Quick report on Osaka Women's Marathon 09

3h 11s 02s
5k 22:13 / 10k 22:00 / 15k 22:18 / 20k 22:05 / half 1:33:27 / 25k 22:29 / 30k 22:39 / 35k 22:58 / 40k 23:52 / last 2.2k 10:28

This was my 4th fastest time. Sounds mediocre...but I think this is decent result, at least it wasn't embarrassing faliure. Actually I was quite happy yesterday while I still remember the pain at the race. I told myself, "Mika, you did well. 3h 11s is good time. You should be proud of it."

A day after, I am not sure.....

Post Tokyo Women's training (for Osaka Ladies Marathon)

Although I stopped writing this blog for a long time, I continued my marathon training after Tokyo Women's.

●Week1 (Nov. 17 - 23)
The recovery week from TW's. Therefore total mileage was 11km. Had some pain in my right shin.

●Week2 (Nov.24 - 30)
Despite the niggle in my shin, I ran 10km at FIT charity race on Monday and came in 3rd. No pain. 5000m TT on Wednesday and timed 20:22. Not bad. 20km pace run on Saturday with Harriers and timed 1:30:20, finishing strong. Total mileage 60.2km.

●Week3 (December1 - 7)
Coming back to the regular marathon training programme. One off, two easy jogs, one track session (failure), one hardish pace run and one long run at Okutama Ekiden course. Total mileage 99.7km

●Week4 (December8 - 14)
Started to focus on mileage. Two easy jogs, one build-up run, one fartlek, one track session, one 3 x 5000m (22:30/21:31/20:29) and one long run (38km). Total mileage 123km.

●Week5 (December 15- 21)
Even more mileage. Two easy jogs, one build-up run, one track session (in the cold rain), one fartlek, one 10 mile pace run (w. 4:20/k pace) and one 40.5km long run. Total mileage 130.6km

●Week6 (December 22- 28)
Less mileage and harder workouts. Two off's (due to work and too much fatigue), two jogs, one 1/2 M time trial (1:32:56), one 5000m (21:04) and one 30km pace run with 4:30/k pace, timed 2:14:45. Total mileage 97.5km

●Week7 (December 29 - January 4)
Fun, but super high mileage week (for me). Monday, Hakone Ekiden 5-ku run (25k). Tuesday, Kamakura trail run (22k). Wednesday, easy jog (12k). Thursday, Jan. 1, run to the beach in Ibaraki to watch the sunrise (23k). Friday, easy jog (14.5k). Saturday, easy jog (8.5k). Sunday, mostly slow long run (45km). Total mileage 150km!

My legs are dead after the 45km run, but no sign for injury so far. Some more recovery time is needed for my legs.

And now, 3 weeks to go to Osaka (already!).

Ancient news, TIWM final.

Oh... I realised I haven't even written about the Tokyo International Women's Marathon in November.... What a lazy bum I am! I will just copy and paste my report I posted to Namban list on November 20, for recording purpose at least.

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Mika TokairinTime 3:16:05

This was my 5th TIWM and so far I “tied” with the event. First one in 2004, I got cut off at 34k and swept by the bus. At the second one, I finished it with a PB 3:13:40. The third one, again I finished with a PB 3:10:07 and the last year, I faded embarrassingly and barly finished with 3:21:54.

Two wins and two losses. So if I “win” this time, I can say “I won TIWM!“, in Sumo term we call it “kachi koshi” and I wanted it this time. But with what result can I say “I won”? I was far from PB shape so I needed to set other standard and I decided the negative split should be the one since Tokyo is notorious because of the big hill at the latter part. If I can speed up at that hill I will be able to have the feeling that I finally conquered the TW’s course. Conquest, what a manly idea! But my strategy was rather unmanly. I thought if I ran the first half very slow, it should be easy to make a negative split…..

I tried to run slow, especially at the first 10km letting everyone pass me, but I should admit that I wasn’t as slow as I planned (4:40/k pace). Nevertheless the strategy seemed to have worked at the middle part of the race as I felt really easy between 9km to 25km at 4:30/k to 4:35/k pace and felt OK until 29km. However, it didn’t last after 30km. I gradually slowed down and started to suffer. When I got to the hill part around 37km, my pace went down to over 5min/k pace. I saw Namban cheering squad at the hill but there is no energy left to respond to them anymore….I felt sorry….When I came back to the stadium I had to accept the fact that I wouldn’t be able to break even 3h15m. There is less than 1 minute left for more than one lap of the track. What was worse was I even missed 3:15’s and finished 5 seconds later than 3:16.

Tokyo never let me win, forever. Defeated and disappointed. But at least I know the reasons. First, lack of training, mainly mileage, second, lack of control during the race. It’s good to know what are the issues for the next race.

Like Yoshiko, I will do Osaka Ladies Marathon at the end of January as a PB attempt race. So no time for me to look back and feel remorse, I will just keep going for the next one!!! :-

On the final note, I would like to thank all of you who supported us at the roadside, and anywhere in the world, not only for this year but in the past 5 years. You are the true driving force to kept me going and probably the thing I will miss most about this event.

5km 22:48
10km 45:55 (23:07)
15km 1:08:33 (22:38)
20km 1:31:09 (22:36)
half 1:36:07
25km 1:53:40 (22:31)
30km 2:16:31 (22:51)
35km 2:40:04 (23:33)
40km 3:05:21 (25:17)
42.2km 3:16:05 (10:44)