MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803
even though vowing after the 3/28 Dizzy Daze Marathon not to run any more until Mr. Knee started behaving, . . . I mean until timmy gets a job, . . . I knew from past experience in an occasional "must-do" marathon that greatly abbreviating normal strides allows successfully completing marathon distances too, albeit a couple hours slower than the current chronology's norm.
therefore, for a marathon chance in Tokyo on 5/9, I planned on a return to the long-standing slow PR of 7:09:54 from the 2006 Yakima Canyon Marathon run on a hampered hamstring for my dad who just died. (sorry, complicated story).
I was sure right as it took 6:50:20 but I had the time of my life running much of the way with Tokyo veterans of the weekly Takebashi Imperial Palace Marathons (that were mostly 5 and 10K's with an annual marathon and 50K when I was over here in the eighties). When they found out I'd completed more than 100 marathons, I got signed up in the Japan 100-Marathon Joyful Running Association (equivalent of our 100-marathon club in the US) that offers Sunday marathons mostly in nearby Hiratsuka south of Tokyo.
It's right on the line of the famous 80K New Year's college Ekiden from Hakone to Tokyo and back so I got to run 42.2 kilometers of that too in one of their offerings. Neither my knee (nor my brain) were ready for the ten mile climb up to Hakone Pass before a short descent to the post marking the ekiden finish but, even though I finished very, very last by over an hour in over eight hours, all 20 of the other joyful finishers were still waiting for me and had me run through a finish banner as if I was winning the Boston Marathon. It was almost enough to make me think of wanting to learn to run fast someday. (I think maybe the post-event libations in their hands helped too).
Mariposai's gunna help me figure out how to post that photo one of these days. It sure shows why last places are DGL's (dead glorious lasts) for me and nothing to be ashamed of, in fact, now just as fulfilling, if not more so, than in the early days when four hour marathons were the norm at the drop of a hat for my ski buddies and me without much, if any, running training.
I have never worn anything colored pink in my life but today (saturday, July 18 over here), I proudly put on my pink Joyful Running Club singlet and did another eight plus laps around the Imperial Palace for marathon number ten with Mr. Nakamura (674 mary's), Mr. Sato (516), Mr. Kojima (1,167) and a slew of 200 and three hundreds.
A long rest is coming up in Seattle until Mr. Right Knee is perfect again, . . . but, if timmy gets a job, or if some must-do event comes along <<<(Seafair8K/Seafair8K), I have a feeling pink singlet will come out again to show the runners of Seattle how much fun it is to be a slow runner too.
In the meantime, mikemp is over here through mid-august and has two more of the Takebashi Imperial Palace Marathons on his schedule. He knows how hot and humid it's getting now that the rainy season is over so I know that, like the other joyfuls, he'll be having good time in a different way than his many impressive, BQ's, sub-3:30's, etc.
maybe see you and runnrwife at the Super Jock'n'Jill over Labor Day, Mike.
arigatou.
ps - since it is common for any road race, even 5K's, to be designated as marathons in Japan, real marathons are known as "fulls" for "full marathon." However, I was stymied at a "full-nic" designation for some for a while, even wondering if it had something to do with the Japanese word for "meat" (niku) when one of the pre-event feasts was at a Korean BBQ (to say nothing of the hydration of choice) but learned it is from the English word "picnic" referencing frequent stops, often waiting for each other, at convenience stores, ramen shops, etc. along the way for necessary nutrition, camaraderie and support.
"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)
Amazing and wonderful, tet. Congratulations.
TomS
SteveP
denise
Half Fanatic #36
Quite a streak Jon!!!
..and knowing how hot , humid and unpleasant Tokyo weather is this time of year...great job indeed!!!.....But let me say.....do come back soon.....we miss you here....!!!!
BWY, if you want to run a half before the Jock&Jill, see you on 8/8 and 8/15 on the Sammamish trail as well....
Francesca, Half Fanatic#36
usandtoto-2@msn.com
Jon, Congrats again on joining the 100 marathon club here in Japan and wearing of the pink. Its is a fun time running with them around and around the palace. Thanks for setting me up for the next two. I got your email and will call to confirm. I glad you spelled out the japanese parts too. Now I just have to read it. Carefully..
I was doing a short run of 16 miles while you were running your 10th in 10 weeks. I thought about you and also where I would be at different points.
I'm glad that we were able to get together, it was fun. Hope you have a good and uneventful flight back to Seattle today. I'll have to look up Jock & Jill. I will be doing the Ghost of Seattle and most probably Seattle as well. So see you then. Or maybe earlier. Take care my firend.
Marathon Maniac #530 Mike (My Indian name is "Runs for Beer")
Maniac 505
Wow. this is the first running log that has shown how Shod someone was for each race. what will you wear in torchlight?
looking forward to seeing you Tuesday. hope it works out.
Dave
#artbydmcbride
Runners run
I didn't realize full marathons were really called picnics. Guess if everyone knew that, everyone would do one, eh? Glad to hear you will be back soon. That heat and humidity sounds just brutal to me. Your rainy day marathon was quite a bit peppier than the others!
Enke
"During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."
Marathon Maniac #957
but, even though I finished very, very last by over an hour in over eight hours, all 20 of the other joyful finishers were still waiting for me and had me run through a finish banner as if I was winning the Boston Marathon.
I love that part!
You are amazing, Tet, running all those marathons in a very short span of time, even with a bum knee. While you may be doing it more slowly, a marathon is still a marathon, and you were running in hot weather, too - wow!
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."