May 2019: 3 races in 3 weeks

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.