6 weeks to stay in time

stats of the week: run 42km, gym 4h
6 weeks to go to London

It's been a reasonable mileage this week but longest run was still only 14km. However, I am within plans as schedule is not to do more than 3 runs of more than 20km. Still time to get ready for a really slow marathon on April 24th.

If I ever do another marathon in Japan I would do the Kyoto Marathon which regularly is hold one week before the Tokyo Marathon. Kyoto is a town full of tourist attractions and offers still lots of traditional Japanese atmosphere:

7 weeks to go. Seven weeks?

stats of the week: run 12km, gym 2 h
stats of the previous week: run 32km, gym 2 h

Still not enough mileage to get ready for a half marathon in 4 weeks and a full marathon in 7 weeks! My longest run so far was 12km. Luckily cut off time in London is 8 hours.

Adding to the shown mileage I did around 60km of town walking in Tokyo. That was a big burden to the recovering knee. However, I still hope to increase my mileage modestly in time.

Tokyo Marathon is a special experience with a route not really spectacular but thousands of excited volunteers.

Japan is a country full of wonders. This is the Golden Pavillon at Kyoto.

Mount Fuji reigns from its snowy top. Unfortunately it can only be ascended in Summer.

Slow but painless

stats of the week: run 37km, gym 4h
9 weeks to London

The week's mileage looks promising, but folks - I was moving so slowly! Anyway at least I have been moving. The knee is working. What is most important. In London I will move slowly, too. I guess if I will finish it will be a time between 4:30 and 5:00 hours. Injury makes you being modest. So does age.

London is a perfect marathon to move slowly. A 5h-finisher still knows around 10,000 runners behind!

Come back feeling

stats of the week: run 32km, gym 5h
10 weeks to London

Not yet a real come back. But certainly it feels good to be part of the pack again. Best news is that the knee didn't hurt. After more than 2 months I should be happy with the pace at my first 10K sort of race. More important is to extend the mileage now.

Run Walk Run to Finish

stats of the week: run 22km, gym 7h

11 weeks to London.

The London Marathon awaits its 1millionth runner since the first race in 1981. Everybody who has taken part can buy their personal shirt showing their historic number. I would be happy to get one shirt with all my 16 numbers but that's not availabe. I would have to order 16 shirts. Unfortunately they don't print your time. Otherwise I'd buy my 2004 one with my PB of 3:21:48.

Plans now are to increase the weekly mileage slowly up to 40 to 50 km and complete at least 3 runs with more than 20 km including the Berlin Halfmarathon. To finish London with a rather low preparation I think about using Jeff Galloway's Run Walk Run method. Jeff says his method allows "older runners to feel as good as in their younger days". That's it!

First doubts

stats of the week: run 7km, gym 5h

12 weeks to go to London. And I have not just a recently repaired meniscus and patella but also a seriously strained calf and caught a naughty little virus. First doubts develop ... Luckily cut off time is 8 hours.

A step further forward with his training is Arne Gabius I hope. I am excited the German marathon record holder will run London. A top ten finish would be a great success.

Official announcement:

Virgin Money London Marathon 2016 elite men and personal bests:

• Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:04:00
• Dennis Kimetto (KEN) 2:02:57
• Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 2:03:23
• Endeshaw Negesse (ETH) 2:04:52
• Stanley Biwott (KEN) 2:04:55
• Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:05:04
• Tilahun Regassa (ETH) 2:05:27
• Abera Kuma (ETH) 2:05:56
• Samuel Tsegay (ERI) 2:07:28
• Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (ERI) 2:07:47
• Amanuel Mesel (ERI) 2:08:17
• Serhiy Lebid (UKR) 2:08:32
• Arne Gabius (GER) 2:08:33

Thinking about a holiday destination

stats of the week:  run 18km, gym 7h

According to the doc I should have started running next week. So it seems I'm ahead of schedule.
Obviously my target can only be to somehow finish the London Marathon at 24 April. On the way to London I have entered the Half Marathon Berlin what will be a test for the knee to stand a longer strain.

With a week now being back home I am still reviewing the big South African impressions. We faced a country with more problems than one can imagine. SA has the world's highest AIDS rate, it has the world's highest crime rate. It has one of the world's highest road death tolls. It has serious energy problems that cause electricity scalings. This year it experiences the worst drought in more than hundred years only to be impaired by the weakest Rand ever. While some people donate bottles of water for the dry North others enjoy playing Golf on the perfectly watered greens. South Africa may be among the most developed countries of their continent. But it needs help to survive in peace.

Runners at the Red Hill Marathon that took place today pass the township of Masiphumelele on their route. Also if you run the world famous Two Oceans Marathon you get very close to that place before you tackle the famous Chapman's Peak Road.

In Masiphumelele there live around 40,000 people in tiny simple buildings and poor shacks very very close together, surrounded by the luxurious private estates of Noordhoek and Kommetjie. If you ever think about running in South Africa why not think about helping these people. Visit the website

Home for kids in South Africa:    www.hokisa.co.za

and look what you can do.