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Monday 25 April 2011

new trail

I finally went down one of those trails I've been promising myself for months, and it was brilliant. The running was good the scenery excellent and I was in my element. It was pouring with rain, I was soaked to the skin and happy.
The only down side of the new trail is that it finishes on a very steep bit of tarmac that takes some running down in order to get you to the east side of the top of the Sumiyoshi river. Details are here but no pictures it was far too wet to take a camera.

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Ashiya UNICEF Half Marathon


Linda and I biked there, another 10 km on a bike logged, carrying the picnic. Sarah and Katy were there already, they needed to register well ahead of us so had set off earlier.
We found Sarah easy enough and set about getting comfy for the wait. Pete, Megumi, Karin and Paul all appeared during the morning. Katy had said hello to bacon man and then set off.

It was a beautiful day, warm but not too hot, the cherry blossom was out in force and the course looked beautiful.
Bacon, Sausage and Ham were there to wave off the competitors and everybody had a good run.

Sarah finished her 10k in 55 minutes and felt comfortable all the way, no repeat of last years near feint at the end.

I went out fast and attempted to hold on, at 10 miles I was well inside my PB, I knew I could not fail to set another one and then it all went a little wrong. I'm sure it was mental, I did have a blister forming, I had gone out hard (for me) but I think it really was a case of "I've hit my target so I don't need to suffer any more" and of course in slowing down the suffering grew. The last 3 miles were simply no fun, no matter how pretty the blossom.
I finished pleased with my time 1:50.50 happy in the knowledge that I can run just better than 5min/k for 10 miles and also of the opinion that I don't need to do another long run on concrete again for a good while.
Two days later, I'm writing this, my blister still hurts, my calves are still sore and my knee twinges on the stairs occasionally.
I can run all day in the hills and feel so much better afterwards.
Back to the trails for me.

Ultra Trail Mount Rokko


So I'm venturing out into the murky world of organising and unofficial 'flash' Fat Ass Ultra.

Ultra Trail Mount Rokko 50km (but it could be closer to 60km)
Strict Fat Ass rules

No entry fee
No aid
No swag
No course markings
No Whinging

The event will, in theory, take place Saturday 14th May. We will start at Suma (west of Kobe) at around 6:30 am and follow the Mount Rokko Longitudinal Route to just passed the Rokko Garden Terrace (just west of Mt Rokko itself), we will then follow one of the trails down the mountain until we meet up with the Sumiyoshi river which we'll follow to the sea and back onto Rokko Island for a BBQ and a bit of a sit down somewhere on the green belt.

So far there are 2 people signed up, another 2 interested, and a few others who will do something somewhere on the Saturday and join us for a drink or two in the evening.