The race didn’t go very well, but that wasn’t a surprise. I still felt sick Monday, though the fever was gone, and that, coupled with my lack of fitness, made me hurt a lot in the second half of the 5k. I ran 14:21 which a lot of people have told me, all things considered, is really good.

I got sick a day after getting to Japan and have had medium cold/fever symptoms. I will be racing a track 5k after the Ekiden with the alternates, or not racing at all. This does mean, however, that I will be able to spectate the entire Ekiden!

I’m on my way to Japan, where I’ll compete at the Izumo Ekiden on October 10th. An Ekiden is a road relay race, and this one has six legs, all between 5.8 and 10.2 kilometers. Apparently the Ekiden is very popular in Japan, and the Japanese runners are very strong; we routinely get crushed and our best finish ever was ninth last year. There’s a 5k for the alternates the following day, and it is often won in 14 minutes -- that means that there is a Japanese university whose seventh man runs 14 flat.

Hi, glad you're tuning in so early.
On my way to Japan tomorrow morning to compete at the Izumo Ekiden. Will write more once I'm up in the air.