Category Archives: Japan

A Farewell to Lake Biwa

A week ago Sunday, February 28th, 2021, marked the 76th and final running of the Lake Biwa Marathon, one of the most prestigious races in Japan and a fixture on that country’s racing calendar since 1946. The race was streamed … Continue reading

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The ‘People’s Champion’ Comes to Boston

Many years ago, when I was much younger and sprier, I entered a New Year’s Day 5M road race despite a forecast for high temperatures in the low 20’s. I wasn’t elite, of course, but I went into the race … Continue reading

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Japan Journal: Notes of a Shy Traveler

“Churches and trains They all look the same to me now They shoot you some place While we ache to come home somehow” – Gregory Alan Isakov, Amsterdam

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Japan Journal: Race Day

Ojiyama Stadium, Otsu, Japan — Start of the Biwako Mainichi Marathon — March 5, 2017 In the audio, you can hear me say that 77 seconds (for the first 400) is “2:12:30 pace…” It is actually about 2:14:30 pace. This miscalculation had … Continue reading

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Japan Journal: Final Preparations

Elite athlete interviews prior to Saturday’s technical meeting for foreign athletes I suspect that some of my readers — those who have patiently endured my travelogue so far — have not been distracted, nor have they forgotten that the reason I … Continue reading

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Japan Journal: Tōkyō

Panoramic view of Tokyo from Tokyo Skytree (Wikipedia) In retrospect, I’m really glad I decided to purchase a Japan rail pass. That document, which is sold only to foreign tourists on temporary visits to the country, offers nearly unlimited travel on … Continue reading

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Japan Journal: Kyōtō

Gate at Nishi Hongan-ji temple, central Kyoto Ah, Kyoto, city of temples and trains, ancient capital city and elegant modern metropolis, surrounded on three sides by mountains and monks; home to three million strangers and Samaritan to one stressed-out American … Continue reading

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Japan Journal: Runs and Workouts

The morning sun shines in Otsu. (The sign says: “In case of emergency, break through here and you can evacuate next door.”) Friday, February 24 – finally, the sun came up bright and much more cheerful in Otsu. From the … Continue reading

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Japan Journal: Arriving in Otsu

Finding my way through the narrow streets of Otsu. In Japanese, there is a word — “semai” (狭い) – that means narrow, small, or confined, as in “a confined space,” “a narrow road,” etc. When I studied Japanese, I remember … Continue reading

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Japan Journal: Up so long it looks like down to me

    I don’t need the white weather report to tell me that it is gray and rainy in Osaka. The first time I ran the Boston Marathon, I made many mistakes. Some of my mistakes were the kind of … Continue reading

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