10)Saturday June 26, 2004 Weather : Sunny Giving up Saroma Ultra Marathon Race on June 27, 2004

• More than one and half months have passed since I had a numbed right bottom leg. However, the symptom remains almost the same although I had taken the medicines from the doctor.
• I have been refraining from running in addition to taking medicines.
• I was scheduled to leave for Monbetsu Airport from Haneda today, however, I was forced to cancel the flight. I finally gave up joining the race. It's really sad for me!!
• Anyway, I should continue to refrain from running until I recover. My next race may be in autumn of this year.

9)Saturday June 5, 2004 Weather : Fine Walking

• The condition of my right leg almost remains the same. I still feel the leg numbed.
• I completely stopped running to see what will happen.
• However, it was fine and I could not stand to stay in the house.
• I decided to walk instead of running. Of course, I took a digital camera.
• I walked alongside Ochiai River. It seems that the scenery seen at walking is different from that at running.
• It's almost rainy season and I could see a lot of hydrangea flowers.
• I walked 7 km for 1 and half hours. During the time, I met several runners. I wish I could run like them. I could not satisfied with walking.
  
  
  Hydrangea Hydrangea Carp in Ochiai River
  
  
  
• Today, my several running mates ran from Higashi-kurume station to Tamako-lake and Sayamako-lake. The distance was 50 km. I had a plan to join, but was forced to give up.
• Instead, I join the after-the-run party to be held at the Chinese restaurant just in front of the station in the evening. I enjoyed chatting and drinking with my friends. I must join the running next time.

8)Saturday May 22, 2004 Weather : Cloudy Possibility to give up Saroma Ultra Marathon Race

• In order to complete Saroma Ultra marathon race on coming June 27, I have been training hard so far, however, suddenly, I may have to give up joining the race.
• On the day when I came back from my home country by bus (I was in the bus for almost 10 hours.), I ran 10 km. Immediately after running, I noticed that my right calf was a little bit numbed.
• At that time, I did not care about it since I thought it would go away. However, the numbed condition has been continued.
• Finally, I decided to consult the doctor. However, the orthopedist I visited could not trace the causes today.
• He said I had to take vitamine B12 for a while and see what would happen.
• Luckily or unluckily, the doctor did not tell me to stop running or drinking, however, it seems that I had better to refrain from running for a while. I did walk and did not run this weekend.
• I am wondering if I could join the ultra marathon race since only one month remains for ultra marathon race. At worst, I am forced to give up the race this year!!

7)Saturday May 15, 2004 - Sunday May 16, 2004 Training camp at Atami

• I joined the training camp at Atami with my running mates. 13 members joined the camp. All male members. Almost all were middle-aged!!
• We took on the local train from Tokyo. The train started at 9:53 AM. We immediately strated drink party(?) in the train. We drank beers, sakes, and even JINRO (Korean Shochu).
• At Atami, one member from Osaka joined us. We had lunch with beers at the restaurant near station.
• After resting the lodge for a while, we started to run. It was fine and hot. We ran almost 12 km on the first day. Then we enjoyed hot spring.
• We drank beer and cold Japanese sake at dinner. After the dinner, we went to Karaoke room to have a Karaoke party. We enjoyed singing and drinking there for more than two hours,
• After the Karaoke party, we went back to the room to have the third drink party! The party was over around 11:00 PM. Anyway, too much drink!!
• Unfortunately, it was rainy on Sunday morning. We went out to run in the rain at 6:00 AM. The running distance was a few km.
• The-second-day training started from 9:30 AM. It was drizzling at the initial stage, however, on the way, it became real rain. It seemed as if I was running in the shower.
• The total running distance was 15 km. The rain finally stopped when we came back to the lodge.
• We went to bath-house near Atami station, and later we had a final drink party at Japanese noodle restaurant. We enjoyed beer, hot Japanese sake and Japanese noodle.
• But the drink party did not finish. We continued the party in the train bound for Tokyo.
• The member who got off at Ikebukuro Station (Three members including me) went to Japanese pub restaurant (Yorono-taki)again at Ikebukuro!! Fortunately, it was happy hour until. A drink was served only @Yen210 until 6:00 PM. We drank enough there!! I went back home with complely drunk. I wondered if I went to Atami to run. I think I went there to drink rather than run.

6)Sunday May 9, 2004 : Weather : Cloudy The Season of Fresh Green

• Although yesterday was Saturday, I had to go to work all day! Thus Sunday is the only holiday of this weekend.
• The weatherman said it would be rainy later at the weekend. Thus I had a plan to jog early in the Sunday morning. However, the rain already started around 6:00 AM.
• Fortunately, the rain stopped and thus I rushed to run around 7:30 AM. The destination was Heirinji Temple.
• The forest of Heirinji Temple was full of fresh green now. I could enjoy running around Heirinji Temple with fresh air and viewing fresh green. I could also heard Japanese nightingale singing in the forest.
• Today's running distance was only 21 km. Total running distance in May so far is 119 km.
• By the way, I ran totally 320 km in April 2004.

5)Saturday May 1, 2004 Weather : Sunny JOGGING in Okayama

• I went back to my home country, Okayama Pref., by night highway bus during April/May Golden week as I did last year.
• It was fine on May 1, 2004 in the morning. I intended to run 60 km at least.
• The planned course: Kibi Heights Town via Kibi Heights cycling road to Gokei District (Soja City) via Route 307.
• I left my parental home at 7:40 AM. At the beginning, I felt that my legs were so heavy and could not run faster. ( I drank too much last night.) Besides, it was hard to run the Kibi Heights cycling road during the latter half since almost all part was uphill.
• It took more time than I expected to reach the town. I arrived there around 11:30 AM. The distance was approx. 35 km. I felt hungry and took needle at the JA shop in the town.
  
  Guide Map of Kibi Heights Town
  
  
• Then I went into Route 307. The course was upward for a while. Soon I arrived in Yoshikawa Hachiman Shrine. It is said that the shrine was built in 1096 as a branch shrine of Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine of Kyoto.
• Later the course was in the forest. I came across only a few cars while running. I could enjoy quiet jogging. Shortly I passed Makitani dam.
• Immediately passing the Makitani dam, the course was sharply downward.
• Finally I came across JR Hakubi Line. I had a plan to run back to my parental home via Soja City, Kibiji District. However, I already exhausted owing to hot weather and also the running distance exceeded 60 km. I gave up to run any more. I decided to get on the train from JR Gokei Station.
• I arrived in JR Gokei Station at 2:45 PM. I found the next train would leave at 2:49 PM. Only two trains are available per hour! I rushed to a small shop in front of the station, where the old woman operated, to by a canned beer.
• I just caught the train and could drink beer calmly in the train. The beer was so delicious.
• The total running distance was 63 km.
  
  
  Yoshikawa Hachiman Shrine Yoshikawa Hachiman Shrine
  
  Makitani Dam JR Gokei Station Train
  
  
  

4)Thursday April 29, 2004 Weather : Fine Jogging : Koganei Park - Tamagawa Irrigation - JR Kokubunji Station - Ohkunitama Shrine - Shimokawahara Ryokudo - Tamagawa River

• The first day of April/May Goden week holidays was fine. It was fresh in the morning. I left home for jogging around 7:00 AM.
• This time, I ran to Tamagawa River via captioned course.
• I passed through Koganei Park and ran alongside Tamagawa Irrigation until I reached Kokubunnji Highroad. I could enjoy bright greens. Then I ran southward until I arrived in JR Kokubunji Station.
• I continued to ran southward to Ohkunitama Shrine. A row of zelkova trees was beautiful.
• Acrossing just before JR Fuchu-honmachi Station, I entered into Simokawahara jogging road. I ran further to reach Tamagawa River. The Simokawahara jogging road was once a freight railroad of Musashino Line.
• I could enjoy seeing Mt. Fuji clearly from the bank of Tamagawa River.
• I came across a lot of joggers on the cycling road of Tamagawa River.
• The temperature was not so high and the humidity was low. Thus I was happy to run on the cycling road.
• From Koremasa Bridge, I ran back to my home via usual course (via Shin-Koganei Highroad). Today's running distance was 39 km.
• So far in April, the total running distance is 310 km. I could run more than 300 km this month.
  
  
  JR Kokubunji Station Ohkunitama Shrine
  
  Shimokawahara jogging road Tamagawa River & Mt. Fuji
  
  
  

3)Saturday April 17, 2004 Weather : Sunny Weather like early summer

• Like last weekend, the weather of this weekend is almost early summer.
• This morning, I could not run in the early morning as usual since I had a drink party last night and had a little bit hang-over.
• Anyway, I decided to run 10 km only, because I will join Kasumigaura full marathon race tomorrow.
• I started to run from 10:00 AM alongside Kurome/Ochiai Rivers. It was already a little bit hot.
• The warm days continued lately and thus both the flowers of wisterias and rhododendrons have already started to bloom.
• Although I ran only 10 km, I sweated today.
• Meanwhile, the sun rises around 5:15 AM recently. Thus now is the good season to run in the early morning. It gets light before 5:00 AM now and I feel good when running in the early morning. I don't feel good to run in the dark during winter early morning.
• I could run three times (Tuseday, Wednesday & Friday) this weekdays after a long interval. I ran totally 30 km.
• My total running distance in April so far is 149 km. I have to run 151 km further this month.

2)Sunday April 11, 2004 Weather : Cloudy occasinally sunny Running on the bank of Arakawa River

• The weatherman said that the weather of this weekend would be like early summer and it really was.
• It was fine yesterday and the temperature was almost 22 degrees Centigrade.
• It was cloudy in the early this morning, but was warm. Soon the sun occasinally appeared and the temerature rose up to 20 degrees.
• I left home at 7:00 AM. I intended to run on the bank of Arakawa River via Ohizumi Central Park. At the park, tulips are in full bloom.
• Cherry blossoms were already gone. Now is the time of double cherry blossoms.
• This year, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom earlier than usual. The sprout of tree is also earlier than usual. A thicket of associated trees is already getting green.
• When reaching the bank of Arakawa River, I was surprised to find that the road on the bank which were full of grass had been paved.
• Anyway, if you run on the bank upstream, you can see Singashi River at left and Arakawa River at right. You can enjoy good scenery.
• I went home via the road alongside Kurome River. The total running distance was 39 km. I was a little bit tired since my first planned distance was 30 km.
  
  
  Tulips Double cherry blossoms
  
  Road on the bank Arakawa River in April
  
  
  

1)Saturday April 3, 2004 Weather : Fine Running under the cherry blossoms

• It was fine all day.
• As I did last weekend, I ran and visited the place where I could see the cherry blossoms. Today, I ran alongside the Ochiai/Kurome Rivers. I left home at 7:00 AM.
• There are several lows of cherry trees alongtside Kurome River. First, I visited the park behind the Niiza Techincal High School. Unfortunately, the cherry blossoms were almost gone. I should have visited there last weekend.
• This year, the conditions of cherry blossoms are unequal. A lot of cherry trees are now in full bloom.
• Anyway, it is enjoyable to run under the cherry blossoms on fine day.
• It was warm and it's really a spring day! Today's running distance was 30 km.
• By the way, to my regret, the total running distance in March was only 193 km owing to 7-day business trip to Germany.
  
  
  Niiza City Asaka City