post-marathon trip for kyushu, fukuoka, oita and kumamoto

The day first:
I flied to Kyushu for vacation as a post-marathon trip.
I have been running from hot summer, yes it's just my prise.
My purposes were relaxing and no running, but I needed to hurry and run in the Haneda airport to get in the airplane due to the big space. It was first time to visit to Kyusyu.

We stayed in Kurokawa Spa in Kumamoto-Prefecture in the day first. They have a unique system to take three spas whichever you like, and the system is like this, buy a coupon that valid to take any places for three times and show it before entering, fee is 1,200yen. There are over 20 ryokans in the area, already sold it over 2,000,000 passes. My friend Kanako and I enjoyed the bath which we stayed the Ryokan has very comfortable and also visited two more places for the others, we loved this system. Took the bath and happy faces and took the other then happier faces.









Right picture: took a bath for legs.
Left picture: typical memorial photo tool.















The day second:
We woke up early, and took a Spa in the Ryokan before breakfast and we headed for another Ryokan to take a spa after checkout. We showed a coupon(above left pic), and had a natural hot spring(above middle pic).
I was driving a car from Fukuoka airport after landing, and headed to Mt. Aso for sightseeing. (above right pic). Mt. Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan. On the day, we got stop to climb to the top of mountain due to the gas activity.

Went back to Kurokawa Spa to take the another Spa again...
And finally got to the Beppu-kannawa-Onsen, as soon as check-in, ran into the bath. In total, we had five spas a day, it's PB!!!





Right: In the Ryokan in Beppu with steamed huge shrinps and other seafood by spa
Left: Death Valley in Kurokawa Spa


















The day third:
Slept well because of good spas, I didn't feel any tiredness even though driving for a long time.
I didn't check well about Beppu-Onsen, according to the guidebook, Beppu is the feast and it has the most plenty Onsen in Japan.
We visited some places to see the source of Spa and took the Sand Spa in the beach.
After this, we moved to Yufuin-Onsen to take another spa in front of Mt.Yufu.
I think I'm ready to think about the Spring Marathon.






Left: I was in the Sand Spa on the beach
Right: Yufuin-Beer

reviewed my 2nd tokyo women's,

My aims were finishing in 3:15 and never give up.
I have some reasones; my funky cool running friend Mary wasn't able to join it due to limited number and a friend passionate for running Grainne isn't able to race Ohtawara because of injury. Last year I quite at 29km point because of cold rainy weather, rain hit me hard and took my motivation. I think I was scared to finish in bad result. I wanted to thank to Steve very much to coach and give me good advice and train my running by my result.

My result was DNF.
I was hoping to report my best result of Tokyo women's. It was first time got cut-off the point instead, I was going to finish the whole course even though it was like jogging pace. I could see people at 40km point, they were getting off the step mark to let nobody steps on the 40km mark. I screamed let me go in my mind, and try to go threw, but I was required to quite then, so I had no choice either no option. Someone was running on the sidewalk toward the stadium, but I had no energy more. DNF sounds so pity for me, no thanks more, I hate that.

Why I was DNF?
I think I wasn't recoveried well from my cold.
I cought a cold in my office 10 days before the race day, sore throat, runny nose, cough, and headache, no fever, but feeling terrible. I skipped train a couple of time not to get to be worse. I took rest some time when I felt pain in inside of shin. What should I had to do more? Running more hard? Running more fast? Strength train more? Otherwise losing weigt more?
Yes, I shouldn't had to cought a cold!!!, OH MAN!!!

How was the race?
It was okay, at the beginning, just took care about speed, not to run too fast.
After 18km point, it felt hard to keep running at expecting running pace at 4:37/km.

I couldn't take a breath easily, I felt it was like 10k race.

Then I checked my heart rate, it was 185, my maximam HR is 205, so it was over 93%.

So I slowed down to take a breath easy, I thought it could be more easier after half-way point, since the wind was blowing against runners but didn't change so much.

Here are official splits; (except split at 40km)
23:09 5km
46:18 10km (23:09)
1:09:27 15km (23:09)
1:33:13 20km (23:46)
1:38:42 Half point
1:58:55 25km (25:42)
2:25:50 30km (26:55)
2:54:26 35km (28:36)
3:24:45 40km (30:19) by my watch

I wanted to run more faster and easier like a fun race.
Somehow, sometime maybe next time, I try to run as a fun marathon, also run hard.

What's my next?
I need to be recovered well and think possitive.
I have registered Chiba Marine Half Marathon already, so train to finish under my expecting time.

I thank to all people who cheered me on, I really got energy from you in sidewalk.
I know Steve, you ran with me in Shinagawa!
Yes Gary you acompanied me to up hill in Yotsuya, Mami, Chika, Yumiko and more people.
See you in the track soon.