The 38th edition of the Tokyo→Itoigawa Fast Run Classic is coming up real soon. Weather forecast looks OK....for this coming Saturday (May 23) when I will be attempting to finish 1st in my age group. I am scheduled to leave Takaozanguchi at 6:00. David L. might be riding out as well as far as Lake Suwa or who knows even further. Jerome and Michael are out...who is in...Ludwig? James? who else?
Tom, if the weather is fine, I will join you. Maybe we can take turns drafting each other until my back starts aching so much that I need to take breaks (nowadays getting worse). I would then continue on my own all the way through. Still need to organize accommodation. On the next day, I might do a bit of slow riding in the area, then get back by train (and definitely not ride back all the way).
ReplyDeleteDavid, I really like your plan - let's do this together on another day/weekend.
I'm heading down to Kyushu for the week starting this Saturday. No Itoigawa this year for me. Hopefully next year!
ReplyDeleteThanks to David the Cervelo is boxed up and on its way down there today. Looking forward to riding everyday on new routes!
I'll be in touch as soon as I get back with details for FHC.
Good luck Tom.
Ludwig:
ReplyDeleteJerome tells me that Stephen Coady is sick and cannot ride Saturday. James is in Kyushu. Michael is still with cast.
Jerome and I are planning a ridiculously early start (4:10AM at my house, so that we can ride at a relaxed pace and still get out to Sagamiko/Uenohara area ahead of Tom start, and then ride with him to cheer him on part of the way on the gradual climb up to Sasago. If we are feeling strong, maybe we can pull him a few hundred meters before he goes ahead.
Our plan is to go over Sasago Touge, then via "Fruit Line" to Enzan and try Odarumi Pass if we can manage it ... then back to Tokyo by train later Saturday.
I have at most one day I can spare this weekend ... even that is pushing it a bit. Would be great if you coudl join us. Or if you are riding all the way to Itoigawa, then let us know if you want to start out ahead of Tom and we can try to ride together to Takao from the Tamagawa.
Best, David
Wow, Odarumi after quite some riding - that will be a nice challenge. I would definitely want to try that sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteI'm still considering what to do on Saturday and will decide depending on what the weather forecast will say tomorrow. I'm still hoping I can do the entire ride and join Tom for as long as my back doesn't force me to take a break before Tom is willing to take one. But if the forecast is not to my liking, I might join you on your early rise. Will let you know tomorrow afternoon.
How sweet!! Any moral support you can provide will for sure boost my performance tomorrow. I'm very much looking forward to running into David, Jerome and Ludwig. As to breaks, I won't be taking any except for the 4 official check points where participants must get their time card stamped. Staying on the right course and fighting away cramps will be the biggest challenge for me. Last year I was doing real fine until I got felled by terrible cramps near Hakuba. I'm so full of fight I couldn't sleep last night! This evening there will be even less sleep I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Tom!!
ReplyDeleteLudwig/Manfred:
ReplyDeleteThe forecast for tomorrow is looking good! Partly sunny/partly cloudy in Tokyo, Yamanashi and Nagano! Matsumoto is low of 12 and high of 28 degrees.
Are you spending the night in Hachioji/Takao area? Riding out in the morning? Asking your spouse to give you a life in a car out to Takao so you can save 35-40 km?
Jerome and I will be leaving my home at 4:10AM ... which puts us at Sekidobashi at 4:50 AM and Takao 7-11 around 5:35 (a bit later actually, since we will ride at a relaxed pace).
The idea is that we get at least a 15-20 minute head start on Tom.
If you want to ride to Takao (or beyond) with us from the Tamagawa, send an email today or call my mobile phone in the morning.
David
Yes, the forecast is decent, so I will ride. The only concern is the heavy headwind forecasted for the Matsumoto plain and beyond. For this reason and also for being unsure how well my back will take the long ride, I might not ride all the way to Itoigawa and bail out somewhere on the way. That being the case I might as well start riding from home and save me the hassle of staying over night in a hotel near Takao. So let me join you tomorrow morning on the Tamagawa.
ReplyDeleteCan I join you around Komae? There is a short stretch where the path turns unpaved and I get onto the Tamagawa right after that place
http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=35.635679,139.56211&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=18&sll=35.635731,139.561236&sspn=0.002385,0.005493&ie=UTF8&ll=35.635945,139.562159&spn=0.00477,0.010986&z=17&start=0
Could meet you all there or on any other bridge thereafter (Sekidobashi is still 15 minutes away). If you agree with the above meeting place, I will be there for 4:35am.