What better way to restart the blog than with an account of the 31st running of the Date Half Marathon. It is the first competition of the year and officially heralds the end of winter and the commencement of spring. Though you wouldn’t really think that with the steady rain that was falling all day; though, I suppose, at least it wasn’t snow (they had that further north). This was my 12th, I think, time around the highways and byways of Date, but unlike years gone by, I no longer attend alone. Sanae and Cian were both present, respectively running (plodding?) 5 and 3 kilometres. Which they finished in 14 and 28 minutes while yours truly was still pounding away out in the badlands. To be honest I preferred the wet conditions. Some years you can get a bright, sunny day with a strong, dry breeze blowing that leaves you dry to the marrow and rasping by the half way point. Where we ran is predominantly agricultural land and with the snow all gone, the farmers were busy spreading manure over their fields. Which is kind of intoxicating if you are trying to keep a sub 5 minute per kilometer pace and breathing deeply. As I loped my long-legged way along, the occasional runner, seeing that he (and it was always a he) was being overtaken by a foreigner, would suddenly speed up to stay in front of me. I called these ‘patriotic spurts’, for what was the point of running for the glory of the emperor if you can’t beat the hairy barbarian. Particularly when he has already stolen one of your womenfolk. Not too sure where I will point my long legs next. There is an Olympic distance triathlon in Tomakomai in July that I have wanted to do for a long time and now that certain, ahem, academic matters have been ‘assuaged’, this could be the year.
