2011/07/27

Jogging Haiku 12: Ocean Wind

Neon lights flashes
Evening dresses flutter,
Very friendly street.

(10.5km with a slowish pace but steady pace for most of the run, including on all uphills; kicked into mid gear at the end.)

Juso in Osaka is one of the cities redder district, although not the reddest by a large margin, or so I'm told. The western part of Juso has a long shopping arcade called 'Friendly Street", with shops of all kinds. Parallel to it is a cabaret street nicknamed "Very Friendly Street." It was the quickest way to the Korean shop I wanted to go, honest.

2011/07/25

Jogging Haiku 11: July 25

Sulphur lingering
Throngs of yukata-clad teens,
Tenjin Matsuri

The Tenjin festival is one of Japan's top festival. Held in Osaka on July 24-25, it ends with a very popular fireworks display. Planning one's trip to the city to witness and participate isn't wasted efforts.

2011/07/23

Jogging Haiku 10: Moved

New start location
An old friend revisited,
Possibilities.

(6km at a good pace)

I moved last Friday. I could find my shoes, but not my cap, which wasn't really necessary. I took a course I ran extensively in 2007 when I trained for the Sasayama Marathon (DNF) to prepare for the inaugural Oxfam Trailwalker Japan (about 25hrs 40min, 3rd mixed team, 17th overall). It was fun to run it again and find that nothing much had changed: saw a bird flying away with a wiggly light green worm; a dragonfly followed my a little; and a sizable fish kept jumping out of the water for some lengthy leaps. Overall it was a good jog.

Along the way, I saw a number of other joggers, even on an early Sunday morning. As they scurried in various directions, it gave me ideas for other courses to use. But that won't stop me from going back to the trails I've been using recently, even if - or because -  it will add 2k or so. The Kyoto Sanjurokumine Mountain Race is 5 months away, and I really want to break the 4:30 mark this year. How competitive of me!

2011/07/17

Jogging Haiku 9: El Scorcho

Sun-scorched white markings
Edo, seventies to now,
On and On we trudge.

(KFMH3 run, maybe about 8-10k with many hills, preceded and followed by about 15km of cycling each way)

2011/07/15

Jogging Haiku 7 & 8: Homage to Jerry Lee Lewis

I had my haiku done when in the last hundred meters, a sight inspired me to think of a second one, which is the continuation of the first.

Crows gathering high
A glance over my shoulder,
Great ball of fire.

Burning golden ball
On deep blues sketching warm hues,
Rise, silver sister.

(10.5km, around the Sonoda 'island')

2011/07/13

Jogging Haiku 6: Dusk

Bats swooping breakfast
A duck's last call of the day,
Veiled moon on the rise.

(3km + 25min of capoeira + 1km)

2011/07/11

Jogging Haiku 5: Summer Nights

Teens' dazzling crackers
Drum gods summoning lightning,
Energies unleashed.

(12.5km, regular jog home; fast 2nd half)

2011/07/09

Jogging Haiku 4: Summer

Crickets seducing
Morning dew long gone by eight,
Summer heats begun.

(6.75km, regular Toyonaka course)

2011/07/04

Jogging Haiku 3: Rain

Lightning through black clouds
Streets reflecting reds and whites
Hopping in puddles.

(12.5km, regular jog home)