in my first Triathlon – Osim Triathlon in Jul last year, my goal was to compete and complete.

  Running was no problem for me but it was a challenge to bike and swim in the open sea. But I put my mind to it and started practicing from April, following a vigorous training program and getting up very early in the morning to train with my colleagues. I became very focused on achieving my goal, disciplined in attending the training and when I completed the Triathlon, I felt a big sense of achievement.  Similarly, I believe others participating in sports activities would also develop discipline and focus and this will have a positive impact on their work. 

  I am not actually nurturing a "running" culture.But I would say that I try to nurture a healthy environment for our organization. Personally, I promote “running” as it is my love and I’m glad to discover that many of my colleagues also enjoy running. 

   We fielded 341 runners in the 2011 Standard Chartered Marathon and achieved 5^th position in the Corporate Challenge covering 5,800 km in the various categories, a marked improvement over our 9^th position placing in the previous year. There was no strong directive. Rather, the good participation was due to the strong efforts of our recreation team who actively promoted this activity.  Staff who participated in previous runs also encouraged others in their own divisions to join in the fun.  As such, it became more of a team-bonding activity, with staff from the same division running together.   

  Also, we can see that running is becoming quite popular in Singapore and I think this running boom has also helped us. We are definitely continuing to have company participation in Standard Chartered Singapore marathon, as well as other runs such as JP Morgan Run and Yellow Ribbon Run. We also organize our own annual Runnig event where members from all the companies in Singapore run together and get to know one another.  

  I will go to Japan for Tokyo Marathon on 26 Feb together with 7 colleagues from Singapore and our Singaporean expatriates in Tokyo will cheer us on. 

  For those who are looking to start running ,don’t be in a hurry to finish any race. Try to enjoy the scenery during the run. When you are having fun, you will do much better.Of course, training before the marathon is still necessary, so set a training program and be disciplined in the training and focused on completing the marathon. 

Uphill training

 15days to go to Tokyo. got up at 4:00 am and completed 4 hours run. 26km up and down hill..exhauseted. took Bak Kut Teh as breakfast, very tastey.

Half marathon training

  22 days to go to Tokyo marathon, which is why we did 21km long distance running this morning at 6:30 am. The weather was beauiful at East Coast park and we bumped into some firends who were early birds ,too.

Marina Bay

  My running home course is the road alongside of Singapore river through Robertson and Clark quay which is five km distance. I usually do two round to make it ten km.

  Recently I found this route has connected towards Marina Bay. My home course expand there and become ten km distance as one round. The route alongside Marina Bay is quite nice and modern. I enjoy the urban running life.

 

First Run in 2012

  The year of 2012 has begun. I did the first 10km run today alongside Singapore river which is my home course. Normally I run without any music devices because I like to think a various things during my run, however today I tried to run with my WALKMAN-NWZ-W252 which was kept on my closet for long time. Uhmm, I felt my adrenalin came out. Yes, I have to strengthen my right brain in this year. Music might be a solution for me to run everyday as a usual exercise.

 

Standard Charterd Marathon Singapore 2011

  We reached the start point at Orchard Road before 4;00am.  I didn't bring anything to check in because it took a almost one hour to do so last year. However it took forty minitues to use toilet. Again I queued up at the last part of runner.

  The runner queued up at the last part are bignner because the order of queuing up is set based on the estimeted finish time.

  I planned to start at a slower pace - 7mins/km- since I didn't do the enough training. I began to run with my collegue who challengs his first maraton. There are lots of runners, but VERY SlOW, and some of the were even WALIKNG...

  The running pace was 7.5mins/km during the first 10km, we passed 10km point for 1 hour and 15minitues. After that, it beccame less congested, so we could pace up a little bit more, but after passing anther 5km point our pace was coming down. Eventually, we passed 20km points for two and half hours. It means the average pace was still 7.5mins/km!

  Then slowly our pace was coming down. I know if I hit the wall before 30km, it would be a disaster and I had to run as an escaping survivor of a defeated army.

  The time has come at 28km points !  Oh, Gosh. REALLY SO SOON !?  I have asked my body, who relied me - Yes yo didn't train enough!.  After 30km - it took 4hours , we had to change to a very slow jog.

  Seemed my colluege had a similar situation. His hamstring was problem so he had an even worse situation. When he jogs, his hanstring is pulled with pain.

  So he couldn't do even jog. I worried about him so I proposed to walk together. He refused my proposal and let me jog alone.

  Worring about him, I decided to jog alone.  After 2,3km jog, I found him at the water spot!  Yes my jogging pace was same as his walking pace.

  So there are no reason to jog or walk individually, we decided to go together. Our pace became 11.5 mins/km.

   Finally, we have completed a loooong marathon, which took 6hours and 24 minitues.

 I am like this today...

Last 3 month training

 

   Singapore marathon in the next Sunday will be my 14th full marathon during this 11 years. According to my experience, there is very positive relation between last 3 month running mileage and the finish time. If you do 600km training, you will finish within 4 hours. If 400km, it will be 4 and half hours. If 300km, it will be 5 hours.My running maileage of last Singapore marathon was 204km only because I had a ingury of my calf. Then the finishing time was 6h 20m.  

  I caught cold 3 times in this 2 month. still not fully recovered. My mileage during this 3 month is ONLY 180KM!!

  What will happen....(cry)

Inter company run

We did 2nd Inter company Run in this morning having 350 employees and their families. It was great fun. I got 3rd award in my category (over 50 lah).

 

Sydney Run

  The last visit to Sydney was May 2010. The current season in Sydney is nice to run, too.

  I started to run at 6:30am from hotel to botanic garden through opera house for 1 hour - 10km. It really beautiful scenery and weather.

  Enjoyed.

Training result - May 2011

 Swimming is improving. Biking is getting all right. Running is getting weaker...

Training days;13  Run;15km Swim;15km(15x4=60km) Bike;187km (187x0.4=75km) Total;150km

Training result - Apr 2011

  April was the active month for my training. It was rather easy to do the continuous training because the training menu diversified because of the triathron.

 Training days;17  Run;36km Swim;12km(12x4=48km) Bike;101km (101x0.4=40km) Total;124km

RUN x 10

このたびの東北関東大震災におきまして、被災された皆様、そのご家族、ご関係者の皆様に心よりお見舞い申し上げます。震災以来、皆様から「ランナーとして何かできることはないか」というお問い合わせを多数いただきました。そこで、走ることで、そのありがたさを感じながら、支援につながるような取り組みをご提案させていただければと思っております。1日も早い復旧、復興をお祈り申し上げます。

JogNoteスタッフ一同

ということで、私も参加することにしました。

　My web Jog community has initiated the Japan relief chality, which is RUN x 10 (donate 10 yen per km which you run). Good initiative, I have joined.I will run for Japan.

J.P.Morgan Corporate Challenge

  We called running freaks in the company and participated in "J.P.Morgan Corporate Challenge (This race will be held in 13 cities all over the world)" for the first time. And this is team (4 person each) competition of 5.6km. 13,000 people and 400 companies participated.

  When we started at 18:00, the road was jammed with a full of runners and some of them were walking!?. It was so difficult to run at my own pace. I had to claw my way through the crowd. could manage my own pace after 2km onwards, but after 3km, getting tired . couldn't pace up,,. Yes, I have not trained for short distance,,.  Yeah, very hard,,. ended up just under 40mins, my target was under 30mins though,,(don't know the time exactly, I misoperated my GPS watch,,).

 After checking the official web, it was 31:15. uhmm, so so.

 

  Anyway, good experience,,. I will train more for the next year.

 Bib:11040

http://www.jpmorganchasecc.com/index.php