(above: Photo from FB B.A.A. Web page)
Project Boston has been Kicked Off in Netherland, November, 2016. This was one month after Chicago Marathon 2016 I stayed in Netherland for a couple of weeks. I started running for Boston in Netherland. I was working as member of our team called "Green Keepers" consists of team members from Netherland, England, Germany and Japan (if I remember correctly...) For me I started multiple project in pararell from ground design how I want to proceed this project with contingency plan to make adjustments during 20 percent of variable conditions in terms of health and workload with work and life and health balance. Basically it's quite simple management process as Plan-Do-Check-Action.
Why Boston?
Because Boston marathon is there. As one of the oldest marathon in the world with 120 years of history. And I wanted to run it! Simple. No more no less. Just imagine 121 years ago from today. 1896, Meiji 29 in Japan.
Boston attracts me as historical city in the states, also as culture of sports, education, music, business and so on.
I knew this project is going to be a difficult one. Because of my real work going to be the toughest season of peak days of series of programs running as always. So what is important? Standadization! Eliminate Wastes as Lean principle.
Trainings : Running 300-350Km / Month
After coming back to Japan, I had awful flue for two weeks and my condition dramatically went off. Just like resetting. December was nightmare. January was another nightmare. I went so my half marathon and my left calf got injured during the race. It was almost zero degrees just too cold for running for faster pace. I restarted running in February. I skipped (DNS) Beppu-Oita. Did 5K in Fuchu Ekiden bit faster 4 mins pace. It was fine without pain. So I did Tachikawa half marathon in March as conditioning in 87 mins.
Then I went to Oume where hilly course of 30km run which is sister race for Boston marathon. Three times on Saturdays in March. 30-35Km pace run. Build up training until two weeks prior to Boston marathon as tapering. Good enough elevation change during the 30K similar to Boston marathon course.
There’s always challenges before the marathon balancing the training and conditioning caring your body fitness preventing from injuries. So I put on compression socks on my calf every day and do massages. Thanks for this tips Harrisson. Using tennis ball for my foot care. Thanks for this tips Hamaya-san. All of these every day care directory connected with the performance in Boston.
Preparation is not only running but also energy, food! Rice cakes, Miso soup, soy source, seaweed. Thanks to my wife for all the support and also my son. He knows what I'm doing. He remembers that I could not run Boston back in two years ago.
Going to Boston.
Time to off on my foot. Flying over Alaska and landing Boston after 13 hours of flight with 13 hours of time difference. Waiting cue for almost two hours in custom. Much longer than Chicago six months ago. I don't see many runners around maybe it's still Thursday evening. I'm here for Saturday morning BAA5K!
Taking "T" blue line and green like to Boston common. Walk to the hotel historical hotel built in 1800s. Floor is not flat. Building staying up so it's ok.. room is really compact and convenient.. my positive thinking logic helps me and could have good sleep😴
Its theaters district. Do you know? It's surrounded by theatre 🎭 people come out after the show at midnight! During my sleep, early in the morning trucks start running their work. Common... I don't care just sleep.
Friday morning, went for jogging as refresher. Boston common, the garden, Beacon hills, Cambridge River, MIT campus were all beautiful. MIT campus reminds me of the place for the movie "good will hunting".
Boston public garden. The oldest public garden in the US. Right across the Boston Common.
Hi there, good morning.
Welcoming runners.
View from Cambridge river.
The Expo.
Could not resist smiling. Boston marathon was on my list for years. Picking up bib "RED". The color identifies the wave start. RED for Wave1. It is always exciting going to expo. I always try not stay there more than one hour. Just I do not want to on my foot too long.
Surprisingly, I found the name of Namban (name of Tokyo International Running Club) on the huge board in Expo. This made me feel so special. I heard this picture was from Keren - running Boston together with.
It's all set. I'm ready to start.
Visiting my colleague in Boston
My colleague drove me the whole marathon course on Friday!! This was such a kind of my colleague. I really appreciate for this huge support! Then I could run this marathon just like I am running as second time. This helped me so much to keep me calm and rest very well in terms of mentaly and philically. I could keep much more space mentaly to spare with me on Saturday and Sunday.
Runners World one day before the Patriots day
I joined Runner's World pop up session in Boylston street. This turned out to meet in person who I would never meet if I was in Tokyo.
Photo with Mr. Yasso. Such a pleasure to meeting him in person in Boston. He is so famous as Yasso800 in Japan as well as U.S.
Mr. Yasso. He is the legend. With totally respect.
And I turn around and Ms. Flanagan was right there. So suprprised.
Ms. Shalane Flanagan, 4 times Olympic marathoner, Ms. Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon. Her number 261 will be retired number.
Mr. Yasso and Boston Champions - Amby Burfoot, Greg Meyer and Jack Fultz.
Their advice for running Boston were quite simple. "You know the answer.""It is your marathon." "You know your strategy." "It is about how you run it." - I interpreted these as Run as you think. Just enjoy.
With Adam. He is the super ultra runner. He crossed US on foot in 60 days. How amazing! I met him at Runner's World pop up session. I was chatting with him like hi this is my first Boston and so on. We keep in touch as ultra runner mates across the pacific ocean! US and Japan! He is a reall super marathoner. Super!
I will remember the key speach of Dave McGillivray, Boston marathon race director. I was so Inspired.
"At the end of my life, I'd ike to think I gave everything I had and then some,
Until simply I 'run' out of time."
Running B.A.A. 5K
Purpose of running 5K on two days prior to marathon is judjusting to the 13 hours of timezone difference and promoting blood circulation. So that can rest well on Saturday and Sunday for the race on Monday.
I started quick for first 1K in about 3mins 15-20 seconds and jogged after 1K to finish. Finishing in 18:45. 14th place in my division. It was really fun running. I was recalling memories from year 1989-1990 running in Yankton High School.
BAA 5K Result
Net Time18:45
Overall 224/8921
In Gender 177/3767 (Male)
In Division 14/469 (M40-44)
On the course of 5K - passing the marathon finish line coming in two days on Monday.
B.A.A. 5K finisher medal and Tshirt
Carbo-loading Pasta party at city hall one day before the Patriot day.
Chatting with doctor he is from Seattle running his third Boston tomorrow. He runs Boston every 10 years he says. Really nice. It was also interesting moment sharing our enthusiasm about TPS concept in Boston. :) (TPS: Toyota Production System)
The Patriots day: 121st Boston Marathon 2017
One day before it was 30 degrees. On the marathon day, the weather condition highest went up to 25-26 degrees. I heard many people in Boston saying "It is summer today!". Yes, it was summer. I have changed my target plan from Sub 3 to Sub 3:10-3:15 before the race. Simply calculated as 3hrs(180 mins) * roughly 10% deviation = 3hrs 18 mins. It was too warm for marathon, good for spectators.
The elevation change of the course
From hills to Boston city. From 150m to close to 0m with repeadely down and up hills. Doesn't look so easy at all. I was sure that I'd never get board during this course. But the issue is the heat causes the higher probability of being cramped due to sweat while running. So I dicided to carry more energy supplement than usual condition.
Heading to Hopkinton High School Runner's camp
Runners took school bus from Boston common at 6:00 am to starting point Hopkinton High school. Planty of time time to relax before the start at 10:00 am. At runners camp in Hoskinton High School, relaxing with running mates before the start. Bagle was good! Smashed couple of them. Just east as much as possible before the race. This is one of the strategy to avoid cramp. I wanted to stop cramping but not my race.
Runners in school bus.
Runner's camp in Hopkinton HS
We did our best while our preparation for today. Now take it easy.
Start -10KM(5K: 21:25, 10K 43:28)
Right after the national anthem, two blue impulse flew over the top of the runner with explosive in low altitude flight. I was kind of satistied at this point in a way. But it doesn't make sense to going home without running marathon off course.... Started as warm up jog until 10K. It was down hills as the elevation change shows. It was just hot, nothing else... I kept putting water on my head every kilometer.
11-20KM(15K 1:05:02, 20K 1:27:22)
My colleague and her husband with the sign!! It was really windy and very hot weather on Monday of 17th. Just as I approached the place, there was a possibility of accdident that the sign was blown off by strong winds. I really appreciate your support for creating this sign and cheer up!! I could not have run without your support!!! You guys gave me power! Just recalling this memory makes me feel like tears.
21-30K (Half 1:32:10, 25K 1:49:42, 30K 2:13:02)
Passing half point, no looking at watch any more. Just checking my heart beat once in a while due to this really hot weahter too much of heat... Passing by Wellesley college, the yell outs were higher than any other places. Really high tention..
No looking at my watch at this point. Just recording as data. More importantly, simply I wanted to enjoy running this race as much.
I really don't remember where exactly the hills were. I can recall Newton firestation. Turned to right at the corner. And went up the hills. That's all I remember. I liked going up hills. Just as running in Oume, Tokyo. The 100Km total training helped me right there. I was totally in zone.
31-40K (35K 2:37:30, 40K 3:03:07)
Tiredness peaked with the heat. My eyesight is getting weaker without sunglasses. The sun is strong and sweat does not stop. Even I put water on my head every kilometer, the heat does not go down.
Recurrence of plantar inferioritis. Pain runs on the left foot heel. Again? Come on. Switch to pitch running. To minimize the pain, the technique of running has been loaded with the past 12 marathons and 100 KM of training on the Ome Marathon course.
Again, I don't really care about the time anymore. It is not about the time, it is about how I run this. The yell outs, spectators were awesome out there.
~42.195K (3:14:14)
Passing the Boston University and Fenway park, but I really don't remember well because of the heat from the sun. I passed runners with wheelcharts, I saw people walking with Marine wears on the road, runners with prosthetic foot. Really inspiring. I felt like I got unseen force from each other. Learning a lot from this entire 26.2 miles. The last one mile was just like show. Amazing. This is Boston. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I appreciate for all the securities, volunteers support.
Time 3:14:14
Rank Over all: 3530
Rank Over Gender: 3144
Rank Over Division: 583
Thanks you for the picture(Makiko-san)
The last 500 meters in Boylston street to the finish line.
After the finish line.
Cramped after finish line. Going to massage thanks to B.A.A. support.
七転び八起き(Fall down seven times, stand up eight)
After finishline I walked to massage therapy of BAA support. I met massager with Japanese character tatoo on his right arm says 七転び八起き(Fall down seven times, stand up eight). My eyes recovered when I saw it. :)
This looks very unique. Asked him why? He replies with his proud "I am Kyokushin Karate Black belt and I learned this from my seinsei(master)". I was really amazed even I had my legs cramping.... My muscle (and/or internal organ) around libs also cramping. My body was damaged so badly. I took water, hot water, chicken soup, apple juce. They had everything. I was slowly recovering from suffering with cramping, dehydrating.. Thanking so much for his support.
We chatted a lot about the culture of Japan, the beauty of respecting the senior people. I was so glad he mensioned about that. I could see he knows the Japanese culther through Karate even he never been to Japan. He knows from Karate. This is the core of sports I believe.
He with asked me about my singlet. I suggested him to search "Google" for Namban - Tokyo International Running Club. Whenever he come to Tokyo in the future I wanted him to come to join this running club. Looking forward to see him in the future in Tokyo. - "IchigoIchie" (Live every day as though it were last)
Post marathon party in Fenway park
Mile 27. No explanation is required.. Finished!
Extra edition
Several Memorable moments..
Fire department in Boylston street
Quincy market
Meb ran his last Boston marathon. He came up to the family after crossing finishing line. Family lost their son by the terrible accident in 2013. I am deeply impressed by his sincere action.
Traders Joe's also has Boston Marathon Finishline.
Boston museum. Really nice place to visit.
Boston Symphony Orchestra Theater. Imagine Concert master Seiji Ozawa..
Last but not the least
I would like to say big thank you to my friends and my family supported me along this project, journey. Huge appreciation to my parents for raising me strong with both mind and body. Vannessa from Coke, Nike. Harry from Futako, Keren, Makiko, Kylie, Alan, Stephen, Bret, Jeffrey from Namban, Pam huge thanks, Fely supported me from airport to the city, running mates from Chicago unfortunately could not meet in person this time in Boston, Bret we ran together in YHS used to live here thanks for the message it was pleasure to knowing you have enjoyed running Boston many times, thanks to everyone you guys made this Boston marathon special. Also all frinds met in Boston from over the US, China, Germany, UK and many others(including Japan). And thanks to friends from Netherland, team Green Keepers! :)
For me, Boston marathon was all about meeting with people. I hope coming back again in the future. Just like the gentleman I met during the Pasta party at city hall, running Boston every ten years.
Thank you, Boston!
Cheers!
