Love2Run

AM: Ran about 10 miles with Jun chan. It was supposed to be an easy run, but Jun chan kept pushing the pace. I love running with her. She is my favorite teammate. She is the nicest person, and I think she is probably the hardest working member on the team. She always arrives early and warms up with stretching, plyometrics etc. I keep telling myself that I also need to do that, but I am too lazy. We will both be competing for the empty spot on the Ekiden A team. I think Jun chan is ahead of me right now. I think her 5K PB is somewhere around 16:58 or so. Mine is 17:11. Jun is such a nice person that i would not feel bad if I lost out to her. With all of her hard work, she deserves it. PM: 6 miles easy.

AM: 10 easy miles. Started off at 8:00/mile pace and worked down to 7:20. Felt very easy.

PM: 6 miles

Now that it is summer vacation from school, I have been getting to bed too late at night. It is starting to show. I need to start getting to bed earlier.

AM:  6 miles easy.   My mother had a talk with me today about losing weight.  She is afraid that I have been losing too much weight.  I am not partlicularly trying to lose weight, but I think the mileage I have been running recently just results in it.  I am still eating a lot.  My mother is afraid I might develop an eating disorder.  She says it happens to lots of runners.  I am sure I am fine.  Like I said I have not been dieting or doing anything special to lose weight, it is just happening due to the extra running.

AM: Did an easy warmup, then ran a very hard 10K in 38:16. I didn't go 100% on this but I did push it. It really felt good. I am starting to enjoy going hard and fast again. Ended with an easy cool down run.

PM: Ran 12 x 400 m @ about 85 sec. with slow 400m run in recovery.

Recently, I have been doing my hardest workouts of the week on Monday. I like doing them on Monday because I take Sunday off and am well rested, so I am able to push myself hard. I will now take it easy until later in the week, Hopefully I will do another good workout around Thursday or Friday.

AM: 8 easy miles at 8:00/mile pace.

PM: 6 easy miles

AM: 10 miles (averaged 7:48 per mile)

PM: 6 miles easy

AM: 10 miles. Started at 8:00/mile pace and gradually increased speed down to 7:00/mile.

PM: 6 miles easy.

This week has been the National High School Track and Field Championships.

Manami is the only girl from our team that made it to the National Championship.

She ran the 3000m. In her preliminary heat, she ran 9:38.45 to make it into the finals. But because of the heat she got dehydrated and did not feel well during the final and was only able to run 10:03.32 for 17th place. Even though the race did not go as she planned, I am proud of her. By the way the winner of the race won in 9:11.15.

AM: Ran an easy 10 miles.

PM: Was going to do a hard workout today, but I had a stomachache so I did a very very easy 6 miles instead.

AM: 6 miles easy.

PM: 10 miles easy. This was a mistake todo the 10 mile run in the afternoon. It was so hot and humid.

Next year the Olympic will be held here at this time of year. I hope it is not as hot next year as this year.

I have chaffing and also blisters on my toes from running in the heat.

Glad the week has come to an end.

AM: Did a warm up run.

Ran a 5k time trial with Jun chan. We started out trading off the lead, then at about 3000 meters I pulled away in front and was feeling comfortable, but then all of a sudden at about 4000 m, Jun chan passed me. I should have gone with her, but I lost my concentration and then things kind of just shut down. I finished in 17:07, which is a PR for me, but I know I could have gone with her. She ran under 17. I was also aiming at under 17 today. It makes me mad that I lost it mentally.

Two weeks to go until official team practice begins. I am really doubting that I will make the A team. It is kind of sad that after three years I will probably never run on the A team. I think I could have done it if it hadn't been for injuries. Oh well, if I end up on the B team or the C team, hopefully we can make that team competitive with the A team.

PM: 6 easy miles

AM: 10 miles easy.

PM: 6 miles easy.

AM: 10 easy miles (felt a little twinge in my left achilles)

PM: 6 miles easy

AM: 10 easy miles

PM: 6 miles easy.

I have had a lot going through my mind recently related to training, but have had no time to write it down. This week is my last week working at my summer internship before school starts again. Maybe after school starts I will have more time.

AM: 10 miles easy.

PM: 6 miles easy.

AM: 10 easy miles.

PM: 6 miles with 100 meter striders mixed in. End of another good week of mileage. I hope all of this mileage is building a good base.

AM: 10 miles at about 6:50/mile pace.

PM: 6 miles easy.

This is the last week of summer vacation from school. Have to try and enjoy it.

AM: 10 miles easy

PM: 6 miles easy

I think I start cutting back on the mileage starting from tomorrow. On Monday next week we have a time trial to see who will fill the vacant spot on the Ekiden A team. I will taper off this week and hope to be in the best condition by Monday.

AM: warm up run. 12 x 400m @ 85 sec, cool down run.

PM: 6 miles easy

AM: 6 miles easy (legs felt heavy this morning. Not used to the speed work I did yesterday.)

PM: 3 miles easy

AM: Warm up run. 10 x 200 m, cool down run.

PM: 3 miles easy

AM: 6 easy miles

I will rest tomorrow and should be ready to give 100% on Monday.

PM: Did a good warm up. Today was the 5K time trial to see who fills the spot on the Ekiden A team. I was feeling really rested and very good today.

The temperature at race time was 27C (80F) and 61% humidity. The sun was out, which made it feel hot, especially in the track. I was hoping for clouds. It was cloudy all morning, but the sun came out just before we ran.

Everyone ran the time trial today except two of the girls who are already on the A team. They are preparing for a big road race this weekend.

My strategy was just to try and stay with the top runners as long as I could. I felt really good in the race. In the last two laps I started dropping back, it was me and jun chan together. We both crossed the finish in 16:56, but Jun chan edged me out by a nose at the end. It was a big PR for me. First time under 17 minutes for 5K. But it will not be enough to make the A team. There is a 1st year student (equivalent to a sophmore in the US) who was faster than both Jun chan and me. Tomorrow will be the announcement of the teams.

Did a cool down run after the race.

I am really tired.

This evening, my parents took me out to dinner. They know how hard I have been working for this and even though it didn't exactly work out as I had hoped, I got a PR and they said that all of my hard work deserved a celebration.

Tomorrow, official team practice begins.

Today was the beginning of team practice. We ran 21K. We ran out past Nissan stadium. It was the first time going past Nissan stadium since I volunteered at the IAAF World Relays.

Coach said to run at a good quick pace, but everyone's legs were heavy from yesterday.

Coach announced the teams today.

I will be on the B team and as second alternate for the A team.

The B team will be

Aki (She will run the 6K leg.)

Yuri (She will run the 4K leg.)

Me ( I will run the first 3K leg)

Jun (She will run the second 3K leg.)

Mari (She will run the 5K leg)

We have one race that we will run.

I will write more about Ekiden later.

AM: 6 miles easy.

PM: Warm up run. 3 x 3200 m @ 10K pace with 1.5 min recovery in between. Cool down jog.

AM: 6 easy miles. Coach has asked us to do an easy run in the morning on days that we don't do a long run.

PM: Warm up run. 8 x 400m @ 1500m pace, one minute recovery. Cool down run.

AM: 6 miles

PM: Warm up run. 6 x 1000 m @ 5K pace with one minute recovery. Cool down run.

13 mile long run today. This has seemed like a long week. I am looking forward to resting tomorrow. My body needs it.