He weakens and does a tempo run...

With Kanagawa half only a couple of weeks away, or is it three, impatience finally got the better of me and this morning I decided it was time to give the old ticker a bit of a workover. No more of this namby pamby, aerobic pussy-footing around, time for some trial-by-lactic. It wasn't very pretty. I ran to Komazawa Park a bit slower than normal and then, nice timing, was able to off-load some ballast before starting what I was hoping would be four laps (8.45 km) at 4:00 min/km. Putting in what I thought was a pretty strong effort the first (slightly uphill) km came up in 4:19 -- erk!. The next, with a fair downhill was better at 4:04. Uphill again produced 4:10. The interesting thing was that my heart rate seemed lower, comparative to this pace, then it has been on recent runs. It was only 159 for that uphill and only got up to the higher 160s on the last uphill. This actually seems about right, so I think the monitor in recent runs has been dodgy (overall, not terribly likely) OR my heart rate at lower paces has been unnaturally elevated, almost as if there was some sort of residual effect from the flu (quite possible). It is hard to say. Anyway, that pace pattern continued for most laps, with about 4:07 for the uphills and 4:03 or 4:04 for the downhills. Only once, on the final downhill to complete the tempo run, did I record a 4:00 flat. And I was working very hard. So much so that this run has brought on that left leg inner thigh niggle that was giving me grief before the marathon, so that reinforces the fact that I have been doing the right thing taking it easy. And gives cause to ponder what to do now. Well, there is a race coming up, and this run will have helped the fitness I suppose, so it is just a case of pushing on I think.

I'd also like to welcome fellow Namban A teammate Jay to the world of bloggin'. He is chronicling his buildup towards New Zealand Ironman. He also gives a good account of our Shibuya Ekiden and puts another perspective on his tussle with Michael.