- Running Kicks -

Running by the wayside

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:17:00 +0000

Time. It passes fast. Here I am over four months later. I've got another race coming up this weekend, my first since the Battleship 5k in November. This one is the 2012 Quntiles Wrightsville Beach HALF Marathon. Right about this time exactly one year ago, my foot was giving me a helluva time. I had signed up and trained extensively for the 2011 Quintiles FULL Marathon. I ended up not doing it, of course, with the idea that what was then a stress fracture would have become a full-blown acute fracture during the race. I'm glad I held off.

And admittedly, I haven't really been running much since. Not much at all. I have been doing the gym thing, though, cross-training, exercise-biking, treadmilling it up.

This race is sort of up in the air, though. I'm not sure how quickly I can make it across that finish line. I haven't run further than about 7 miles since the injury last year. I did go for a little tempo run last night, and I was able to squeak out 4 miles in 26:30. That would be a pretty sweet half marathon pace, but I don't think I can keep up the intensity for 13.1 miles.

We'll see how it goes, though. Here's to hoping!

It's time. It is time.

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:47:00 +0000

I've signed up for the Port Land Grille Battleship 5k, November 6th. It's been about 8 months since my last race, and I'm definitely in better shape this time around. I wouldn't say that I'm in better running shape, but I do feel more healthy overall. I'm anticipating a 21:00 finish, but it would be nice to come in sooner. Of course.

Autumn running is the bestest

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:06:00 +0000

Gotta love getting out there around fall time. The temperature's just right, there's some nice smells in the air, and there are road races abound. I've got my eye on a 5K this Friday. There's another one on 11/6, and yet another on 11/12. Something tells me that it's about time for a time trial.

Back into it

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:18:00 +0000

We visited the fam in Salt Lake City last week, and I had set aside approximately zero minutes during the trip for running. I'm feeling it this week, too, now that I'm back to hitting the gym. Just did 20 minutes on the bike and 15 minutes running. Weak, I know. The weather's getting nice out there, and I'm thinking of switching my workouts up, maybe catching a couple of those "local runs" I keep yammering on about.

The bum foot hasn't really been giving me problems, but I haven't run more than five miles on it since the injury. Naturally, I'm hesitant to build up to any long distances. But...we'll see how the next couple of months go.

While you were away...

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:45:00 +0000

Over the last few months, I've had to take it easy with my running. For the longest time, I could hardly walk on my right foot. That made me stick to either swimming, lifting weights, or jumping on the stationary bikes at the gym. I still haven't really made it outside to run since my injury, just once in June and that went okay. Just okay. The next day, my foot wasn't all that happy.

So I'm still not in 100% running shape. One thing's for sure, though. I'm getting fiiiiit. All of this cross-training is making me look like Jake Gyllenhaal in Prince of Persia. Sort of. If you squint, with your glasses off.

I've got sights on some short, local races to test my mettle (and the bum foot). Let us not forget, there is hope.

Decisions

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:27:00 +0000

Each day is filled with its own decisions. Some are great. Some lead to even more decisions, more opportunities, and more experiences. Some are trivial. Some are mundane. Some are easy. Some are difficult.

Yesterday, I had to make a difficult, difficult decision. And, over the past week, I had been playing through this decision in my head. What would it mean if I followed this path (or rather, didn't follow this path)? What would I be losing from this decision, and what would I be gaining? How would this decision, either way, effect me now and down the road?

The pain in my right foot, the one that flared-up just 10 days ago, stayed with me in my final week of tapering. This was the final week of 18. Eighteen weeks of training and dedication. More than four (4) months of preparation and anticipation. All leading to this, the final week of my taper - a week during which one small bone in my right foot would rise up and say, "howdy, partner."

I'd rested this thing, stretched it, taken water and ibuprofen. And still, the pain would not subside when I ran. A sore muscle would have healed by now, a pulled ligament would be hurting constantly. This only hurt when I ran, and it felt like I was stepping on a rock in my shoe. My runs lately have started out with a moderate pain, mild pain in the middle, and severe pain in the end. What we had here, my friends, was a stress fracture.

Yesterday, I went for a 2-mile diagnostic run around the park. And just one mile into it, I could tell, that this marathon was not happening. The foot didn't hurt much, but just enough to let me know that it would be stopping me dead in my tracks around mile 8 of the next day's race. There would be no use in running through this one; I'd just be making things worse. So I made the decision that no runner ever wants to make, and just ONE DAY before the marathon I'd set my sights on 18 weeks ago. I was bowing out.

So here I am today. My foot's still a bit sore to even walk on. I can feel my right third metatarsal just daring me to step on it the wrong way. It is unfortunate that I missed this race, but I'm glad I decided not to run. And, though I won't run again for a while, I'm looking forward to the day when I can. I've got 55 days of rest left, and counting. I figure 8 weeks will give my foot time enough to heal.

In the meantime, I'm going to be swimming and exercising in ways that won't bear a lot of weight on that foot. After eight weeks of healing, I will then have plenty of time to train for...a Fall marathon of my choosing. Then, I'll be back, and better than ever.

My right foot

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:26:00 +0000

Excellent. Just...excellent.

10 days before my race, I started feeling...this. A dull, bruise-type pain in my right foot. Doesn't hurt all the time, just when I RUN ON IT. I have modified my gait to consciously avoid the natural pronation of my right foot, and that seems to quiet down the pain, pain, pain of landing. I even went out and bought new running kicks to see if the shoes I was wearing were the culprit. But no, the pain persists. Seems like some type of overuse injury in the making. And running 26.2 miles, at or near Boston-Qualifying pace this Sunday is sure to make it worse.

I'm trying to rest it and just see how it goes. The devil on my shoulder is whispering "stressssss fracturrrrre," in my ear. And I don't want to hear that. Not after four months of training, and NOT four DAYS before the race.

Oh, taper, how I despise thee.

Here's to hoping. Hoping that the pain will disappear, or at least subside long enough for me to finish this marathon in a respectable time. Hope hope hope.

Thirteen Days

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:51:00 +0000

The taper: my least favorite part of marathon training. These next two weeks are gonna be hard. I spent two hours last night staring at the marathon course map, trying to figure out how I'll be feeling where and when, come race day.

This race runs through a ritzy gated community that I haven't been able to access during my training. So, aside from the course drive-through video on their website, I have very little experience running on the marathon course. My strategy might, then, rely on mile markers and aid stations. In my traning, I found that it was helpful to break down my 20-milers into 9-6-5 milers. I might try to modify this descending strategy to a 10-7-6-3.2 miler. Hopefully this will make sense on race day. I don't know, maybe I'm just making things up, but I really think that breaking down the marathon into shorter, more manageable chunks is really going to help me out.

I wonder how much of this planning (read: worrying) is actually worthwhile and beneficial. Something tells me I need to step back and take a big breath. Phew...thirteen days.

While I was away...

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0000

Ah, yes, it does feel good. Very good. Since this last post in October, I've gone through quite a few changes. I moved out to Wilmington, North Carolina in November. Business or pleasure, you ask? ...Hmm, how about both? My Beebee and her family live in Wilmington, so I found a job here and hopped, skipped, and jumped on over. Oh, and I ran. Oh, did I run.

I set my eyes on the Wrightsville Beach Marathon (wrightsvillebeachmarathon.com) on March 20th, 2011. And I am happy to announce that I just entered the taper phase of an 18-week training program. That's right, I know. The things that happen when the winds of change are a-blowin'...

This training plan has actually gone without too many hitches. There was a little spell in the 11th week, where I rolled my ankle on a planned 18-miler. That was a dark day. A dark, dark day. And, probably on a related note, I got sick-as-a-dog later in the week and had to cut some miles out of the plan. But I was able to get back on the gravy train and enjoy the ride to where I am at today. Woot and a half!

Oh, I almost forgot to confess my dirty little secret. My goal time for this marathon. Last time, I pounded the streets of Tokyo and came out with a 3:59:31 finishing time. This go round, I'm shooting for 3:15. I'll take a 3:30. And in a perfect world, I would come in at 3:10. We'll see how it goes. But I'm sure I can finish faster than last time.

Les vents du changement

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 01:56:00 +0000

You know when you're in the shower, and the water's hitting the top of your head, and you get in some sorta trance, just standing there? Then, you look down and see that, suddenly, your fingers are all pruney. And you think to yourself, "How long have I been in here?"

Yeah, that's what happened with my running this year.

So, no qualifying for Boston this year. Somehow, I just let that pass me by. I guess I became too focused on going to the gym and working on those damned machines, ellipticalizing my way to a fuller sense of fitness. But no!

I'm back on it. Back running. Back to getting my groove back. One man. One fire. One burning desire. Boston, 20xx, here I come.

I ran around the park this afternoon a couple times, just 2.8 miles. Then I found a big hill the kids use for sledding in winter, and I charged up-and-down that mother ten times. I actually FELT my legs after this run. Feels like summoning the beast. And I like it.

Saint George No Go

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:13:00 +0000

So the folks in St. George passed me over this year. I won't be running their marathon this October. Oh well, their loss. :)

However, I did find a Boston Qualifying race around the same time of year. The first annual Layton Marathon will be held October 9th, 2010. No lottery with this one, just first-come first-serve.

I might have a chance with this one. I've been able to maintain a 7-minute mile pace so far, up to seven miles. I know damn well that I'll need to able to maintain that pace for much longer to qualify for Boston. But I do still have 3 and 1/2 months to get there.

I just bought new running kicks a couple of weeks ago. Went down to the running store and got my stride analyzed and everything. The whole shebbang. I'm going with Brooks again. Those have treated me well, and they will hopefully lead across the finish line of the Layton Marathon in less than 3:10:59 come this Fall. Woot!

Praying to St. George

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:42:00 +0000

I've done it. I've entered the lottery for the 2010 St. George Marathon. This is where I hope to qualify for Boston. The lottery results will be announced May 7th, 2010. I have three weeks of waiting and wishing, then I'll know if I'm in. I've got my fingers crossed (well, not really), but I've got some neurons firing off happy-lucky-win vibes in my brain. Watch this space.

Shamrock and Shamroll

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:41:00 +0000

Jeez Louise, time flies by. Already the Ides of April and I've yet to deliver my first blog of 2010. Better late than never, I suppose. So here it goes, the recap of the Yuengling Shamrock (Half) Marathon 2010!

I traveled to Virginia Beach, VA to run my 5th race in my quest for 50 half marathons in 50 states. I have a friend attending Grad School over yonder, so we decided to meet up and enjoy the Shamrock (Half) Marathon atmosphere together. One thing about this running friend should be noted. We don't only run...we run in costume!

And what would be more fitting than dressing up as leprechauns for the Shamrock (Half) Marathon? I dare say, nothing. We both wore big hats, I donned a red beard, she wore pointy ears, I painted my shoes GREEN, she painted her laces and T-shirt: "I'm running a Guinness (beer) world record!"

We were dressed to impress, and impress we did. We lined up in the first corral, surprised to be the only ones in costume. I mean, man, these people looked serious! Running singlets, too-short-shorts, steely-eyed looks of determination. For some reason, fast times don't always mesh with costumes. Go figure. And although we were here to have fun, we also had a goal time. Somewhere in between 1:45 and 1:50 lay my friend's hopeful PR, and I was here to push her (hopefully NOT literally).

The course was nice and relaxed, mostly an out-and-back straight shot through neighborhoods. There was a really soothing section where we ran through First Landing State Park. The towering forest trees guided us forward, and kept our mind off the distance. We also saw some little motivational signs posted on the side of the road. I think they had been placed by the Hash Harriers we had seen the previous day, running through the town dressed in drag. :)

I passed up the beer station at mile 5. But I did manage to bring myself to imbibe at the second stop, around mile 11. People loved our leprechaun get-ups, yelling our names and shouting, "Love the hat! Love the beard! Go Leprechauns!"

We were some fast leprechauns, too. We finished with a nice kick down the Virginia Beach boardwalk, side-by-side in 1:46:39. Go team! Next year, we're looking at running the Mardi Gras Half Marathon. Better start planning my running costume now...this should be a good one.

Running with Peoples

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:32:00 +0000

I've always found some reason not to. It's too far of a drive just for a run. I'm not fast enough. I'm too fast. I won't know what to say. I won't know anyone there. It'll just be awkward. I like my "me" time on the road. I don't need that...

For one reason or another, I've never run with a running club. That is, I *had* never run with a running club. Until tonight.

I joined the Salt Lake City Track Club this Wednesday evening for their weekly fun run. I was worried at first, nervous, because everyone there already seemed to know the drill. But as we were about to head out on the 5-mile route, I loosened up. I chatted with faster-looking runners, trying to find someone to follow. (I had no idea where the course took us, so this was key). But I started off with a dude, and I was able to keep pace with him as he showed me the course. We also talked about the group as a whole, how it works and the general feel of the organization.

I'm happy I made it out there tonight. I'm excited to find runners who will push me, runners I can push back. Running buddies...that would be awesome. I'm excited to get out with the group again, maybe this weekend. I'm starting to think this whole "club" thing may be my ticket to Boston, and a more fulfilling time on the road.

It's not the heat, it's the humility

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:16:00 +0000

What does it take to knock me twenty minutes off a half marathon goal? Try 80-degree heat and an inordinate amount of humidity.

I was aiming high this past Sunday in Wilmington, NC. I had trained pretty well, and at altitude. I figured my average 7:15-mile would magically shrink down, closer to 7:00 as I dropped in elevation and got pumped up with race-day nerves.

Well, that didn't really pan out. It was a hot beast out there, and I was feeling it, bad, by mile 6. I was moving along at a nice clip...when I was running...
I ended up taking several walking breaks along the course, mostly at water points. I admit this without shame. I'm just happy to have finished, really. My chip time of 1:50:05 earned me 123rd place out of 1,102 finishers. That shows you how much the heat actually affected the entire pack.

Near mile 12, I passed a runner who was just about to collapse. Other runners were first-responders to her aid, telling her to sit down, sit down, as she mumbled incoherently. I felt bad for not stopping, but I had no means of helping her, and I was in a rough spot myself.

By the end of the race, I was thoroughly dehydrated. I did my best to drink enough water/gatorade to refuel, but it took a good 24 hours before I was at 100%. I probably would have done better if I had begun the race fully hydrated. I'm not used to drinking so much, living in a dry climate. That's something to learn from, for my next race.

Looking forward, my next half is going to be in either Key West, Florida (January 31st); or Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (February 13th). Then there's the Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA in March. Gotta keep on keepin' on-

Take the X-train

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:59:00 +0000

I recently moved to Salt Lake City, from over-the-hill and around-the-bend, the sleepy town of Bountiful. I'm right in between a couple of big parks, which are suuuuper nice for my runs. Even better, one park has a little 1.5 mile cedar-chip trail for easy knee days. And that's just what I've been doing - taking it easy. This road to Boston and beyond might take me a little longer than expected. But I'm still trudging along, at a manageable pace. I'm determined not to hurt myself again.

I've also been heading to the gym every other day for some basic elliptical work. It's kind of nice to just rage on there for an hour, watching TV as time flies by. I think my body is grateful for keeping the impact down, giving the knees some TLC.

I'm traveling to Wilmington, North Carolina at the end of this month, for the Battleship North Carolina Half Marathon. This will be State #4 in my quest to complete a half marathon in each US state. I should be able to pull out a sub-1:40:00. Probably won't beat my 1:33:30, but I'll give it a healthy effort.

Running kicks, bonking blows

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:56:00 +0000

Failure hits me hard. I think it's the fact that I don't rely on any type of support group. So when things go wrong on race day, or in training, the only one there to blame is myself.

I had begun training for the 2009 Ogden Marathon with the full intention of qualifying for Boston. Boston 2010 or bust, I thought to myself. Well, I guess I opted for bust this time. Bonk, Biff, Burn-out, whatever B-word you'd like to use.

I've decided to take another shot at it this year. It's gonna be a rough road, but I'm changing the way I approach my running, developing a more holistic approach to fitness. I need to spread out my workout, encompass more than just pounding the pavement. Because the pavement pounds me right back, and the knees no likey.

For now, I'm rebooting. Getting back into it. Trying to find joy in each run, and not just run for this magic number of 3:10:59. But...ya know, I can still do this.

OMG, Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:46:00 +0000

Trying out new running shoes can be a long, difficult, expensive journey. I've tried out quite a few different brands and styles over the years. New Balance, Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Asics, Saucony, I've tried 'em all. And to be honest, in the end, there hasn't really been much difference. The Nikes were the only exception, which I felt were way too thin. Lightweight, but thin.

Whatever I'm wearing, I always seem to just deal. I hardly notice any change after running in shoes for about a month.

Anyway, I just got some new kicks the other week - a pair of Brooks Switch 2's. OooOOoooh. I had heard only good things about Brooks shoes, so I thought I'd finally give them a try. I've only been out a few times with them, and they're treating me pretty well. They feel just a little bit clunky, though. I have a feeling that will go away, though, as I break them in. Or they break me in. I feel as though it's really a matter of just getting used to your shoes. Then you'll hardly notice they're there.

Part of me wants to go back to my last pair, though, a cheap little pair of Saucony's. And the Asics before those were real nice, too. We'll see how I feel at the end of this training cycle, when I'm needing new ones. I might head back to familiar territory, or try something new.

I guess I shouldn't offend the current pair of kicks. They're sitting right over there in the corner, looking dejected yet hopeful. And their hopes aren't unfounded! I've a got 10-mile surprise for 'em tomorrow morning. At goal pace, no less.

On Coming Back

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Coming back to the States was a bit of a culture shock. Just a bit. Not like the neon-infused mind trip of seeing Tokyo for the first time, or the butt-burning curry bombardment of New Delhi. Everything in Utah was just as I remembered, but now I was coming back with a different perspective. Down and to the left. Up and to the right. In the middle, centered, focusing on those little things that I guess I always knew were there. I just hadn't realized that they were anything of which to make note.

After my first year or so in Japan, I had identified a possible concern about moving back to the US. Japan had made me...soft. A bit naive, idealistic. Happier, more content with the simple pleasures of life. Unburdened by the struggles of a "normal" American life. I had completely de-stressed. And I became afraid of how things might be when I was plunged back into a world with actual adult responsibilities, duties, roles and expectations.

About two months into my return, I had thought I was doing well enough. That was, until a chance confrontation on a neighborhood run one afternoon in October. I was running a route through the residential streets of Bountiful. Nothing too spectacular about this neighborhood. A lot of hills, which can make things difficult at time; but a good kind of difficult that just takes some getting used to.

As I was running, I saw a couple of kids, maybe 10 years old, playing in a yard across the street about 50 yards ahead of me. I must have caught their eye, because they began staring. As I approached, the taller of the two yelled out, "Hey jogger! Come over here! We're gonna beat you up!" And with that, he and his little friend promptly ran away to hide behind a garbage can in the carport.

With a forced smile, I waved as I passed the kids, who I imagine remained hiding behind the family trash can until I was out of sight. As I mounted the next hill, I came to a stop to catch my breath and gain my bearings. The hill itself hadn't been too demanding, but I felt as if I were running with a newly donned weight in my chest. I wiped the sweat from my brow and cupped my hands around ears, which had grown a bit chilly. Squatting down, I ran my hands through my hair, to the back of my neck and simply sighed.

This encounter was the one thing that got to me upon my return to the States, more than anything else. I think it was because it so went against that which I had come to cherish and whole-heartedly appreciate on my neighborhood runs in Japan - little Japanese kids, sometimes still in their school uniforms, playfully chasing me and cheering me on to "Fight-o!" There was never the jeering, taunting or threats runners here can sometimes receive.

It didn't matter that the threat came from a little kid who would've been easily dispatched and kept at bay at arm's length (his flailing fists catching nothing but air, try as he might). But the fact that children are learning this behavior from somewhere...just bugged me. Learning that it's okay to accost strangers on the street or other avenues of life. Learning that there are no consequences for such extreme social interactions. Learning that people should be singled-out and mocked, just as they are singled-out and praised. These are inherent traits of our modern American culture.

One thing I've always loved about road races is the sense of community. Everyone has his or her own personal goals, but there remains a covenant between runners to band together for a common purpose. Runners are gracious as they are graceful, lucid and aware, ever-mindful of the needs of others. We may run with different paces, strides, and pronating soles. We wear different shoes and might tie our laces a little differently, or some of us may not even wear kicks. But we are all runners, just the same. And I wish there were a way to get that through that little 10-year old kid's head.

Tread Dread

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:51:00 +0000

Gravity has a greater pull on me these days. With the move back to Utah, change in climate and weather, welcome back indulgences in comfort food and Halloween sweets, I've lost my running form and gained time on my splits. No good.

There's a challenge at the gym at work this month.

"How fast can you run a mile on the treadmill?" the posters read, enticing us competitive busy bees to stop pushing paper and start kicking tread.

I tried my hand (or foot) the other day, setting the treadmill for a 6:00/mile pace. I increased the treadmill incline a bit to simulate actual road running. I made it about 4 minutes. Curses.

Oh well, it was my first 1-mile time trial on a treadmill. I'm sure I'll do better next time. My goal is to run a 6:00 by the end of November. Who knows, maybe it was just my nutrition for that one day or lack of stretching or warm-up beforehand. Or maybe I'm just out of shape.

The Other Half

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:02:00 +0000

Four Months is a long time. Things have been happening, though, crazy stuff. It's been hard to keep updating this site. But hey, after a month-long tour of Australia and return to my desert home in Utah, I'm back. More updates soon to follow. I still have to write about my monkey race in Sydney, Australia. But more recently, I ran in The Other Half 13.1 Mile Race in Moab, Utah this past Sunday. This is my all-time favorite run, set near Arches National Park.

My preparation for this race was less than stellar. A good friend and I had trained together, meeting up every Sunday in the two months before the race for a long run. Of course, "long" is a relative term in our great sport. We never ran more than 8 miles together on these Sunday morning excursions. But our time together was great for chit-chatting about the goings-on of our week while getting used to our race pace.

My friend runs a bit slower than I do, so he was always setting the pace of these runs. We chugged along around a 9:00/mile pace each time. This is slower than my usual 7:30-8:00/mile pace, but 9:00/mile was a nice compromise for both of us. With that pace, we could reach our goal of a sub-2 hour finish in Moab.

But the day before the race, I received a call from my friend. Something had come up and he wouldn't be able to make it down to Moab for the run.

Immediately I had to switch gears. I went from looking forward to a nice, easy 2-hour half marathon...to running the race all by my PR-hungry, time-chasing, self-competitive lonesome. The problem with this gear-switch is that I hadn't really trained to run quickly. I had been looking forward to just sitting back and helping my friend through the 13.1 miles.

But soon I found myself near the starting line of this race, lined up with the 7:00/mile pace group in a pack of 1,200 runners. I figured I'd start near the front, because the officials were only using gun-time (no timing chips!). The front of the pack is a place I'm not really used to. I had run this fabulous race three years prior, starting near the back of the pack. Back then, I'd had proper training, and I had placed 87th/535 in a time of 1:46:54.

At the gun, I just went. With a little push, but not too much, I was able to keep a 7:00/mile pace for the first few miles. Even through the hilly portions of the course, I found I was able to keep this gravy train rolling! It felt so good to be able to keep it up, especially since I hadn't really hit this pace too often in my training.

Near the end of the race, my pace slowed a tad, but I just focused on the amazing scenery around me and pushed forward. Taiko drummers at Mile 11 gave me the boost I needed, and I came speeding through to the end of the race. I used my final kick to pass one last racer about 50 yards from the finish.

And so, it came to pass that on the 19th of October, 2008, I beat my half marathon PR with a time of 1:33:33. 27th place out of 1,200 finishers; 6th place in my age division; and nearly 27 minutes faster than my projected time. It makes me wonder how fast I could finish with more serious training, makes me hungry to actually win one of these things!

Running in the Rain

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:58:00 +0000

7 Miles today, out there in the pitter-patter of a rainy Sunday afternoon. I broke up my run into two soggy sections: one 4-mile route, followed by a quick 3-mile jaunt around the strawberry fields.

I incorporated a few short walking breaks in this run, since I hadn't run more than six miles in a while. And also because I've been thinking of trying Jeff Galloway's Run-Walk method. According to Galloway, I probably didn't take enough walking breaks (only four, over 7 miles). But still, with the four walking breaks, I was still able to keep my average pace at under 8 min/mile. This is pretty good, considering the extra squish factor in my step. I was soaked through, too, so that added a bit of extra weight to my load.

I would like to share a moment of silence for my comrades out there in the rain today. We were out there together, living life to its fullest. But some of us didn't make it back home. In fact, an unfortunate few of my buzzing little buddies found their final resting place on my rain-soaked mug. So, here's to you, my fellow rain-frolickers. You lived, you loved, you flew into my face and died.

Peaceful Pacing

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:00:00 +0000

So I think I've got this whole pace thing figured out. This week I've been keeping a fairly steady 7:00-7:30/mile clip going. I even went out one day, and was able to keep that pace without even looking at my watch. I find it just easy enough to maintain over longer runs. After about four miles, I just need to keep my focus to not slow down. Forward motion, baby.

I've also been practicing some relaxation techniques while I run. I try to imagine I'm letting my body just...go. I relax my neck, shoulders, arms. In turn, I find that my breathing becomes more natural and less labored. This relaxation continues down to my hips, knees, and feet. I'm just...going. It feels good to be able to achieve my marathon race pace in such a relaxed state. Now there's just the challenge of continuing this pace for 26.2 miles.

Running Kick-Off

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:43:00 +0000

Football, Footie, Soccer, the Beautiful Game. Whatever you want to call it, I'm gonna be covering the right offensive wing this weekend for my boys, Team Dasai. We've practiced all year, and now we're off to compete in the Annual AJET Soccer Tournament - current and former JET participants from all over Japan, congregating on the windswept fields of Nagano.

This city may ring a bell, as it was the location of the 1998 Winter Olympics. It being mid-June, we will unfortunately miss out on the snowy splendor of the hills surrounding Nagano. Also, I have a feeling that the famous snow monkeys of Nagano won't be out and about during our stay.

This leaves us with the challenge of creating a bit of our own splendor on the soccer pitch. And well...somebody's gotta stand-in for the monkeys. Here's to a fun, victorious, injury-free weekend.

Whoa there, Tiger

noreply@blogger.com (Running Kicks) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:07:00 +0000

I went out for four miles today, complete with cheers from elementary kids around the neighborhood. I'll really miss that when I leave Japan this August, little munchkins shouting, "Dan-sensei, Fight-o!" every time I pass the nearby park. That's not really something you ever get in America. Usually it would be something more like, "Run, Forrrrrest, Run!" from an over-privileged group of teens, kids shaping their view of the world with the help of Youtube, Prozac, and a serious lack of adult supervision.

These school kids in Japan can really pick me up, at times maybe a bit too much for my own good. I maintained a 6:45/mile pace for today's 4-miler, and I think I should reel that back a bit. It can be difficult, though, especially when the weather is so nice.

So, I'm backing off, just a tad. Gotta keep my eyes on the prize. Boston or bust, 2010.