Update on the Running in Hokkaido blog

 Hello runners! 

A bit of personal misfortune has made it so I can no longer run and not being able to run makes it hard to keep motivated to update this blog.  Over a year ago now, I suffered an obliterated disc that caused my legs to be somewhat paralyzed. My toes don't work very well and I cannot lift my toe with very much force.  This makes my ankles very unstable and also makes it hard to keep my balance and makes me more prone to tripping and falling There was no accident, just bad genes, I guess.  Apparently I only have three discs that still look healthy.  The others are all  like ticking time bombs.  I have had problems with my back and my neck for at least twenty years.  Regardless, it was a shock and it sucks.  

The Running in Hokkaido blog has not gotten much love for the last couple of years because of various things keeping me from it but it probably won't get any updates after this.  Much of the information may still be useful so I am not taking it down.  

If you find this blog and want some help with an event, I am still willing to offer my language skills to anyone in need.  Just leave a comment and I should notice it. 

Good luck and happy running!

Fiddling with the Gigabyte GA-H61M-USB3-B3 Rev. 2 - AHCI mode

Fiddling with the Gigabyte GA-H61M-USB3-B3 Rev. 2 - AHCI mode.
Notes:
Onboard SATA 2, x 4. Supports AHCI, IDE through Intel H61 chipset.
Onboard SATA 3, x 2, Supports AHCI, IDE and Raid uses Marvel 88SE9172 Chip.

Uses a Hybrid EFI bios, not a UEFI firmware and supports GPT disks over 2.2TB.

When setting the BIOS so that the SATA drives use AHCI mode, you can set the SATA settings to NONE for the devices on the SATA 2 ports so the BIOS doesn't try to identify them and the PC will boot a bit faster.  Later a second AHCI firmware? loads and identifies them.

HOWEVER, you cannot do this with the devices on the two SATA 3 ports (Onboard GSATA3). See below.

In the BIOS settings, under Standard CMOS Features, you can see IDE Channel 0 Master through 4 Master and a final Channel 4 Slave.  The first four, 0 through 3, are for the SATA2 connections. The last two, Channel 4 Master and Channel 4 Slave are for the GSATA3 connections.  If you set the last two IDE channels to NONE, and your boot drive is connected to the GSATA3 controller, your system won't boot. These last two channels aren't controlled by that AHCI firmware that loads later. They have their own settings for AHCI found under Integrated Peripherals.

Next, under Integrated Peripherals, you can set the SATA controllers to AHCI mode.
The first item, SATA AHCI Mode,  sets the AHCI mode of the SATA2 connections attached to the Intel H61 chipset.

To change the SATA3 controller for devices on the last two IDE channels, find, GSATA3 Controller - this is the Marvell 88SE9172 Chip, toward the bottom. You can then set GSATA3 controllers to AHCI mode.


Before installing an OS,  make sure the BIOS/UEFI SATA mode is set to AHCI.

Running again and toys for motivation

I'm running again.  Still hurting.  My torn hamstring still hurts up near the sit bone.  Can you believe it? I tore them on both sides in the same area.  Also tore one down near the knee.  I am just falling apart.  満身創痍! I am supposed to be working on strengthening my core with a series of exercises that take at least 30 minutes to do, everyday.  I'm not.  I haven't been.  I'm a lazy bum who doesn't have enough will to get it done.  Then last September we took on a little baby boy to take care of.  Ever since them I have been using him as my excuse why I can't work out.

Well, no more! I can get it done.  I signed up for two half marathons and I have one more event in my sights.  The first one is really soon and I won't be able to adequately prepare for it. Regardless, it has a generous cut-off time so I'm sure I can finish it, even if I take walk breaks.  But the fear of crashing and burning and DNFing is enough motivation. I have never not finished a race, though I probably should have quit a few.

I got a new toy last Christmas for myself.  I bought a Garmin 230 running watch.  It is supposed to link to your smartphone so you can get notifications and alerts on your watch.  My wife encouraged me to get it because she says I'm forgetful and it should help. The only problem with that is that my smartphone is too old.  I was able to link it to my tablet, though.  So I can get calendar and non-sms messages sent to my watch.  BUT, for example, the calendar data is not persistent.  If you are not connected to the phone/tablet, the data won't show.  I hope they change this behaviour.  It should keep the last notification/update in memory.  

I DID get it for RUNNING, right?  Yes, of course!  And I AM running with it.  This means I don't use my phone to track my runs anymore, which means I spend less time on social running sites.  Which is a good thing. It actually helps make my life simpler in a way.

Non-Running Report

After tearing a hamstring again I went through a year of rehab before I started running again. I started running again in June.  I ran a half marathon at the end of August and it felt good.  I ran much faster than I thought I could with no complications.  I kept training as best I could.  Things were going well.  Typhoons did much damage to the area and a few of the races I planned on joining were canceled. I kept training and set my sights for a final race the first weekend of November.  I ran the half marathon with a goal of hitting 1:45:00.  I ran 1:48 at the previous half marathon so this seemed like a doable and yet, based off of my training runs, a challenging time.  I ran the race.  I didn't keep track of my pace.  I was too interested in all the crazy people running that I kept missing the km markers.  I wasn't sure how fast I was going.  I felt good and the weather was cool.  I picked up the pace after the halfway aid station.  I didn't stop at the many aid stations with the exception of the halfway station and when I slowed down to grab some chocolates from the Rokkatei Sweets station.  I felt good. With a few kilometers left to the finish I realised it was possible to finish in under 1:40.  I picked up the pace, but not enough.  I finished the race with a time of 1:40 and change.  I was immensely happy with my time.

Fast forward to two weeks ago.  I took a few runs after that but was taking it easy. I had planned on only running three times a week and spending the other days doing strength, balance, agility and karate training.  I had some days at work with no classes.  I skipped lunch and went to the gym.  I did my usual rehab strength routine.  I added some weight to my split squats, a move I usually do without added weights. It was easy.  The next week I had another day without classes.  I did the same thing, but this time used much heavier weights, and added a twist.  It was challenging but I was till able to do the usual number of sets and reps.

THE NEXT DAY, my right hip started hurting.  And it still hurts.

So I'm not running or doing anything.  It was painless for the last three days of nothing so this morning I decided to go to karate tonight. However, during the day, it started hurting again.  WHY? I didn't do anything.   It is frustrating and I feel scared.  I remember what a doctor told me when I went in for my hamstrings.  They did x-ray and MRI scans.  I told me my hip joints were shot.  The cup sections, he said, are jagged and should be causing me much pain. They weren't.   He pressed a thumb into my hip which almost made me jump off the examination table to make his point.  Up until two weeks ago, they had never bothered me.  Now I fear it is these jagged hips that is the problem.  I don't want to get surgery if I don't have to, but I probably will have to.  And I am afraid that if I DO get surgery, that there will be no guarantee that I'll be able to return to running and karate.  I guess the first thing is, to get my arse back to the doctor.  

Running again

With the doctor's permission I have started running again. Very slowly for the first 4 weeks and only a few times a week. This week, however, my pace picked up and I am none the worse for it.  My leg might be getting a little better.  I really need to, I really need to, I really neeeeed to work harder at strength training and stretching! That is all.

  https://runkeeper.com/user/clintonlane/
A few pictures from my runs of late.

 

Resurection

My marathon training has gotten off to a good start.

Mid March Running in Hokkaido

I have been running around 30 to 40 km a week all winter long and am following a "training plan" on Runkeeper from Runner's Connect.

Running in the winter wasn't very bad this year.  We didn't have that many days colder than -20 C so I didn't need to use my real warm gear much at all.  Often times people ask me if I use special shoes to run with in the winter.  I have tried "screw shoes" and Yak Trax but I have never bought winter running shoes.  This year I only used the Yak Trax a couple of times.  They really are only good for packed snow and don't make a lot of difference on the ice, at least not the one's I have (Yak Trax Pro).  I've seen newer Yak Trax that have studs in the front instead of the wire coils like mine.  They look like they would work better on the ice.  If the snow is fresh but not deep, there is no problem at all running in that.  If the snow is fresh and there is ice underneath, that is a problem because you can't see the ice.  If everything is just ice, don't run!  Most of the time the roads are slick in spots with dry pavement.  I don't want to use screw shoes or Yak Trax on dry pavement.  No, regular running shoes give pretty good traction, even in the winter, plus you learn how to run in the slick conditions.  No quick stops, starts or turns.  Take shorter strides.  Be careful going downhill!

I had a terrible time getting Runkeeper to start and end the training plan when I needed it to, and in the end, I couldn't make it do it.  Now I have a half dozen junked training plans on my page with no way to delete them.  Grrrr.  I have lots of problems with Runkeeper on my smartphone and I am beginning to think it is mostly because of MY smartphone, which is a 2012 Fujitsu Arrows Ace 101f on Softbank.  Since it is so old, I doubt that anyone reading this would be considering getting one, but if you are, don't.  You can't get them from Softbank anymore as they are trying to get rid of 3G phones and 3G data plans.

Oh, when I start typing it is more like dumping a bucket of thoughts out.  They just kind of splash around with no order or coherence.

Back to running, yes I am.  My left hamstring still hurts.  Actually, my left knee hurts, my left hip hurts, my lower abs hurt....   Getting old sucks. The doctor told me both of my hips are jagged and need replaced.  It would seem that the extra training is making the left one hurt now.  It is very tough doing karate with these hips.  My left leg is stronger than it was a year ago, but still no where near as strong or flexible as my right leg.

I signed up for an early summer full marathon, the Chitose JAL International Marathon on June 7. This has been a great motivator and enabler for my training.  Paying the money and having to figure out how to get there and where to stay (I'm camping) has my mind focused on getting the training done.  At the same time, knowing that I'm going to the race, I think, is making my SO be a little more understanding of my training.  She hates that I shower in the mornings because we already bathe at night.  It's an extra cost to her.  More money for water, and gas to heat it, and more money for electricity and water and detergent to wash my running gear.  I try to mitigate the laundry problem as much as I can by washing my gear in the shower and putting it in a bucket when we don't have a full load of laundry ready.  She also doesn't like me getting up early in the morning to run because it wakes her up.  I finally got on the computer and made a "silent" ringtone for my old iPhone, which I use as an alarm clock and for the Wahoo ANT+ heart rate monitor.  That will help a little bit.  But even with a silent, vibrator-only alarm, and even when I try to get out of bed as quietly and gently as possible, she still wakes up.  She doesn't mind if I run at night, and maybe I can do that for the shorter runs, but I hate running at night myself. I like seeing the sun come up in the morning.  At night, it's just dark when you go out and dark when you come back.  Plus, when I run at night, I have less energy than when I run in the morning, even though in the morning I run before eating.

I need to work harder at getting my stretching done and I MUST start doing my rehab again.  There is so much stuff that I need to do just to stay healthy.  I need to be more disciplined.... or creative?

Timex Ironman Triathlon Shock

前に使っていたタイメックスのバンドが切れて、やっと新しいウォッチを手に入れました。サンタさんからのプレゼントでした。まだレースペーストレーニング はしないけど、するようになったら役に立つでしょう。
Yes, I know, Christmas is over. But I was without a computer for the last month so I am posting this now. I didn't get a lot for Christmas, which is fine since I'm 35 now but my kids did get plenty of new toys and children's educational DVDs from my parents and their aunts and uncles and great grandmothers. As for my wife and I, we both got pretty much what we asked for. What other time of year can you expect that someone will buy you something that you want?

The band of my previous Timex Ironman watch, which I just loved, broke after over two years of use. Timex does not sell replacement watch bands. So I put this watch you see here on my wishlist for Christmas and, look what Santa brought me! A new one! Yeah! Of course, this isn't the same watch as my old one, which was much cooler, but I can replace the band on THIS watch with a band from Voguestrap. However, for the life of me, I could not find a replacement watch band for my old Ironman.  Vogestrap's watch bands are also available at Target and Walmart in the US, so if you have one of those stores nearby buying one there could save you a bit on shipping. However, when you order one directy from Voguestrap they come with a special tool for replacing the watchbands.  Also, the watchbands for the Timex Ironman watches are more expensive than the one's for the Casio sports watches but the one's for the Casio watches also fit the Timex Ironman watches and look fine.  I got a Casio replacement band at Walmart first to use instead of the velcro watch band that came with it and it looks like it is the band the watch is supposed to have.  Later I found a watchband at Target for my watch and it was 5 or 6 dollars more but I bought it too.  So now I have three watchbands for this watch should one break and I will dutifully keep them out of the sun in hopes that they will still be good when I need them.

Note:This watch takes an 18mm watch band. 

Update: I found the Casio replacement band on the Voguestrap website too.  The band I bought that was sold for my watch broke when I was trying to put it on and have been using the Casio band ever since.  It has been almost a year since I got the band and now the rubber in the band is starting to get stiff.  I can tell that it doesn't have much life left in it so now it is time to think about getting a new strap, or a new watch.  

My new watch is a Timex Ironman* Shock 30-Lap Full and it came with a Fast Wrap Velcro Strap.  With the other one, I could not find a replacement band for it. So, I carefully put watches on my wish list that I knew I could get replacement bands for. It is not the color I wanted but beggars can't be choosers and I will cherish it and my extra watch bands for as long as they will "take a licking and keep on ticking"!

It is water resistant up to 200 meters, shock resistant, has a timer and a chronograph with a 30 lap memory. It also has two time zones. Just a few less functions than my old one. It is also slight less bulky and a lot less cool. But one of the things I like about this one is that it reminds me of the original Timex Ironman watch, the one that I really wanted as a kid. It just looked so cool back then. Now, I know there are a lot of more advanced watches out there from other brands, watches that have GPS and heart monitors and watches that can store many runs and as many laps as you want, but I'm a simple runner and this watch meets all my needs.

My new watch
Timex Ironman* Shock 30-Lap Full

My old watch

Timex Ironman Triathlon Shock 30-lap Full with Flix System

Voguestrap

http://www.voguestrap.com/

第2回 北海道・十勝トレイルランニング

日曜日に第2回北海道・十勝トレイルランニング大会に参加してきました。トレイルランニングというタイトルをもつ大会だから、トレイルでランニング（running)する大会でした。

手短に言えば、とっても楽しかったです。18キロのコースを走りました。順位はわかりません。楽しもうと思って走っていたら、、自分でもビックリするほどいいタイムが出ました。

登り坂、下り坂、泥道、水辺を渡り、ミニミニ仙郷を飛び越えたり、私にとってはチャレンジいっぱいのコースでした。普通のロードレースよりずっと面白いし、すっごくいい運動でした。タイムがよかったのはおそらく下りが多かったからだと思います。 いい運動になりました・・・というよりも、かなり筋肉痛になりました。これで筋肉が少しは鍛えられたでしょう

ただ、刈った笹の上に走るのはちょっと危ないんじゃないと思いました。笹の上に走って靴にたくさん傷が出来ました！転んだら危ないなとあとで靴底を眺めながら思いました。

去年のしかおいトレイルランと一昨年の十勝トレイルランニング大会を含めると、トレイルラン大会に参加するのは3回目でした。

ハーフウェイマークまで走ったときに最初の距離標識が現れました。ここまでくるどほとんど一人で走っていました。で、脚がコンニャクのように力が入らなくてパンパンでした。

下りで気づいたことがありました。コアの筋肉を鍛えるのはとても大事です。反省しました。これからもっと腹筋などを鍛えます。

自分が住んでいるところでトレイルは近くにないと思います。あるのかな。おそらく、車でどこか遠いところに行かないとないと思います。あったらいいのに。普通のロードランニングよりずっといい運動です。色んな動くをしなきゃ走れないし、ボーっとする暇はありません。

カメラやスマートフォンを携帯しなかったので、紹介出来る写真がありません。妻が少し写真をとったみたいなので、あとでアップ出来るかもしれません。

JOYFIT 北海道・十勝トレイルランニング

Tokachi Millennium Forest Trail Run

I ran the 2nd Annual Tokachi Millennium Forest Trail Run (my translation) on Sunday.

It was 18 kilometers of up and down, mud, rocks, biting flies, mini ravines, water crossings, and bear bamboo grass, called "sasa" here. (kuma zasa)). Luckily(?) I was able to keep out of most of the mud. But the sasa is another problem. They cut out some new trail for the run which left the cut sasa at about 5 cm to 10 cm tall. It was like running on .... what? The sasa stalks are strong enough that they may or may not be crushed when you run on them. And they are hollow like straws. My new shoes have little round circles and cuts all over the soles where there is no rubber and just foam. Depending on your shoes, I can imagine that some people got cut by the grass stalks.

The terrain was all hills with only a few "flat" spots that only lasted 10 to 20 meters or so. Steep uphill climbs and long down hills with a section of mini ravines where event staff were posted to make sure you didn't fall head over heels into them. You had to either jump over them or gingerly climb in and out of them. One had a rope on both ends for climbing into and out of it.

Some areas were covered with grass and golf ball sized lava rock that was for the most part, hidden under the grass.

This was only the 3rd time I've ever run on a trail but it was great fun and a great challenge.

My time was much better than I expected. I don't know if that was because of the downhills or if perhaps, it wasn't actually 18 km. But since the course was different from the previous run of this event, it is hard to compare.

No pictures as I ran without a camera or phone. Sorry, but the view from the top of the mountain there was spectacular.

My legs felt like jello at the half way mark, which was the only distance marker, and my quads were sore by the finish. Today my quads, my shins, my calves and even the bottom of my feet are sore! The bottom of my feet haven't been sore in a long time.

During the downhills I could tell how having a strong core is important. That is my weak spot. Need to work on that.

If they didn't charge for access to the trails I'd drive out there for more regular runnings on the trails. What great exercise. You don't get a work out like that on the road! If only there were some trials nearby.
I hope everyone else had a great weekend. I did.

JOYFIT 北海道・十勝トレイルランニング
http://www.tokachi.co.jp/trarun/

Eat 5g of dark chocolate for more endurance

Everyone knows that I love chocolate. The teachers that I work with know. The students who I teach know. And now I have another great reason to eat chocolate! It turns out that something in cocoa, epicatechin, helps increase time to exhaustion in mice. Mice who took liquid epicatechin can run 50% longer than mice who took an equal amount of water. I read this on the New York Times Well blog. You can find the article link here: How Chocolate Can Help Your Workout.

But here is the problem, we humans could possibly get a similar effect from just 5 grams of dark chocolate a day! Just 5 grams a day! Why not more? If you take too much it doesn't help and may even hinder the effect. 
In another article from 2007, it was said that this compound epicatechin, which is a flavonal, is so important that maybe it should be considered an essential vitamin! OK. I got it! I need to get some dark chocolate and have a bite whenever I go out for a run from now on!

ふくふく29%さんのブログに日本語の概要がありました。
一日5グラム：http://fuku29.seesaa.net/article/218658467.html

「書くことの効果」実証される

    学習し、記憶するには、それを題材にして文章を書くことが一番良い効果があるようです。

時々日本版のwired.comを読みますが、よくいい記事が出てきます。ほとんどが英語で書かれた記事の和訳なんですが、これがいいんです。なぜなら、勉強になりますから。面白くて役に立つ情報が得られると同時に、どうやて翻訳されたかを見比べることもできます。

今日は記事の翻訳について話すつもりはないので安心してください。でも紹介したい記事がありましたのでここで紹介させていただきます。

「書くことの効果」実証される、が記事の題名です。ある研究報告について書かれているのですが、その研究でわかったことをちょっと紹介します。　何かを勉強した後に、その勉強したことについて、思い出しながら10分間自由に書くことが、記憶するには効果的だそうです。何度も読み返して暗記しようとする勉強方法より効果的でした。

社会や歴史などの勉強についてかなり効果があるそうです。それと同時に日本語の作文の力も付きそうですね。それでは英語の勉強はどうでしょう。英語の勉強は特に暗記が大事だと思いますが、単語の勉強や文法の勉強でも、自由に作文を書くことができるのではないでしょうか。単語だったら、その単語を使って自分だけの文(センテンス)を書いてみるのはどうですか。文法だって同じです。新しく習った文法を使って自分だけの文を書いてみるのが、私もやった日本語（を勉強していた頃）の勉強方法です。書くことはもちろんですが、言語の場合は基本は話すことですから、勉強した言葉や文法を口にして使ってみる練習も、ただ繰り返して書くことよりもずっと効果があると思います。

この記事を読み返すと一つの言葉が気になります。それは「検索練習(retrieval practice)」です。勉強した内容を思い出そうという行為が大事だということです。思い出そうという行為が大事です！思い出しながら文章を書くことはその一つの方法ですが、思い出しながら、口にすることも一つの方法です。単語帳や教科書を見ないで最近勉強したテキストや単語を思い出そうとするだけで、記憶が強化されます。さらに、その新しい単語や文法を自分のモノにするために、教科書にない文を作ってみることも効果があるはずです。

言語は穴埋めの問題で取得できるものではないと思います。言語は生きています。言語は創造的なものです。造ってみてください。使わない言葉はただの文字だから。

「書くことの効果」実証される
http://wiredvision.jp/news/201101/2011012520.html

To Learn Best, Write an Essay
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/01/learning-methods/

First Impressions: Screw Shoes

Yesterday it snowed.  It snowed about 20cm and when I went out the snow was fresh and deep.  "Yes!  This is my chance to try out my new screw shoes" I thought. I put them on and took them out for a test.  I ran 8 km through the fresh snow and this is what I found.  They didn't help much.  When running on that much fresh snow, the snow compacts under your foot and the screws never reach the packed snow and ice underneath.  So if you are over the ice you still slip because the screws can't reach the ice to get a grip.  Also, I found that I could really feel the screws that were placed around where the inside ball of my foot is in the shoe.

Today I ran 8km over rough frozen chunky ground and really FELT the screws in my shoes on several occasions! Ouch!  I had some other words too that came involuntarily out of my mouth.  Words that I'm too shy to put here. Psychologically, it was not good to run with the worry of being stuck!  Whenever I stepped on a chunk of ice, the chunk would push that screw and the shoe would compress enough right there to give me a little prick.  I will have to rethink the placement of the screws around the ball of my foot or take them out right there.  I might also take all the screws out and put them in a pair of shoes with a thicker front.

Diet wise I am holding at around 73 kg I think. I still want to get down to 70 kg but I realize that will be difficult this time of year.  I am happy that I am holding.   We have been staying at my in-laws for two weeks now and I haven't been able to get on my scale at home but my mother in-law's scale said I was at 72.5 yesterday.  My goal for December is to run 200 km for the month and 160 km by Christmas.  I think I will need to do some longer runs to reach my goal.  I am at 95.77 km for the month right now and I have 9 days left till Christmas.  If I run at least 8 km a day I'll reach my goal but I can imagine that there will be a day or two when I can't run.  If it was easier to take care of laundry then I could sneak in some runs here and there but.... no... actually I probably should use that time to get what needs to be done, done.

Oh well, if you want to try to make some screw shoes yourself, check out Matt Carpenter's skyrunner.com page on the subject and as he says "happy screwing and running:-)"

The Screw Shoe: the best way to run on packed snow and ice.

Thought for the day:
The conscious brain can only hold one thought at a time. Choose a positive thought.

Winter Running Ready

I thought about this all winter last year but didn't do anything about it. However this year I decided to get my old shoes winter ready. Actually, until last year, I had never slipped and fallen during a run. Living out in the country the roads really don't get that bad. However, since I had an old pair of shoes at the end of their life anyway, I thought I try it out this year. What am I talking about? Making a pair of screw shoes.

I first came across the idea when searching about winter running and was eventually led to Mat Carpenter's page, The Screw Shoe: the best way to run on packed snow and ice! on the topic.

It looked simple enough. I didn't have an electric drill but I was sure I could borrow one from someone. And the screws I could just pick up down at the hardware store, right? Wrong! I'm living in Japan and I don't know if this is a Japan wide thing but the type of screws that would work best for this project are not very popular here. Almost all the screws here are flat headed plus or minus (philips or flathead) type screws. Some stores had none and some had just a few that were too big. The big stores though, had screw shoe sets for sale! They had 9 mm sheet metal type screws being sold in packets of 6 for about 300 yen! This was clearly too expensive considering the high possibility that they will fall out of the shoe and end up flattening someone's bicycle tire somewhere.

I was finally able to get one store to order me some screws of the size that I wanted, 10 mm. So I ordered 50 and they sold them to me for 500 yen. Still a little expensive but a whole lot cheaper than the screw shoe sets.

I borrowed my father in law's electric drill and Aspen and I set to work on making my first pair of screw shoes. For starters we put 10 in each shoe.

With the power drill it was really easy.  If you would also like to try and make your own and get more details on the whys and hows check out Matt Carpenter's site  at http://www.skyrunner.com.

I also bought an Asics Reflective Tasuki.  It is a band that you wear like a sash.  I got this to make sure that no one hits me on my runs in the dark.  If you buy running gear that was made for running, especially by the bigger brand names, it will probably have some reflective materials on it.  Most running shoes do too.  However, if you buy the cheapest stuff that you can find, then they might not have much if any.  So, just to be extra visible to sleepy motorists I got this reflective band to wear.  I brought it home and proudly showed it to my mother in law.  She then told me that she got one at the 100 yen store!  100 yen?  I paid almost 800 yen for mine!  Oh well. 

My motivation for running this winter is high.  Now if only I can get rid of the sniffles! 

This Year's Schedule

今年のレーススケジュールです。

• 3月21日 白糠ロードレース（10km） -完走
• 4月18日 ほんべつ公園クロスカントリー大会（8km）ー完走
• 5月23日　洞爺湖マラソン　(42.195km)ー完走
• ７月04日　ピンネシリ登山マラソン大会(42km)-完走
• 7月18日　狩勝サマーロードレース（10.5km）-完走
• 7月25日　釧路湿原マラソン大会 (30k)-完走
• 8月22日  納沙布岬ハーフマラソン（ハーフ）ー完走
• 10月3日  別海パイロットマラソン(42.195km)ー完走
• 10月11日 サホロリバーサイド駅伝ー完走＆PB!
• 10月24日 日産カップ陸別こがらしマラソン（ハーフ）ー完走
• 11月03日 しかおいトレイルラン （11.4km）ー完走
• 11月07日 白糠釧勝峠駅伝大会ー完走＆PB!

Bibs and Bells

Bibs and Bells
Originally uploaded by mr_caffeine74

Shikaoi Trail Run
Taken just before the first Shikaoi Trail Run held at the Nishikami Kanko Noen in Shikaoi.
The picture is of my race bib and my "bear bell". The race organizers required every entrant to wear a bell or they wouldn't let you run the race.
第1回しかおいトレイルランの直前にとった写真です。ゼッケンと鈴の写真です。この大会に参加する選手全員は熊よけのため鈴を付ける義務になっていました。

ペタしてね

Black Soy beans covered in white chocolate mixed with roasted soy bean powder.

Participants in the 2010 Shikaoi Trail Run were allowed to choose from these chocolates or a free hot spring bath as a finisher's prize. I got the chocolates! They were yummy.  They didn't last long.  They are roasted soy beans covered with white chocolate that has soy bean powder (kinako) mixed in. They are from a local confectionary called Ryugetsu.  If you want to find them they are called Kinachoko Kurodaizu. (きなチョコ黒大豆).

New personal best!

At the Sahoro Riverside Ekiden in Shintoku on Monday I ran my fastest 5k ever! During my leg of the event I ran 5.1km in 20:28 which was the second fastest time on my team behind our anchor by 3 seconds! I am very happy with my performance. That is all I can write now. I just had to get that up!
サホロリバーサイド駅伝で５kmのPBが出来ました。ところで、PBはPeanut Butterではなくて、Private Bestでもなく、Personal Bestの略だと思います。１０月１１日体育の日に行われた新得町での駅伝でした。自分のチーム「帯広楽走会　A」は１３チーム中の８位でした。５kmはどれぐらい早く走れるかはまだわからないけど、もうちょっと出せると思います。練習次第ですね。ichanさんから写真を頂いきました。

Receiving the Sash

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Still Getting Sick After Your Run?

This is an update to my ongoing battle with running induced nausea.  I got sick again! And again!

Yes, I STILL haven't solved my nausea problems.  *sigh* What could it be? Is it just that I'm not drinking enough?  That's what everybody tells me. BUT my stomach seems to stop working during the race.  Everything that I drank during the race came back up after the race.

Tenacity

Chaos Theory

Recently life seems to be complete chaos at home.  Oh how crazy things are. We are not extremely busy with projects, events, sports or education. But with a very energetic, active, independent, dependent, stubborn, and many other applicable descriptors that we can use to describe our five year old, a terrible three year old, and a soon to be two year old, things can get a bit crazy.  Just getting these three cleaned, dressed, fed, entertained and put to bed takes all of the energy, concentration, creativity and patience that Mommy and Daddy can muster.  Recently we have agreed on another quality that we will need to survive:tenacity. It's like a marathon where we are contenders for the prize and we have to make calculated surges and attacks all the while keeping in mind that we have to keep enough in reserve to make it to the finish.  And they say the course is getting longer these days and the finish line farther away.  But that is a different topic.

Getting Sick After Your Run?

Getting Sick After Your Run?

It may be your stomach.

Here is something that you can try to help prevent that debilitating feeling of nausea that inflicts some runners after their runs.  Do not eat or drink anything immediately after your run. Give your body plenty of time to cool down and for your heart rate to come down and get back to "normal" before you try to hydrate or refuel.