I enter 3 races in 3 different endurance sports over 3 consecutive weeks. This is not the sort of race scheduling that a coach would recommend, but as always, my plans are largely driven by social factors.
First up is Fuji-Susono, the hilly 10k race which has become the one constant in my annual race schedule.
This year Fuji-Susono restores my love of mixing it up in running races. After the increasingly stressful winter training runs and discouraging winter race campaign, Fuji-Susono is pure endorphin-producing outdoor joy in the sun — more like the days of play during childhood.
I know that might seem improbable given that we are talking about an event that entails running 4 kilometers steadily uphill. But I was telling myself to hold back and simply seek to be on the podium — meaning I just needed to be in the top 10 among guys wearing numbers 3500 to 3650. In the final part of the race I let myself pick up speed and start knocking off these targets like in a video game and in the final 500 meters I open up a frenzied kick - zapping two more 3500s - and ultimately finishing 4th in my age group.
That my finishing time is a desultory 41 minutes is of limited importance. What matters is the fine weekend out with friends, the moments of being in the run - and that I avoid trashing my legs for the following week's Spartan Race.
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