Have a look at one of my previous posts , https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/01/08/distance-is-the-key-to-running-success-simples/  or one of my favourites posts from Raf Baugh, owner of the Running Centre   ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ )

https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/04/23/the-secret-to-sub-3-marathon-success-its-all-about-the-numbers/

but a YouTuber in Japan is proving beyond any doubt that distance is the key to unlocking your running dreams (assuming you locked them up n the first place of course ? )

Jake Barraclough decided to give up his job in the UK and travel to Japan to ‘train harder, not smarter’  after reading ‘The way of the runner ‘ by Adharanand Finn, among other things. Watch this video it is EPIC !!

Jake was a talented runner, sub 2:30 for the marathon , but was continually injured. On one of his many injury layoffs he was on the stationary bike for three hours a day working his way through Netflix and then podcasts where he came across the Japanese Ediken races.

Ekiden (駅伝) is a long-distance running multi-stage relay race, mostly held on roads.^{[1]: 812 [2]}

The original Japanese term had nothing to do with a sport or a competition, but it simply referred to the age old post-horse or stagecoach courier system which transmitted communication by stages, instead of one horse or a man covering the entire long distance. Eki means “station” and den translates as “to communicate, to convey”, therefore Ekiden could be roughly translated as ”Station to station”. The original meaning of the word is reflected in its rule where each runner at the end of his or her run has to pass down his sash to the next runner.

The first ever ekiden as a sport was held in Japan in 1917 as a 3-day, 23-stage run from Kyoto to Tokyo over 507 kilometres (315 mi), to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tokyo’s establishment as the nation’s capital (previously Kyoto was the imperial seat).

Today ekiden is a national sport in Japan, especially popular as inter-varsity competitions between schools or universities, and its popularity has since become widespread and worldwide.

The IAAF staged four editions of a World Road Relay Championship from 1992 (at Hiroshima, Japan) to 1998 as a stage race over the marathon distance with alternate stages of 5 km (3.1 mi) and 10 km (6.2 mi) before a final leg of 7.195 km (4.471 mi). The IAAF now recognizes world records for men for five stages (with a final leg of 12.195 km (7.578 mi)) and for women for six stages over the marathon distance.^[3]

So on a whim he applied for  a Japanese scholarship and got it, quit his job and off he went. He then decided to run 30k a day , massive mileage, race often and chase a quicker marathon time.

If you follow him on Strava (You do use Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) you can see he is averaging around 230km a week and then running a PB in training , with no taper ! Incredible stuff. Jake is seeing massive improvements and although he is on the verge of being an elite professional runner he started like us , albeit a tad quicker. I really believe is you listen to his YouTube channel you will learn things that will improve your running , without having to learn Japanese and move to Japan.

I had a similar experience to Jake when I was at my peak in 2013. I had increased my training from the previous year and also raced often, as you can see in the Excel extract below I would PB in just about every race (a PB is highlighted in red and a win in yellow)

In 2016 I went one better and really added distance as you can see below. This culminated in a 10k PB and a massive half PB. This was three years past my ‘golden year’ of 2013. Also remember I was fifty at this point.  2016 showed me that distance and racing often were the key to improving your running, the evidence is in the numbers.

So there you go, as I have always maintained running is a simple process, run more, race often and don’t get injured and you will improve until father time comes calling , unfortunately no one outruns father time.

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Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.

Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )  The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products)  can be difficult to digest later in the event.  From the website :-

As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority. 

In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance. 

In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born. 

BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work! 

BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!

What can I say about HumanTecar,  ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !

Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.

Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )

T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in.  It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong,  storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)

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