2014 Running Season

Greetings fellow runners! The 2014 running season is well underway here in Hokkaido.

Race Information

The information provided here on this blog has mostly been gathered from Runnet.  Much has also been taken from the news and the Hokkaido Marathon Guide.  The races are generally posted on the date of the event, not on the date the post was written.  Some may be posted around their application start time and still others may be posted after the event is over.
You can use the information here to help plan your race season in Hokkaido.  If you have any questions about an event, or would like to leave a race report, please do so in the comments of the event.  I screen all comments before they are posted to the blog.

Race Calendar

The calendar has been set up so that events that always repeat on the same date or weekend, repeat every year.  The dates may be wrong.  Use the calendar as a general guide.

Injury

I am sidelined with tendinitis in my left hamstring and am working hard to get it fixed/healed. (Look up high hamstring tendinopathy).
If you want to prevent this happening to you, make sure you stretch (not before your run) and do things other than running.  Especially, make sure you do things to strengthen your rear and your other core muscles.  Sit ups, crunches, planks, twisting crunches, bird dogs, lunges, half lunges, squats, bridges, eccentric bridges, leg abductions, push-ups, pull-ups, knee ups, etc, etc, etc....

I have actually been (not) dealing with this injury for three years and have finally gone to the Dr. and have started rehab.  Thus I have not been running much in the past three years due to the pain and haven't run at all since last November.  This is why Running in Hokkaido has not been updated much.

The Hokkaido Marathon application has started and probably filled up today.  The Shiranuka Road Race 10k is done.  The Date City Half marathon is coming up soon as is the Honbetsu Park 8k Cross Country.  If you like to swim, the Obihiro no Mori Aquathlon is coming up soon in May.  Despite my injury I was able to run the Parent - Child 3k at the Shiranuka Road Race this year.  I was so proud of my little girl.  Check the calendar and Runnet as well. There are many other events in Spring.