5)Saturday September 21, 2002 After the Tazawako-Lake Marathon Race (Sunny then cloudy)

• I did not have an energy to get up early in the weekday morning to jog immediately after the Tazawako-Lake marathon.
• This was the first jogging day after the race. The staring time was 9:30 AM.
• It had been cool, but this day, the temperature rose up to 27 degrees Centigarde. It was hot.
• I jogged totally 20 km to the Ohizumi Central Park. I still felt a little bit exhaustion.
• I could see a lot of spider lilies (lycoris) in full bloom. It's really a wonder that these red flowers appear at the same time (around the equinoctial week) every year in the same place.
• I saw the flowers of cosmos as well. It's autumn. The marathon season is also starting.
  
  
  Spider lily Cosmos �@�@ �@�@
  
  
  

4)September 7 - 8, 2002 Week-end Jogging Report

• Saturday September 7, 2002 Weather Rainy then cloudy ----- Tamako-Lake
  • When I got up in the morning, it was rainy!
  • I thought it was drizzling and thus it would stop shortly. But it didn't stop.
  • Therefore, I decided to go out in the drizzle at 9:00 AM.
  • I didn't decided as yet the destination when I left home. It was unsual for me, but finally decided to go to Tamako-Lake.
  • I jogged alongside Shin-oume Roadway to Tamako-Lake and came back via Tamako-Lake Cycling Road.
  • In spite of rainy weather, I met several runners around Tamako-Lake.
  • The rain continued while I was jogging and got wet to the skin. The running distance was 26 km.
  • At 18:00, the four members of "Higashi-kurume Fathers Club" gathered in front of the station. We chatted about Fuji relay-marathon race and coming marathon races at the pub as usual. Mr. T had to join the race next day and thus he could only drink beer. Other three members enjoyed drinking considerable amount of cold Japanese Sake. We had a good time and drunk so much!
• Sunday September 8, 2002 Rainy then sunny ----- Kurome River & "Ayu" or sweetfish
  • I drank too much last night and thus I got up at 7:30 AM. It was not normal for me to get up later than 7:00 in the morning.
  • I started to jog at 9:30 AM. The morning rain stopped and it became hot and humid.
  • The running course was alongside Karabori River, Yanase River and Kurome River.
  • Owing to the weekend rain, the amount of water of Karabori River was larger than usual. In the Yanase River, which is bigger than Karabori River, I could see a lot of fishers. Some of them seemed to try to fish "Ayu" or sweetfish.
  • When I arrived in Kurme River, the festival "Playing in the Kurome River" was being held. The fishes just caught by the casting net were displayed in the glass cases.
  • To my surprise, many "Ayu"s were in the glass case. "Ayu" is very famous Japanese fish, which can only live in the clean rivers. The taste is very good. So far, I could only see carp and crucians in Kurome/Ochiai Rivers. Thus I have never thought there were "Ayu"s in the rivers. (It is also said a kind of loach, which is a scarcity value, named "Buddha Loach"s live in Kurome/Ochiai River.) According to the promoter of the festival, there are lots of "Ayu"s in the river. But now it is not good to eat since the taste is a little bit muddy. (Usually, the taste of Ayu is like watermelon!) However, he said it will be eatable in 5 years since the quality of water may be improved. The water of Kurome River is cleaner than that of Kurome River and thus the Ayu caught in Kurome River mihgt be eatable now. A lot of other fishes were aslo displayed. I recognised the better environment around Higashi-kurime area again.
  • At noon, it became more hotter and humid. The running distance was 24 km.

3)July 22 to July 27, 2002 Weekly Jogging Report

• Monday July 22, 2002 Sunny --- Kurome River & Baby badgers
  • For the first time, I jogged on Monday morning from 4:45 AM.
  • A several peoples gathered alongside Kurome River in early morning. I wondered what it was. Then, I found two baby badgers were eating food in the bush of Kurome River.
  • Mother badger is breeding babies this year as well. However, the location is approx. 1 km up the stream compared with last year.
  • I jogged 11 km.
• Tuesday July 23, 2002 Sunny
  • I left home in early morning with digital camera to take photo of baby badgers.
  • However, unformtunately, I could not see them.
  • I jogged 10 km.
• Thursday July 25, 2002 Drizzling --- Found Grey Heron
  • It was a little bit cool this morning since it was drizzling.
  • I could see "Grey Heron" at the upper stream of Kurome River for the first time.
  • It was not good weather and thus I did not take digital camera. However, I could see baby badgers this morning! I lost the chance again.
  • I jogged 10 km. I totally ran 31 km at weekdays.
• Saturday July 27, 2002 Sunny --- Running around the Tamako Lake
  • I left home at 5:00 AM. It was so hot and I started to sweat as soon as I jogged.
  • My condition was not so good owing to lack of sleep and tiredness.
  • I managed to reach Tamako Lake in a sweat.
  • When I entered into the round course of Tamako Lake, my running pace started to slow down. On the way, I ate "WEIDER ENERGY IN". At the end of the round course, I gobbled sports drink.
  • The sunlight was so strong and I finally started to walk after 35 km point. I could remember the hardness after 70 km point of Saroma Ultra Marathon Race.
  • Since then, I repeated walk and run. Anyway, I could complete 40 km run. It is so hard to run 40 km in mid-summer! I was drenced in a sweat.

2)Saturday July 20, 2002 Running to Mt. Arahata-Fuji, Tokorozawa-City, Weather : Sunny

• Last night, I joined the old boys meeting of Wandervogel Club at the university. I met several seniors after a long interval and chatted/caroused. I heard that one of my seniors by three years already got a grandson! I was surprised and at the same time I thought that I might have a grandson in the near future.
• I came home after mid-night and thus I got up around 7:00 AM this morning.
• I had a little bit hangover in the morning, however, I decided to go out at 8:30 AM.
• The sun was already shining hot. The maximum temperature was expected to rise to 35 degrees Centigrade! Thus I took the sack with water.
• I had been planning to explore new running route and thus I took the map.
• Today's destination was Mt. Arahara-Fuji near Tamako-Lake. The guidebook says you can see 360 degrees view on the top.
• I ran to Tamako-Lake as usual, then tried to ran to Mt. Arahata-Fuji referring to the map. However, soon I found I lost the way.
• Anyway, I made a detour and could finally arrive in the Fuji. The height of Fuji is only 119 meters. In fact, it is an artificially made mound, which is approx. 10 meters height.
• However, I was surprised when I got on the top. Very nice view! 360 degrees view! You can see Mt. Fuji far away. You can also see Tanzawa & Okutama mountains.
• After I enjoyed viewing, I started to run to Hakkokusan Green Park located in the western part of Sayama Hill. But again I lost the way!
• In conclusion, I could not visit Hakkokusan Green Park this time. The running distance was 34 km owing to detours.
• As forecasted, it was so hot. I drank water so much. I also drank 1 litre of sports drink during the running. I recoved from the hangover after running.
• I will try to go to Hakkokusan Green Park again.
  
  
  View from the top. The white one is Seibu Dome.
  
  
  A small shine and the view
  
  
  

1)Saturday July 6, 2002First Running after Saloma Lake Ultra Marathon Race Cloudy

• I could complete only 80 km of Saloma-Lake 100 km Ultra Marathon Race on June 30, 2002.
• I decided to join the race again next year and started training.
• Today is the first running day after the ultra marathon race. For a few days after the race, I could not run since I felt so pain on my foot.
• Anyway, remembering the ultra marathon race, I ran slowly alongside Kurome and Ochia Rivers for one hour.
• Although the distance was short, it was so humid that I sweated so much.
• In the evening, I met my three running mates at Japanese Pub Restaurant in front of Higashi-kurume station as usual. We talked about Saroma-Lake ultra marathon race and the coming marathon races.
• Mr. F, who completed ultra marathon race, happened to join the meeting(?). We chatted and drank too much.