Ultramarathon Series - Part Three

Tarawera Ultramarathon - March 19th 2011
Race day! At 6:45am, I was amongst the huddle of runners eagerly awaiting the verbal cue from the race director to start running. It had rained the previous afternoon and through the night, so it was with great relief that the rain had stopped and the only form of discomfort I felt was my build-up of nervous energy and the sharp sting of cold air on my skin. I had almost been tempted to wear a long-sleeved top with the aim of wrapping it around my waist once I warmed up, but I’m glad I opted to go with just my arm-sleeves as it was no more than ten minutes into the race that I had them rolled down to my wrists.



Ready to go - all smiles

The first couple of kilometers were ironically what should have tipped us off as to what lay ahead, but maybe the excitement of finally starting out on our first ultramarathon distracted us from realizing that the long hill-climb that marked the start of the race was actually just one of many more long hill-climbs to come. Consequently it was with great enthusiasm that Andrea and I hiked up our first incline, completely oblivious to the brutal challenge that awaited us.

The first twenty kilometers went by relatively easy, nothing too major to scare us into thinking we might have trouble finishing the race. Even my problematic hamstring seemed to be holding up pretty well. The only real issue I foresaw was that my bladder seemed full already and I wasn’t keen on having to make a pit stop behind some tree. The only way I knew how to avoid such a scenario was to settle in to the run and focus instead on the fabulous scenery around me.


Stunning lake views before we had to start climbing

At around the second or third aid station we came across a couple of friendly "kiwi" blokes who struck up a conversation with us as we ran along one of the wider parts of the trail. I keep referring to “we” and “us” because although we didn’t intentionally plan on running together, Andrea and I had come to rely on each other in a way that I think probably only the two of us can really understand. We not only run well together in terms of pace compatibility, but we also seem to be able to motivate each other during our most difficult moments. Some would say that our dependency on each other invites certain limitations, but we would say otherwise.

It was at the end of the Millar Road aid station, at around the 21k point that things started to get tough. We didn’t realize it at the time, but it would be approximately 15k before we saw another aid station, and much of that 15k would consist of arduous climbing that involved mostly walking. Reading back over the website after the race, this section of the course is described by one runner as “perfectly runnable.”  As far as I was concerned, this continuous and often steep stretch of trail was not runnable at all. In fact, it was on one of these so-called runnable hills that Andrea and I caught up with Anna, and not surprisingly, she too had slowed to a walk. 

By the time Andrea and I reached the 36k aid station at Okataina, we were struggling to remain optimistic about the remaining kilometers we had yet to run. The 15k we had just covered had been much harder than we had anticipated, and in many ways, because of the way we were constantly blindsided by one hill-climb after another, our minds had also taken a beating; it was hard to stay focused and positive. Furthermore, the descent to Okataina was long and steep, causing our quads to take the full brunt of the impact and rendering them half useless by the time we cleared the forest. If it hadn’t been for the joy I felt at seeing my parents, and both mine and Anna’s little girls at the aid station, I think I could quite easily have called it a day and quit.



Happy after seeing my parents and little Jade and Laura, AND after refuelling!



Laura and Jade wishing they could follow us

With 24k to go, I told myself that I had just two easy 10ks to run, followed by an even easier 4k. My father had told me that the worst part of the course was over and that it should be relatively flat and easy from Okataina to Tarawera Falls. I was happy to hear that, but a little cautious as Andrea and I had been hearing similar reports along the way and none of them had panned out the way we had been led to believe. With determination underscored by a certain amount of skepticism, we started out on our final leg of the race.

The next 10k was mostly uphill with some short and sharp descents, and it was on the descents that I started to experience problems with my left IT band. I was now moving at a slow but steady pace, my eyes to the ground and my mind steadfastly repeating one of several pre-rehearsed mantras. I vaguely remember coming out of my little trance for a split second, and in that instant being alerted to the fact that it was eerily quiet.  Andrea and I had been talking about how the course was so much harder than we had expected, and with those thoughts still in my mind I began to tell her that I was having doubts about being able to finish. Surprised at her non-response I turned my head and was startled to find that I was all alone. 

With less than maybe 15k to go, I wearily moved forward, praying with every step and asking God to please give me the strength to keep going. There were moments too when I felt isolated and afraid, concerned that I might have missed one of the trail markers. Hence it was with great joy and relief when I saw the final aid station in front of me, and an even greater blessing when I saw once again, the two men who had befriended Andrea and I earlier in the race. 

I had only 5k to go now, but the pain in my leg was giving me much grief and I began to lean heavily on one side in an effort to minimize the sharp pangs that stabbed me with every step I took. Several runners overtook me in this final stage of the race, but I refused to give up when I was so near the finish line. As I hobbled around the last bend and saw the small crowd of spectators waving us in through the finishing corral, I gritted my teeth, picked my feet up, and went through running. No tears, no self-pity, no regrets. Just sheer admiration and respect for all the runners who make up the relatively small community of ultramarathoners; a community I can proudly say, that through a test of extreme physical and mental strength, I have now been initiated into.



First ultramarathon completed - 23rd overall in a field of 65 and 6th female in a field of 25

The question still remains unanswered however - was I crazy to consider doing an ultramarathon? Probably. Will I ever do another ultramarathon? Absolutely!

Ultramarathon Series - Part Two

Part Two - Training recommences, injuries and all!

The week after I hurt my ankle I had to allow some time for recovery without losing too much of the cardiovascular fitness I had so far gained. In order to do so, I took a few days off from running and chose instead to exercise on a stationary bicycle. I also decided to pay a visit to Dr. Hamid’s chiropractic clinic in the hopes that he might be able to correct any misalignment problems that might have been causing my reoccurring leg injuries. After assessing my swollen ankle and treating me with a few minor adjustments, Dr. Hamid felt confident that I could resume my training within a few days, provided I apply both ice and heat packs to reduce the swelling. I ran my next set of long runs several days later with my ankle still strapped in a brace, and by the following weekend I was able to lose the brace altogether.

The first weekend in February called for a 3 hour run on Saturday, followed by a 3.5 hour run on Sunday. I was registered to run a half marathon on the Sunday however, and so to modify my training and still reap the benefits of two back-to-back long runs, I decided to run 4 hours on Friday, rest on Saturday, and race on Sunday. Andrea and I ran the 4 hours together on Friday, and not without having to take frequent snack breaks and walk the occasional hill. Saturday was a complete day of rest and by Sunday I was feeling ready to run again, although apprehensive at the same time. For some reason I always suffer from pre-race jitters and self-doubt; not doubt that I can run and finish the race but doubt that I have the ability to run as well as I would like, or as well as others expect me to run. On some occasions I live up to my own expectations, but more often than not I end up surprising myself.

The Nago Half Marathon was one of those races where I ended up surprising myself; I not only shaved four minutes off my PR, but I also finished three minutes ahead of my goal time,  placed 6^th in my age division, and 2^nd in the foreign female division. Having just completed a 4 hour long run two days prior, I was not expecting to run as well as I did.


Before the Nago Half Marathon - Anna came up to support me and run some trails while I raced

The next weekend was a tapering weekend with shorter long runs of 2 hours on Saturday and 2.5 hours on Sunday. We needed the rest because the weekend after that was going to require fresh legs and a lot of conserved energy. We had a 5 hour run scheduled for Friday, followed by the Okinawa Marathon on Sunday. Call us crazy, but we decided a few days before the marathon that rather than run the race as if we were on a training run, we would try instead to run it in under 3:45; this would be a Boston qualifying time for all three of us.

Friday's 5 hour run completely exhausted me and left me feeling unsure about our goal for Sunday's race, and by Sunday I felt even less confident. It was raining the morning of the marathon, and I felt tired, cold and depressed as we made our way on the shuttle bus to the starting point. Anna and Andrea helped to alleviate some of my nervous energy however, when the three of us fell into fits of laughter after taking goofy-looking pictures of ourselves on the bus. Our silly antics significantly brightened my mood, and then Anna said something that took root in my mind, "You know girls, the faster you run, the sooner you’ll be done.”


Goofing around in the back-row seats of the shuttle bus

I’m not sure if Anna’s words are responsible for what happened that day, but all three of us girls made our Boston qualifying time, finishing in consecutive 3:34 and 3:36 times (Anna crossed the finish line first, with Andrea and I right behind her crossing the line at the same time). We were the 2^nd, 3^rd  and 4^th foreign females to finish and I later found out that I placed 2^nd in the 40 to 49 year old female division, consequently earning an additional medal.  I was of course elated at the outcome of our race performance, but once again shocked and surprised. It was difficult to comprehend what we had just done given how mentally and physically exhausted we had felt before the race. 

Feeling tired but thrilled with our results

While the marathon was undoubtedly a great victory for us, it came at a cost. For me, the cost came in the form of more swelling, this time around my left ankle and up into the calf area. My right calf and hamstring had started hurting at around mile 13 of the marathon, so to take the weight off my right side I began to lean more on my left side. I suspect that was probably the cause of my latest injury, and while I am not certain of that, the fact remained that I was facing yet another injury and the ultra was now just four weeks away. I also had another huge training weekend ahead of me; a 5 hour run scheduled for Friday, followed by a 4 hour run on Saturday.

Andrea and I struggled on our next 5 hour run, barely making it back to our cars, and the next morning Anna and I only managed to run for 3 hours while Andrea stopped after just a couple of hours due to lower back pain. We were all beat up and tired by this stage in our training, and a few weeks of tapering was what we were all in need of and more than ready to embrace. Several of my runs over the next couple of weeks showed just how fatigued I really was, as my breathing felt very labored and on one of my runs I had to stop after just 2 miles when I almost fainted.

The final week before we left for New Zealand arrived with even more setbacks. Anna was studying for an IT exam which required intensive study time, Andrea’s husband had left on a sudden deployment a few weeks earlier leaving her to adapt to a new and busier routine as a single parent, and I was tied up with a friend visiting from New Zealand followed by a couple of days away with my husband who was getting ready to leave on a two month work assignment. Finding time to run during this period was impossible for all three of us, but we each resigned ourselves to believing that a few missed runs wouldn't undo all of our hard work.

As race day drew nearer, and my nerves were a constant reminder of the enormous challenge we were about to undertake, I was able to take comfort in the words of the race director who spoke to us at our pre-race orientation. He reminded us all that while it was indeed a race for many of us, it was also a race that would take us along some of the most beautiful and scenic trails in the world and we should enjoy every moment of it. His words were simple yet profound, and it suddenly dawned on me that race day wasn't a day to fear, but a day to look forward to.

Part three to follow next week.....

This week's ultratraining tip:
Set aside some extra funds to go towards recuperative and injury-prevention treatments such as deep-tissue massage, acupuncture, and chiropratic adjustments. Training for an ultramarathon takes an incredible toll on the body and extra care and attention to tired muscles and joints is mandatory if you want to stay injury-free and recover quickly from training runs. Some self-care techniques you can do yourself at home include taking ice baths after long runs, using a foam roller or tennis ball to massage tender spots, and using ice and heat pads to help reduce inflammation.

Ultramarathon Series - Part One

Some of you ladies have been enquiring lately about running an ultramarathon and the type of training one should do to prepare for such long distance runs. I don't have all the answers for you but so that you may get a glimpse into the type of mindset and physical endurance you will need to tackle any of type of ultra-distance event, I am going to post a three-part series of journal entries that I wrote about the New Zealand ultramarathon I raced in earlier this year.

Part One - Am I Crazy To Consider Running an Ultramarathon?
I’m not entirely sure when I first started toying with the idea of running an ultramarathon, but I can say that it was probably after Anna and some of the other ladies returned from Mongolia last July and I heard the great news that Anna had done exceptionally well in the 100k event. I remember feeling incredibly proud of her accomplishment, yet void of any inclination to want to run an ultramarathon (which is why I am unable to determine when exactly I started to think otherwise). In all honesty, my decision was most likely influenced by the simple fact that the same group of girls who traveled to Mongolia, were also willing to travel to my homeland in New Zealand and run an ultramarathon in the northern part of the country. So here I am,
just weeks away from running my first ultra, and I’m wondering if I have got myself into something I’ll later regret. The thing is, I want to believe that my latest running endeavor is perfectly normal and not nearly as extreme as some people have suggested, but sadly I haven’t reached that conclusion, yet!

See, here is the dilemma I face - recently I received an email from one of my daughter’s high school teachers, asking me to clarify the difference between a marathon and an ultramarathon. The following dialogue is what ensued:

Me:An ultramarathon is officially any race distance further than the marathon distance of 26.2 miles (approx. 40k). There are various ultramarathon distances, with perhaps the more common race distances being 50 miles and 100k (62 miles) - I am running 60k on trails.

Teacher:I can’t help but wonder what the human body is capable of? When we push ourselves to physical and/or mental limits, at what point will the body or mind self destruct?

Me:Well, let's see...... given that I am a 40 year old woman with a clean bill of health, both physically and mentally (according to my physician's most recent assessment), and the only "bad" habit I supposedly have is my love of running, then I'm willing to take that gamble. Life is too short to spend it doing things that are neither meaningful or enjoyable, and if seeing the world by running along some of the most beautiful trails enables me to avoid such a tragic lifestyle, then that is how I will continue to live my life - at least as long as my mind and body enables me to and doesn't "self-destruct."

Teacher:Interesting thoughts. I have a lot of admiration for people like yourself who push themselves for excellence and live life rather than stagnate and become part of the growing population of the living dead. At 63, if my wife and I could climb Mt. Fuji together that would be quite an accomplishment for me. I’ve always wanted to do that. I find your life philosophy very inspiring. One that I strive to emulate. Keep on, keeping on.

I cannot deny that I felt a certain sense of smugness when my daughter’s teacher conceded to my way of thinking, but that feeling lasted just a few days and ended when the weekend rolled around with long runs planned for both Saturday and Sunday. Having successfully completed back-to-back long runs the weekend before, I wouldn't have felt so miserable about the runs that lay ahead except for the fact that it was wet, windy, and damn cold!

Saturday’s run was looking to be bad enough with the harsh weather conditions, but since Anna was going to be joining us I knew that it was going to be a tough run for Andrea and I. Anna has a tendency to push us out of our comfort zones, a trait of hers we often "affectionately" criticize her for but which we also accept is needed from time to time. This particular morning we were in no mood for any type of motivational tauntings, and so it was with great relief when Anna left us after the first hour and a half to go lead the fast pack on our scheduled WOOT run.

With Saturday’s run under our belt and a sense of achievement at having successfully completed the full three and half hours in less-than-desirable weather conditions, Andrea and I tried to remain positive about the three hour run we faced the very next morning. During the remainder of the day and into the night however,  the wind and rain picked up and by Sunday morning I felt depressed at having to get up. My mind sent a barrage of negative messages to my tired body, not realizing that such negative self-talk would culminate in an even worse run than I imagined. As I prepared to head out the door, I pathetically checked my email inbox one more time desperately hoping that Andrea may have had the good sense to cancel our run; no such luck.

Decked out in long winter-layered running pants, a wind-breaker jacket, thick gloves, and a baseball cap which gratefully steered the raindrops down over the visor and away from my face, I met Andrea and together we set out to brave the nasty elements. We were perhaps no more than twenty minutes into our run when the first hint of pain registered in my right ankle. Not willing to yield to defeat so early into our run, I  refused to acknowledge its presence and consequently spent the following two days with my right foot strapped in an ankle brace and me starting to wonder if I might have slightly misled my daughter’s teacher with my “life is too short” spiel.

Part two to follow next week.....

This week's ultratraining tip:
Choose a hydration pack that is able to store enough water and food supplies to keep you well-fueled for at least a three-hour period. The one that Anna, myself and Andrea used was the Camelbak Octane - the main appeal of this particular pack was that it has side pockets which we could easily access without having to take the pack off. One thing we will all attest to is that after running for more than five or six hours, something as simple as taking off a pack to remove food supplies quickly becomes burdensome and difficult.

Watch for specials at the BX - this camelbak retails for more than $50 or $60 but we picked them up on sale for less than $30.

Triathletes Need Trail Too

Post contributed by Anna Boom

Interested in trying something new and different from your 5/10/42.2km  races? Ever thought of perhaps trying a triathlon, which has the fun of the run but also the challenge of a swim and bike? Here on Okinawa, there are a few, easy triathlons for you to dip your toe into before diving in. (If you are the kind who dives in, keep reading too.)

The triathlon comes in many different distances:
Sprint (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run)
Olympic (1.5 km swim, 40km bike, 5km run),
Ironman (3.8km swim, 180 km bike, 42.2 km run)
Hodgepodge, which are the MCCS races

Some of the races you will find are:
MCCS triathlons-Courtney Tri (April), Hansen Tri (mid June), Kinser Tri (mid July)
These races run about $20 for early registration and $30 for those of us who don't plan as well as others.

Amy having fun out on the Hansen Tri course



Anna pacing herself - and good thing she did as she won the Hansen Tri last month

And Okinawa races:
Ishigaki: Olympic distance, held on beautiful Ishigaki island. This is split into two events. One is the family race for folks like you and I. The other starts later in the afternoon and is an ITU World Cup event. The pros come out and race this and to watch them is awe-inspiring. You can't imagine how smooth they are until you see them race in person.

Ayahashi: Olympic distance, except the run is 10km, over and back on the Ayahashi bridge. Held in July (Hot!)

Izena: this is 88km-2km swim, 66km bike, 20km run and is held on the beautiful island of Izena. You must take the ferry and stay over one or two nights.  It happens every late Sept or early Oct (also still hot, especially the run course).

Miyako: near-Ironman distance and is held on beautiful Miyako island in April.

All the Okinawa races have different registration fees and may be a shock as the price is much higher than on-base races.

Running trail with WOOT helps you with any type of race goal you have: finishing your first or fiftieth triathlon, winning the next 5km road race or just keeping up with your kids.  Consider using your weekly WOOT run as part of any training plan, whether trying a tri or continuing on your running journey.

Acupuncture -if you dare!

This post contributed by ANNA BOOM and previously published on Okinawahai.com in March 2011

Needles, needles and more needles.
Acupuncture, oh my!

Recently, my running friend mentioned acupuncture helped her knee pain. Then another friend tried it for her glute/hamstring pain, another for plantar fascitis. And then an article in one of my favorite magazines popped up on acupuncture.

Like many of you, I have heard of acupuncture and known it is all about needles but I wanted to find out more. Onto to the research then…

Since moving here to Okinawa wonderland, I’ve been interested in more eastern leaning therapies. I tried acupuncture once way, way back for some forgotten pain and I guess it worked. I forgot about the pain, right?

Although I don’t have any specific pain, one article I read on Today.com website (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33100448/ns/today-green/) caught my eye: an Alternative to Botox. What?!

This newer procedure spoke, no, screamed attention, to my vain inner self. Poke me with a few needles and wrinkles disappear? This is not quite the claim of facial acupuncture, but after a series of 10 – 12 sessions, it will help soften wrinkles.

I contacted my friends and found the acupuncturist for me at Tokyo Acupuncture.

What makes Urasaki-san at Tokyo Acupuncturist the acupuncturist for me? He speaks English well. This is vital for me in any type of sticking-needles-into-my-body sort of fashion. He has been doing this for 16 years too.

I called him up on Monday morning and set up my first appointment for Wednesday afternoon.

After arriving, Urasaski san asked me why I was there, if there was any pain I was experiencing. I explained that I was there for facial acupuncture and also that my lower back was a little tight.

After filling out a short informational sheet with name and such, I lay down and he began to swab alcohol on certain points on my hands. Then, he went on to insert 24 needles into various points in my body around the hands, elbows, feet and knees, all starting with the alcohol swab. He was also sure to show me he uses only new needles.

The sensation was a bit painful in some places, like near my ring toe on my left foot. Other places, it didn’t hurt at all.

Now onto my face and the main reason I was there. For wrinkles and relaxation, needles are inserted into the face. According to Chinese medicine, we have meridians that run through the body. The needle helps release blocked chi or qi and help energy flow.  

He inserted needles around my laugh lines (I really need to smile and laugh less) and a few around my forehead. I don’t yet have pronounced mommy worry lines (maybe because my kids are still toddlers-give me about 10 more years and check back) so not many in that area.  

Then, relax. Easy.

After a short amount of time, he came and took out all the needles and massaged my face. If you’ve ever had a facial, it is nothing like that at all. It was more like holding your fingers on a certain area until it relaxed and felt very nice.

Last step, he had me check in the mirror and I admit, it did soften my lines. Was it due to the irritation of getting pricked with many needles? Perhaps, but I liked it.

To get to Tokyo Acupuncture: Drive out Kadena Gate 2. Go through the Koza intersection. Pass the police station and the first traffic light. At the second light, turn left. Turn right at the 6^th intersection. It will have a yellow flashing caution light hanging in the middle of the road. Almost immediately, on your left you will see a red sign that has Tokyo written in cursive. The rest of the sign is in kanji. Immediately past that sign is the acupuncture clinic. The sign will read in English, “lower back, pain massage, acupuncture.” Parking is under the clinic. Take the stairs that lead up to the office.

Hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday

Phone: 098 939-8551

Want to run faster?

In a previous post I mentioned how fortunate we are to have such a diverse group of women with various gifts and talents to offer. Stephanie Shimkus is one of our gifted members who is not only an exceptionally talented athlete (having played beach volleyball on the semi-pro circuit), but she is also a qualified sports massage therapist and RRCA certified running coach. While we don't have the good fortune of having her here in Okinawa with us, she is still able to share much of her knowledge from afar. I asked Stephanie if she would write a post for us on the benefits of speedwork and she kindly obliged:  

Speedwork.   Just saying the word often conjures up images of the women’s world marathon record holder, Paula Radcliffe, knocking out 5:15 mile repeats eight to ten times in a single session, or Roger Bannister’s late night track workouts of 20 – 400 meter repeats on his way to the world’s first sub 4-minute mile (Bannister eventually set the record of 3:59).  The good news here is that speedwork does not have to be scary, intimidating nor does it even have to be overly scientific.

The Swedes had it right when they coined the term “Fartlek” in the 1930’s.  For new runners, the word fartlek sounds a little like a swear word and often causes some giggles (go ahead and giggle…you know you want to).  The word fartlek, simply means, “speed play.”  In its most organic form, Swedes simply disappeared into the mountains on cross country ski trails and ran as hard as they could from say, a rock to a tree 100m away or perhaps from a creek to a large landmark of their choosing some distance away.  In between these hard efforts, runners would jog until they felt like running hard again.  Not very scientific or scary, right?  Speedwork really can be that simple.

Speedwork has several different benefits.  The simplest is that you become a faster runner.  Maybe you’re a 5K runner and you would like to develop faster leg turnover.  Or you’re a half marathon gal and you are looking to develop a faster constant pace, then speedwork is for you.  Without getting too scientific, speedwork also teaches your body how to run hard by causing change within the body’s energy systems which in turn develops our bodies into faster and more efficient machines. 

Training your body to run fast is also good for your brain.  Your brain has a pretty strong survival mechanism.  The brain’s first instinct will be to send signals to the rest of your body to tell you to stop, that it is uncomfortable to run hard so you should stop.  Speedwork teaches you how to override that mechanism so you can run no matter how hard the workout.  Additionally, speedwork can be very tough so in doing these hard workouts, you are developing mental toughness so you walk away saying, “heck yeah!  I’m one tough lady!”  Now who doesn’t want to walk away from a workout feeling like a super star?

So now you’ve decided that you definitely want to feel like a super star after your next run.  Where do you begin?  If you are new to speedwork, I would suggest trying fartleks which are basically simple interval training – running hard for a bit then jogging for a bit.  Then you can evolve into running hard at perhaps 80% maximum effort (your effort, not your running partner’s effort or your significant other’s effort) for 30 seconds followed by 60 seconds to two minutes of jogging, continuing that pattern for as many repetitions as you feel necessary. 

Setting out on a fartlek run; Stephanie uses her garmin as a timer

If you have tried fartleks and intervals on a few runs and would like to tackle the track, then there are many options.  Don’t panic just because I have mentioned the word, “track.”  What you do on the track (and in any speedwork), depends on the race distance for which you are training.  If training for a 5K, then 4-400 meter intervals might be appropriate.  A half marathon?  Then mile repeats (4 times around an Olympic-sized track like the ones found at many high schools or college campuses) are something to consider. 

One of my favorite track workouts is Yasso’s 800.  Named after Bart Yasso of “Runner’s World Magazine” fame and known as, “the Ambassador of running,” this simple but potent workout is fun, challenging and always leaves me starving for at least a full 24 hours after!  It works like this: warm up for one mile (this can be done on or off the track) then move right into 800 meter intervals which is two laps around an Olympic track at a steady pace then follow this by a 1-lap jog (I like to call this part, “the old lady shuffle”) and immediately back into the next 800 meter interval.  Each interval is to be done slightly faster than the one before.  Usually those who are new to this workout should start at six intervals of 800 meters.  For those experienced runners, do no more than ten.  Then I follow this with a 1 mile cooldown which can be done on or off the track.

Let me repeat this again, speedwork does not have to be something to fear!  It’s a valuable gauge of your aerobic conditioning, a great way to amp up your running, and if you’re one who likes mental challenges, then running hard for a specific period of time is right up your alley!  So let’s do as the Swedes have been doing for years, get outside and enjoy the view.  And while you’re at it, run some fartleks.  Of course you can laugh because the word is funny.  You might be even be surprised that a good laugh at the word combined with actually doing a few fartleks might leave you feeling like a super star!



Steph warms her client up with some leg strengthening drills




Strong legs help make a stronger runner

Thank you Steph for a great post! Remember, if you're new to running and have not yet incorporated  speedwork into your regular running routine, be sure to follow Stephanie's recommendations and ease into it slowly. And please, do not attempt to do any speedwork if you are still recovering from an injury. Now get out there and try those fartleks!

Naha Marathon

With less than five months to go until the Naha marathon takes place, we wanted to re-post some information about this popular race. Registrations will begin any time now and if you're interested in signing up, you'd better not dwell on your decision too long; this race is extremely popular and fills up very quickly.

The following post was published in okinawahai.com last year and was written by Anna Boom:
 

Did anyone notice the huge group of 25,000 people hanging out around the Asahibashi Park this past Sunday? It was the 26^th annual Naha marathon. A little history: This “Festival of Sun, Ocean and Joggers” started in 1985 as a commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the sister city bond between Naha and Honolulu (www.naha-marathon.jp/en/info/index.html).



Runners waiting for the starting bell to gong

This is the first year that the entrants were limited to 25,000. This race also closed very quickly. Race entry started on August 2^nd and was full by August 13^th. Twenty five thousand people had registered in just 12 days! Even with the 5500 yen in hand, you could not run the 26.2 mile course.

My friends and I decided to pace our good friend Andrea for the last six miles of the race. For those of you who have run marathons before, you may remember that right around 20 miles your body has finally convinced your brain that you are an idiot for being out here and running 26.2 miles. Who in his/her right mind would do this?!! Why am I out here?! I hate running! These are some of the wonderfully depressing thoughts that hit around some point in your marathon (hopefully somewhere after the midway point). That is why having support out there while you are running a marathon is very, very helpful and why running marathons on Okinawa is so wonderful (more on that for a future article).

The Naha marathon course is beautiful. It starts at 9 am at the Asahibashi park, which is on your left as you are driving to the airport, right behind that tree house restaurant. It then goes through downtown Naha on Kokusai dori, loops down through Haebaru town and Gushikomi Junction.

The half way point is at Peace Prayer Park. If you have never been before, come back with a car full of friends and family and properly dressed and showered. It is a definite must on Okinawa. Now back to the marathon; here at Peace Prayer Park, you get many port-a-potty options if you need and overhead run-under sprinklers to cool you down.

Hitting the half way point can be entirely intoxicating. You made it half way and you are hopefully feeling great. You ran up, up and up to get here, there are many, many people here cheering you on even though they don’t know you and will never see you again. Kids want to give you a high five; you are riding the endorphin high and are a superstar!

Soon the course goes through Itoman and up to Tomigusuku. At the Ahagon crossing, the 33.1 Km point, where we met our runner, Andrea, there is only 9 kms left. That is less than 10 Km, something positive to keep in mind. The rest of the run is pleasant. People are waiting to cheer you on and offer you food, water, mikan (little tangerines), salt, umeboshi (salted plums that are so yum), chu-chus (frozen sugar pops, also yum), Aquarius, sponges, ice, etc.

Notice I said pleasant, not easy. This is a full marathon after all, 26.2 miles or 42.195 Kilometers. At some point, every runner hurts during the race. You need to keep running, one foot in front of the other. Don’t count the miles, the kilometers or the pace. Just go with what you feel. All along the Naha course there are taiko drummers, school bands playing, happy people, Eisa dancers, wishing you the best with cheers of GAMBARE or GAMBATTE (do your best!). The end of the marathon ends in the Asahibashi stadium. Yes, there is a lap that must be run so sprint it out to the end.



With our runner, Andrea, as she holds up her finisher's certificate

Andrea, our runner, did not achieve her PR or personal record this year, but Okinawa City marathon is coming up on February 20^th.

If you are interested in entering any of the marathons or races on Okinawa, use the website sportsentry.ne.jp but keep in mind that you will probably require the assistance of a Japanese friend or acquaintance.

End note: Andrea ended up running the Okinawa City marathon a couple of months later and finished with a Boston qualifying time, and also tied for third place in the foreign women's division.