JOGGING DIARY

January 2001 - March 2001

Tomorrow will be April 1. However, I was surprised when I waked up this morning since it was snowing!
The weatherman said the maximum temperature would be 6 degrees Centigrade. It's mid-winter!
The snow continued all day sometimes changing into rain or sleet.
I had a plan to go cherry-blossom viewing while jogging since the cherry blossom was in full bloom. However, I was forced to change the plan.
Instead, in the afternoon, I started to walk with umbrella.
First, I went to Hakusan Park, located 1.5 km away from my home. The cherry blossom was almost in full bloom! It's wonderful. If it was fine and warm, I might drink One-cup Japanese Sake under the cherry blossom!
A lot of flower-viewing people should have been there, however, owing to bad weather and coldness, no one was there.
Then, I walked alongside Kurome River viewing a row of cherry trees. Total walking distance was approx. 7 km. It was so cold today.
When I arrived in my home, the snow was coming down in large flakes! I wonder if it will be April tomorrow.

A row of cherry trees alongside Kurome River (Hazy with snow)

Before I know, it is almost middle March! Spring is coming, but the wind of today is chilly.
Tomorrow is the day of Tachikawa marathon race and thus I jogged only 10 km today alongside Ochiai & Kurome Rivers.
While I was running slowly, I found several signs of spring.
To say nothing of Ume-flowers, I could see horsetail, bud of willow, flower of butterbur, dandelion, rape blossoms and other flowers which I do not know the names. I was very pleased to find those flowers. The buds of magnolia are getting bigger! It's almost spring!

Dandelion Rape blossoms
However, as I wrote before, the spring is also the nasty "Pollen allergy" season! I started to have symptoms last week.
I am wondering how the joggers who suffer from Pollen allegy manage to get through the season.
I once heard that the "Ten-cha tea" is good for Pollen allegy. Thus during the season, I drink 3 - 4 mugs of Ten-cha tea every day! It seems to be efficacious for me. If you do not, please try it!

It was almost the end of February and spring should have been coming, but it was cold weekend.
I jogged to Koganei Park after a long interval, which is located at a distance of approx. 6 km from my house.
The Koganei Park is famous for cherry blossoms and thus a lot of people come to see the cherry blossoms in spring. There is also small Ume (plum) trees garden.

White Ume flowers
Regardless of continual coldness, Ume flowers were in half bloom. Many flower-viewing people were gathering. The spring was surely coming!
I also look forward to cherry blossoms season!!

It has been colder than normal year.
Finally, I could jog to Shakujii Park. I left home at 9:00 AM and arrived there at 10:00 AM.
It was so cold. However, in the park, I could see red plum blossom which well contrasted with blue sky.

Wild ducks
Walkway alongside the Sanpoji Pond was under construction and thus I could not walk around. However, I could see a lot of wild ducks on the pond. However, the number of ducks was not so many as I expected.
I could see pintails first, then teals and other kinds of ducks which I could not find at Higashi-kurume area.

Pintails Family jogging race
Alongside the Shakujii Pond, a family jogging race was held and a lot of families gathered.
The round trip from my house to Shakujii Park is approx. 20 km.

It was fine and very cold this morning.
I started to jog from 9:30 AM alongside Kurome & Ochiai Rivers. The distance was approx. 10 km.
During the winter, you can see a lot of migratory birds on both rivers.
You can find pintails first, then teals.
You can watch more kinds of migaratory birds on the ponds of Shakuji Park. I have a plan to visit there to watch them shortly.

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