Fragments of a Racing Mind

So much to say ... so many thoughts buzzing through my head ... so little time to do them justice ...

My blogging regularity has been awful for various reasons. Sharing one computer at home among five of us (there is another machine, but it is painfully slow to use and in a cold, cold room), a less amenable environment at work. The same factors have screwed up my blog reading and commenting, so sorry folks. I will return when the weather warms up a bit.

Tokyo marathon looms. I am ready, yet not ready. Sounds familiar, huh? I am 100% certain that I have not logged the distances I need to be in PB shape, and probably not even sub 3-hr shape. But I am not beating myself up. I did the best I could given setbacks with niggling injuries, the change in work circumstances, and so on. I feel like I have slipped in fitness in the past three weeks of reduced mileage even though my legs have undergone a lot of recovery. Maybe the day of Chiba Marine was the day I should have run a marathon!

I'll be fast enough to feel comfortable at sub 3-hr pace for a while, but I think with the inadequate long-run base of the last two months it is a question of when, not if, the legs will give out and I then have to hang on for grim death to grind out whatever semi-respectable time I can salvage. That is my prediction, but I will not change my strategy and will go out to give myself a chance of a sub three, taking care not to start too fast, and hoping that the old body holds up to the demands of the pace.

I still have that damned sore left Achilles. Post Tokyo I resolve to stop running and get treatment. I have said this before, right? Well, I mean it. I am trying to think of how to keep somewhat in shape during the convalescence, but at the same time I hear the sirens. The beer sirens. They are calling to me from the rocks, "Steeeve, make more beeer!" Will my running obsession be dashed to a thousand pieces on the jagged edges of my brewing addiction? Time will tell.

I mentioned my old body. Well it is officially one year older than last time I posted. I turned 45 last Sunday and attended a real ale festival in the afternoon. Nice way to celebrate!

I am absloutley gobsmacked and overwhelmed and humbled and all of those things about the response to the Tyler Foundation sponsorship. I sent out one mass email to selected friends and business acquaintences from my contacts book, plus the post here and a post on another networking site I belong to, and bugger me if I haven't raised over 100,000 yen (>AUD1000)!! that is really just an awesome result and really, words can't express how grateful I am to everybody who kicked in. Thank you!! The whole campaign has raised over six million yen (>AUD60,000), which is a pretty bloody good effort. Last Sunday we (the sponsored runners) got to go for a jog with Mara Yamauchi (winner of Osaka women's Marathon a few weeks ago).

So, I think that's going to be it from me now until after the race. I will try to get back on with a report just as soon as I can. Until then it will be much eating and drinking and resting followed by much running followed by much eating, drinking and making merry!

Ciao, and thanks to all of you who read and comment on this blog. It is a really, really important source of motivation!! I love yas all,

Steve