There's still hope

that I can get a place in the Tokyo Marathon 2011. According to the Daily Yomiuri, due to the number of applications for entry, the organisers are making a further 1,000 places available. There is a slim chance I could get one of these places. I've e-mailed the organisers asking what I need to do and I'm still waiting to hear further instruction. There are some rumours that this may be an auction. I.e. the highest 1,000 bidders make the cut. In which case I'm stuffed as I'm not paying over the odds to put myself through all that pain!


I'm also led to believe that there will be a 2nd lottery in November to fill the space of those applicants that made the cut in the 1st lottery but haven't finalised payment or completed subscription to the marathon. So hopefully, if a lot of people who have won a place don't follow through on it, then I might just have a chance of picking one of these spaces up.


Of course there is nothing official on the Tokyo Marathon web site but fingers crossed in the hope I can still land a place in this Marathon.


So with the hope of gaining a place in the Tokyo Marathon the training must still continue. Last week was a better week with 4 runs completed for a total of about 30K. This evening I've also just got back from my longest run in a while. 11K achieved in 1 hour, 6 minutes and 46 seconds. Not bad and that's the sort of pace I would like to maintain for a full Marathon. A lot more work to do to be able to manage that though. With that in mind I've signed myself up for the annual FIT (Financial Industry in Tokyo) Charity 10K run on November 7th.


http://fitforcharity.org/



This will be a fun day out and an easy 10k run whilst giving me something to focus for in the short term.

Application REJECTED

"Tokyo Marathon 2011 - Notification of selection

Thank you very much for your entry.
We regret to advise you that you have not been selected to run this year. 
We look forward for your application to Tokyo Marathon again in the future.

Kind regards,

Tokyo Marathon 2011 Registration Desk"

The above was the e-mail I got back from the Tokyo Marathon Registration Desk. Not much more I can do I guess. So I won't be running the 2011 Tokyo Marathon and I imagine there will also be a lot more like me. Perhaps those that didn't get selected could form an alternate marathon? There would certainly be a lot more of us. Or perhaps we could all go find a pub somewhere and watch it on the TV instead.

Anyway re-think is now on. Do I wait to apply for the 2012 Tokyo Marathon and consider myself lucky I'm not running in 2011, or do I find another marathon somewhere to run next year? There are a number of marathons in Japan I could enter. Any suggestions welcome.

I now also need to work out what to do with my blog. Do I continue it or since I'm no longer running, end it? 

Here endeth thy blog...

Just not enough hours in the day...

... or days in the week, or weeks in the month. So tonight was the first time for me to get out for a run in 14 days. Just not enough training getting in. Excuses are: traveling and drinking. Last week I was out most nights with clients and those nights I wasn't out I was too hung over and tired to go running after a full days work. The week before was a short work week for me, 2 days to be precise and the rest of it was spent traveling in the northern parts of Japan sans running gear.


So I've got 145 days to go until the marathon. There is still time to get the training in but I have to start in earnest soon. Tonight was a good start and a little over 8k's done in 50 minutes. The weather is much more pleasant now than it was in August and September. Humidity and temperatures are both down with this evening being a very balmy 22c. So you think this week would be ideal to get some solid kilometers under my belt. Well unfortunately not. Tomorrow I have a major trade show to attend which includes, wait for it, a cocktail party on conclusion. So yet more beers. Well what about Thursday night I hear you cry. Don't go crazy Wednesday and get some good sleep so you can get out for a run Wednesday. Well I'm afraid that doesn't work either you see as I have a client in town from Singapore and have arranged a few sly beers with him after work Thursday evening. Harumph! Saturday I'm out traveling once again with a flight to Kumamoto to meet with some soon to be relatives, returning Tuesday afternoon. So next week I'm really hoping to start my training regime in all honesty.


Did I mention somewhere that there just wasn't enough time to fit everything in including the training...