Autumn/Winter 2025 - Run training and races

TRAINING

VOLUME - 

I average 41 kilometers per week of run volume during the months from September through December. 

This is somewhat supplemented by Hyrox cardio cross-training - roughly two times per week doing rowing, swim, and strength work. 

QUALITY - 

My key interval workouts are somewhat compromised by travel, injury, fatigue, etc.  I generally manage to maintain a bit under 3:40 per kilometer pace (averaging across very wide variety of workouts) 

RACES 

Ueda Half Marathon – 

My hamstring goes out at 4k and I cannot realistically continue running.   Was this injury the result of insufficient warmup?  Incorporating deadlifts into routine for first time?  Shoes?  Hyrox?  Who knows.  I am discouraged.  I had limited expectations for race given low summer mileage but was keen to start building back competitiveness and now will need some recovery.   I was running half-marathon at slightly over 4 minutes per kilometer pace when I had to stop, and I have no idea how well I could have maintained that pace… might have been challenging.  At least it is a nice weekend trip with Padraig, Andy, Eriko and Buzz. 

 

Toda 10k – 

I finish 2^nd in age group in 41 minutes.  This is an awfully slow time for someone doing interval workouts at a bit under 3:40 minutes per kilometer.  I hate to make excuses.  I don’t even post this event on Strava or write a race report for the club knowing that it would just degenerate into a series of tiresome excuses.   

Because I had lots of excuses for my slower time:  The compromised training because of my hamstring issues.  Kindly fellow runners insisting I get off train at wrong station, thus eliminating most all of my narrow warmup time window.  

And the most dramatic excuse - the steady cold rain throughout the morning that turned into absolute deluge during the middle of the 10k race.  Am I getting weaker in the cold as I grow older?  I have suffered meltdowns because of cold wet conditions as far back as 2012 Ironman and Tokyo marathon 10k.   The first place finisher in my age group was adamant that the weather conditions added over a minute to his time.  I am not so sure for me. 

Basically I go out at very conservative pace and then never manage to increase speed. 

 

Chiang Mai Half Marathon – 

I manage to capture first place out of 70 guys with time of 1:30:55. 

 

So great to win another elephant trophy (home is decorated now mostly with elephant trophies)

And take lots of "hill tribe" photos (for hill tribe training group in Tokyo)