Next targets

In the NJ Marathon on 4/29, I have cleared the first target of this year, which was to finish marathon in 3:15 to be qualified for the Boston Marathon.

Now it is time to think about the next target.

First of all, I would like to set my target for a marathon. My next marathon is the NYC marathon on 11/4/07, which is 6month ahead.

My ultimate target of this year is to run at a pace of 7 minutes per mile. I can finish a marathon in 3:03'32" with that pace. Yes, it is tough to achieve in half an year.
My challenging target is 3:05'45". The pace is 7'05" per mile.
My acceptable target is 3:08'00". The pace is 7'10" per mile.

For half marathon, I want to set my target pace faster than marathon by 30 seconds.
So the ultimate target is 1:25'00", 6'30" per mile.
The challenging target is 1:26'15", 6'35" per mile.
The acceptable target is 1:27'20", 6'40" per mile.
And my target race will be the Queens Half-Marathon on 9/23/07.

For 10K race, my target pace is faster than half marathon by 20 seconds.
The ultimate target is 38'20", 6'10" per mile.
The challenging target is 38'50", 6'15" per mile.
And my acceptable target is 39'20", 6'20" per mile.
My target race will be the race in the Central Park on 7/14/07.

They are not easy ones, so I may have to adjust later. However, I would like to train for my targets.

- - -
Today, I joined the running class by NYRR for the first time after the NJ Marathon.

Today's workout was 3 x 1mile. It was tough one.
I did with 5'53", 5'55" and 6'02". It was not bad for the first time in 3 weeks and the renewed start for the new target.

LSD in the Rockefeller States Park

On a beautiful Saturday morning, I went to the Rockefeller States Park. I headed to Tarry town by Hudson line of the Metro North, from there my running friend picked me up to take me to the park.

I ran the trail course in the park with other six running friends.
We gathered there to run with Chiho, who was supposed to leave NYC to Japan next week with her husband, Yoichiro. It was a farewell run for her. She stayed 2 and half years in NYC. It is usual for Japanese people in NYC to go back to Japan after there assignment periods are done. Most of them stay only 3-5 years in NYC.

Chiho was one of the first running friends I had. We saw after a half marathon race in Queens April of last year. Before I saw her and other friends, running was lonely act for me. I trained alone and ran races alone. However, after I knew them I realized that I could obtain something to share with other guys through running. It made big difference on my running life.

We ran about 15 miles trail course in 2 hours and half.
The course was so beautiful and full of up and down; it was pretty good training course.
Actually we did not realize that we ran so long time and so long distance. It was easy to run speaking with friends, especially with running friends.
With best weather, best course and best friends, I thought that it was one of the best and forgettable run ever.

Lunch at Wall Street

Today I had lunch with my tennis friends at the downtown. Actually I had a longer lunch break than usual lunch break. It was 2hours break. It's Friday!

That was my second visit to the Wall street during the business hours since October 1996.
I still remember the feeling when I walk this street for the first time. Because I had worked for a bank, the Wall street had been the one of the most prestigious place for me.

Attached is a picture of NYSE.

An extra rest day

Today I was supposed to run 15 miles to reach my weekly target. But I could not make it.

I felt mild stiffness in the right groin after I finished the half marathon last Sunday, which was under the temperature of 19°F. Actually the stiffness had not gone away. So I decided to take a rest.

The right groin is the part which I knew was one of most inflexible. Maybe the extra burden from the half marathon under the cold weather was too much for the part.
Also maybe I should have run the speed work on last Tuesday at easier pace.
And maybe I should not have played tennis on Thursday and Saturday.

My weekly mileage was only 19.1 this week; it is short of the target by 14.9.
It is difficult to pile the weekly mileage in the winter...
Next week my target will be 35miles.

New Year' parties

This week I joined 2 New Year’s parties.

On 1/17, there was the New Year’s party of the New York Toyama Kenjinkai.
Toyama is one of the prefectures in Japan. It is located in the Mid North of Japan.
I was born there and had been there 18 years.

12 people joined the party. Some were born there, some worked there. All of them had spent some years of their lives there and live in NY now.

Although no one spoke Toyama dialect any more, it was fun to talk about the home town in NYC. Also it was interesting to see new people. Each person had great work and life in NYC.

This picture is from http://www.nykitokito.org/

On 1/19, there was the other party. That was by New York Marathon Chudoku Kanja no Kai (NYMCKK).
21 people joined the party. All of them were addicted to RUNNING. Some of them ran over 300 miles in a month. Some of them ran faster than Rance Armstrong in the NYC Marathon last year. There was a couple who finished 16 marathons last year and would run in all of the 50 states (+DC) by the end of next week. etc..
The party went on over 3hours, and the only topic of the party was RUNNING as usual.

I joined some parties by this circle. I was always imspired by them and had great time.

This picture is from http://www.makoshi.com/run/

That is why I was not able to run this week…

Farewell to Yuichiro

Today's NYRR Fled Lebow Classic(5M) was the last run in New York for Yuichiro and Kae. Yuichiro is one of the best Japanese runners in NY area. Kae is his wife.

They are going to Japan next week

I was not able to run the race, because I am not ready due to injury.

Instead I went to the Central Park to take a picture with him and our running friends.

---

I met him for the first time last April after the NYRR half-marathon grand prix: Queens.

After meeting him, I felt that my running life had been changed.

He himself was quite a great runner and great person enough to inspire me.

He also introduced me to his running mates. All of them were great runners and great person. They were so serious about running. All of them had same experience in improving their performance they were great teachers for me. Also they are so kind to other runners. I was so inspired by them and was able to improve my running.

And more important thing is that I can call them MY running mates now. I am so proud to have such great friends.

If I had not met him, I might not a runner what I am now.

I must be satisfied with finishing NYC marathon in 4hours.

I would not imagine that I can pursue to break the qualifying time for the Boston Marathon.

Maybe I could have stop running after NYC marathon.

I must miss Yuichiro and Kae.

I hope their happiness in Japan and am looking forward to seeing them soon.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year 2007!!!

The first running of this year was the Midnight Run at the Central Park on NYC.

It was fun to run to celebrate the new year with my friends and over 5,000 people.

1 million people of Times Square is too much for me. Actually the park is the better place to see firework.

4 miles in 1 hour was not the very fast pace for me, however I found it good exercise to run slower pace.

Next week, I'm going to start training for the NJ Marathon on April 29. I will do speed work once a week and maybe "slow work" once a week.