February training
Groin continuing to bother me but it is taper time. I taper for four weeks, with 26 mile long run (in this case the Miami Marathon) before the taper. Week 4 is about 90% of highest mileage (62), Week 3 is about 80%, Week 2 is about 70% and the last week is a 10 mile run on the Sunday before the marathon, with a 5 miler on Tuesday and a 3 miler on Wednesday and Sat before the race.
In taper for Tokyo I ran a bit less because of the groin, but was running well and pain/uncomfortableness manageable. The strategy would be to keep stretching groin, go to PT once a week and I added acupuncture on the advice of a coworker. Dr. Justin Newmann at the Bayan clinic in Pinecrest. It absolutely helped to get the adductor and iliposas to relax a bit more. The pain definitely minimized and was controllable for the big day at the end of the month. Ran about 130 miles the 18 days in Feb before I left for Tokyo Marathon.
Tokyo Marathon
Headed out to Tokyo from Miami on AA through Chicago. Left on a 7am flight to Chicago for the connecting flight at around noon. Departed Monday before the Tokyo Marathon, which would get me into Narita airport at around 4:45pm on Tuesday (!!) and to the hotel by train around 7pm I hoped.
Flight arrived on time and got to the Intercontinental Strings, where I would stay before going to the Shearaton where the Marathon Tours had reserved for the group. Lovely hotel and reasonable rate, although a bit farther away from downtown. Had a great two evenings at the hotel, punctuated by one of the best sushi meals I have ever had. I small restaurant (10 seats) with the loveliest owners. The fish was delicious but the fun was priceless. Ate and drank saki for three hours with these incredible people.
Wednesday a three mile run to get acclimated (in the 40s!!). FYI, the jet lag is awful..... I couldn't sleep more than 5 hours a night....at least gives me lots of time to work (since I can't get away from my job) and explore. Really maximizing my waking hours! Not good for a strong marathon (or so I thought). Again make sure you see my new friends at the best sushi place i have ever been too!! E mail me for the name if you are going to Tokyo!
Marathon tours made the race experience super easy. Check in on Thursday and a nice meet and greet in the evening. Friday there is a city tour, with a terrific lunch and then you get dropped off in the later afternoon at the expo. They arrange for the bus to take you back to the hotel, where you are on your own for dinner - I had made a reservation at one of the few real italian restaurants in Tokyo and since I ate early I was basically by myself (6:30pm...still not over the jet lag).
Saturdays before I marathon are not fun for me. I spend the day gorging on carbs. I follow a program that requires at least 10 grams of carbs per kilo of weight. For me, that equates to about 550 grams of carbs, which is a lot........Anyway, I won't bother with the details, but it involves lots of stomach trauma....I must consume about 4-5k in calories before the race, when I normally consume about 1800. But it really does work.....Great pasta dinner with Marathon Tours that evening, BTW.
Race day
Since the hotel was so close to the start, only needed to get out of the hotel at 7:45 for the 9:10 start. I was able to sneak in an empty gatorade bottle I brought from the states since the potty lines are ridiculous, especially for the western bathrooms. I will tell no lies, I take an old tin foil wrap from a previous race and put it around my waist to pee in the gatorade bottle. Then just before the start, I throw it away.....better than peeing on the street, no?
Anyway, I go through my usual pre-race ritual: epson salt bath 3 hours before the race. Bagel with honey 3-2 hours before the race. 20 ounces of gatordade one hour before the race, 150mg of caffeine 1 hour before the race (you must fast for at least one week, which I always do), 1000mg of tylenol 30 minutes before the race and one honey stinger gel 5 minutes before the race.
With race conditions nearly perfect, but not knowing how the groin will hold up, we are off at 9:10. And the race was truly awesome. I was hitting splits I only did in training. I was 1:30 and change at the half and on my way to 3:04 by km35. But then I hit a nasty headwind, got tired and ended up with a 3:09, which was still a PR, just one month after the Miami Marathon. I couldn't believe it. It was awesome!!! And one of the things I will remember most are the Japonese volunteers, there were 4 per runner! Amazing and so happy. It was a great, great experience.
