2011 Tokyo Marathon Final Preparation

This year's training regimen has been a little less than last year, when I was fit enough to accomplish my goal of 3:10, but a near stress fracture in my right calf had me limping across the finish line and unable to walk properly for two months.

My times have been slower and distances shorter this year.  I just haven't been into it, mostly because I was nervous about my leg acting up again.  Which it did.  I am taking inflammation medicine right now trying to keep the pain down just enough that I can run for over three hours.

If you want to follow along, you can check this website beginning at 9:10am Tokyo time (4:10pm Saturday on the U.S. West coast) this Sunday for 5k updates:

http://p.tokyo42195.org/

Here's my number: 23073

It'll take me about 1-1.5 minutes to cross the start line, so subtract that from whatever shows up on the website.  I guess my official goal is 3:10 again, though I'm 95% sure that is not possible.  I am probably looking at something closer to 3:20.  I am going to try to go out semi-hard and just hold a comfortable pace without checking my splits (goal pace is 22:30 5k's), but my endurance is down this year so it's very likely my splits will start tailing off around 25k, or maybe sooner.

But I can't dawdle too long - my return flight to Okinawa leaves Tokyo at 4:05pm.