2)Saturday October 18, 2003 Weather : Rain, then cloudy occasionally sunny. I thought I could meet the seal named "Tama-chan" this time, but I couldn't.

• I could only run one time in the early morning during this weekday owing to rainy day or drink-party day.
• I watched the NHK Morning TV News on Friday. It reported that "Tama-chan" just came back to the boat which he was used to rest there.
• Thus I decided to run to there on Saturday to meet him.
• I got up at 5:00 AM. However, while preparing for running, I heard the sound of rain. I indeed disappointed. Last night, the weatherman did not say anything that we would have rain on Saturday morning.
• However, fortunately, the rain stopped around 6:00 AM. I went out to run to Arakawa River with daypack contained digital camera on back.
• As usual, I reached the bank of Arakawa River via Ohizumi Central Park. And I ran northwards alongside Arakawa River. I met only a few joggers and cyclists on the cycling road since it was early in the morning and it was chilly.
• I finally arrived in the place where I could meet "Tama-chan" around 8:30 AM. I could see more than 10 Tama-chan-watchers were there.
• Getting excited, I approached there. However, to my regret, I could not see "Tama-chan" anywhere! He seemed to go out for catching fishes.
• Watchers had been waiting until he would come back with camera/tele-photo-lens/ tripod or binoculars.
• I was also waiting there for 30 minutes, however, I could not stand since it was a little bit cold with only half-sleeve T-shirt. I gave up and decided to come back home.
  
  
  Near Iron Bridge of JR Musashino Line
  
  
  
• Anyway, Japanese including me must be curious.
• I came home alongside Kurome River. Today's running distance is 43 km. Monthly running distance is 204 km. The balance is 96 km.

1)October 11 - 13, 2003 3 consecutive holidays

• Saturday October 11 : Cloudy Ohizumi Central Park
  
  
  • I got a sudden job to do in the day time. Thus I was forced to get up early in the morning to jog.
  • I left for Ohizumi Central Park around 4:45 AM.
  • I met many walkers alongside Kurome River after 5:00 AM.
  • At the ground near the junction of Ochiai and Kurome Rivers, more than 30 old ladies and gentlemen were radio-exercising when I was passing there around 6:30 AM.
  
  
• Sunday October 12 : Rainy, then cloudy Running around Tamako Lake
  
  
  • I had a plan to do the LSD (Long slow distance) on the second day of the holidays. However, to my regret, it had been raining and it seemed not to stop.
  • The rain finally stopped past 9:00 AM. I rushed to run around 9:30 AM. The destination was Tamako Lake.
  • I ran around Tamako Lake clockwise this time. In this case, at the intial half stage, the course is upwards. I met several runners while running.
  • I managed to complete the all course, however, it was a little bit hard for me to run 40 km after a long interval.
  
  
• Monday October 13 : Cloudy Karabori/Yanase Rivers
  
  
  • Today is a national holiday (The day of physical culture).
  • I could not get up early this morning and thus I left home around 9:00 AM. It was cloudy, but it was humid and hot like summer. The weatherman said the temperture might rise to 29 degrees Centigrade.
  • I jogged alongside Karabori/Yanase Rivers and returned home via Keyaki (zelkova tree) Road of Kiyose City.
  • In the Keyaki Road, a marathon race for Kiyose citizens was being held. Many primary school students were running there.
  • Today's running distance was 23 km. I ran totally 83 km for three days. (My planned distance was 90 km.)
  • Consequently, the grand total distance of OCTOBER RUN is now 151 km. The balance is 149 km!
  
  

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