1: Sep 26, 2014
Got up real early today. A two day rest HM and I was keen to do a run. And a lovely cool inviting weather. Out at 5:30AM from the hotel room and off for the run @5:45. Empty roads. A quick warm up run for a km and then all the way down the road and then onto the footbridge. The footbridge connecting all the four reads at the intersection is 300m rectangle. Ran a couple of rounds in this a rectangle with a curious Japanese cheering me from the top. Down the footbridge and back on the pavement, a 1km mild uphill.
A lady walking briskly to the station, a Hello Kitty cat sitting quietly at the entrance of the house turns his head and then looks at me, a walker attempting to jog, an elderly gentlemen walking his dog – some of the typical scenes here. Turned around, ran through the side streets, along the quietly wooded shrine, and back on the main road to the hotel. It is interesting that my three runs in Tokyo his time have been faster that the recent ones at BLR. Wonder why? I have a workshop to conduct today and the run has been energising. This will be the last run for this trip, leave tomorrow for Bangalore.
2: Sep 23, 2014
HM around Imperial Palace (Tokyo) Today (Tue) is a Japanese holiday – Equinox day. With meetings scheduled later in the day, I was looking forward to running in the famous running place in Tokyo – Around Imperial Palace at Hanzomon. A lovely day with a slight nip in the air, perfect for a long run. Started the run at 6:19AM and there were lots of runners and cyclists. Just wonderful. Run is on the wide footpath that is filled with runners, a five-km loop around the Imperial Palace, Nearby is the National Archives, Art museum, Parliament and beautiful gardens. The first loop was wonderful with eyes feasting on the beautiful gardens and the body sucking up fresh air. And the 13-member peloton zipped by, a pleasure to watch them. Wish I had a cycle!
The sun slowly came up. Being autumn, it is not vey hot. Onto second loop and it was lovely to see a little dog racing along on leash by a cyclist. And he was ripping (guess 20kmph). Two loops done and sip of water and off into the third loop. A runner with cramps on the ground in pain, a couple running together, a girl cyclist providing company to a runner and the cyclists whizzing by. The last 1km in the loop is a gentle climb while the beginning of the loop is a gentle downhill. And it is nice. Fourth loop done, stretches in the park and back to the station to catch the train. All done by 9AM. A nice HM in 1:54.