Dan and I are in the thick of marathon training! It’s had its ups and downs, but we are logging crazy miles these days (though I had to take a week off for a tendonitis flareup- more on that another day!).
For the most part, all you know about my runs is that it generally looks something like this:
So on a day when my foot injury got the best of me and reduced me to walking, I thought I’d snap some pics on my phone of where I spend more and more of my time these days!
Since I started taking pictures when I was already out, we’ll start about three quarters of a mile into my run:
We’ve just crossed the one intersection I have to endure, and now run along one of Hachimanyama’s main roadways for a quarter mile:
A quarter mile later, I turn right and run for a few paces before turning into my favorite part: the gardens!
These gardens are awesome! They are planted every few weeks, and when I was out today I noticed they were clearing space for Christmas decorations! I run a lap around the garden, and then duck down a little path that leads to a giant clearing in the park:
Essentially I now run a big loop around a public park. Here are some things I see in my loop:
Playground. I try to get out as early as I can, because anytime after 2pm, the paths are jammed with parked bikes, mommies talking and a ridiculous amount of children!
No landscaping, but plenty of places to run around, or sit on a bench
Nice, car-free paths 🙂
A small cemetery that’s too pretty to be scary
A doggy park! There are 2 fenced-in areas, and I’m not sure what the difference is.
End of the park! From this point I turn right and run til I”m at the intersection again, where I cross to go home or go right to repeat my 1 mile loop in the park
But let’s pretend we’re going home! Here’s the one intersection where I can never catch the crosswalk in my favor
Another quarter mile or so along Hachimanyama’s mainway
Eventually I reach a path with some barriers to keep traffic out. It means I’m close to home!
This path may be almost a half mile. It stretches past a school (with a friendly guard who always smiles and waves at me!) and a golf driving range
Just past the driving range I make a right and am on Rokakoen’s main street. Here is the most slightest incline, where depending on how long I’ve been running feels ridiculously steep!
Home stretch! I can see our bike shop, grocery and post office!
This is my block! I start pulling out my phone to shut down my GPS tracker and the best part? It’s ever-so-slightly downhill!
Oh yes. The resident door to my building. I’m generally crying tears of joy at this point 😉
So pretty!
So cool seeing your running route! Not very often you get to see the running route of someone in Japan, love it!
Very interesting to see Japan from a nontourist point of view. The two fenced in areas for the dogs might be big dogs and small dogs.
Good luck with your training.