storm from the east

Kisenosato set to join Kotoshogiku as Ozeki

Ibaraki-born sumo wrestler Kisenosato looks set to fulfill the promise he has shown for so long by finally securing promotion to Ozeki, where he joins fellow countryman and also recently promoted rikishi Kotoshogiku.

It's easy to forget that Kisenosato is still only twenty-five years old as he seems to have been around, and touted as a future star, for a very long time. Coming into the November tournament he faced a double dose of pressure: needing to secure eleven wins to reach the thirty-three win total (over three tournaments) usually needed to secure promotion, and also dealing with the death of his stablemaster only days before the start of the tournament.

Although he fell one short of the number of wins needed, his promotion was assured during a special meeting of sumo elders on Sunday who decided his record this year was enough to warrant the rank. Let's hope he goes on to bigger and better things.

Kotoshogiku had a very good start as Ozeki, securing an 11-4 record in his first tournament at sumo's second-highest rank. Amongst the Ozeki, only Estonian Baruto could match his record, preventing Yokozuna and eventual winner Hakuho from taking the championship with a perfect 15-0 record.

Running, motivation, focus and creativity

Yes, I know the title of the post is a bit poncey,
but since discovering a love for running I've noticed some interesting things.

1) I've got a lot more energy

People who exercise regularly are fond of telling those more inclined to a more sedentary lifestyle that exercising makes one more energetic. It sounds counterintuitive and I used to scoff at such nonsense while reaching for another cigarette, chip and swig of beer.

The thing is, it's true. I run nearly every day - I do some form of exercise every day - and I don't remember a time in my life when I've had so much energy. I basically do three jobs now, but I rarely get as tired and drained as I used to.

2) I've got a lot more motivation

Along with that energy is a desire to actually pull my finger out of my arse and get things done. I've always been a chronic procrastinator, but since getting serious about my health and fitness, I've seen knock-on effects in other areas of my life, most noticeably in being able to concentrate on projects and get them done well - not the last-minute jobs that were common when I was a student.

3) I'm more focussed

Time for a bit more ponciness: I find running therapeutic and, dare I say, meditative. I've usually got about a thousand thoughts in my head competing for brain cells, but when I'm running this activity slows down noticeably and I'm able to focus on one thing at a time, or simply focus on nothing.

I have since found that I can carry this focus over into my everyday life. I have changed the way I work and now only work with one client at a time so that they have my undivided attention. I also focus on only one thing at a time, whether it's reading a book or having a cup of tea.

4) I'm more creative

Getting healthier and fitter has not only made me feel much better, it's also made me more creative. Due to the fact that I can now focus on something much better than I could in the past, I am now able to channel my creativity much more effectively.

I used to talk about projects I was planning and get all excited about them, but that's all I would do - talk and get excited. I now get a lot more excited because I'm actually getting work done on projects I've wanted to do for a long time.

I know for a fact that I am not the only one who has recognised these things, but I just wanted to share the difference this small thing - running - has made to my life.

I highly recommend it, and if anybody is in the Tokyo area and fancies joining me for a run one day, drop me a line.

Review: Asics EBT190 running backpack

Since getting into running a couple of years ago I've been steadily increasing the distance I cover, meaning that I now need to carry things on my long runs (20km+). That being the case, I've been looking for a backpack that meets the following criteria:

- Small (just big enough to carry a phone, keys, drink, minimal shoes, perhaps a jacket and some snacks)

- Lightweight

- Fits in the middle of the back

- Has chest and waist belts

- Won't move around

- Cheap

I've been using a 25l backpack that is not only too big for my needs, but also rides up when I adjust the straps tight enough to stop it moving around. It's great for cycling and hiking, but is not made for running. I've looked at quite a few bags and, although I saw some that seemed OK, most were either too expensive or came with a hydration bladder, which I don't want because they're a pain to clean and likely to go mouldy in the hot, humid Japanese weather.

Thankfully, I happened to come across the Asics EBT190, billed as a mini-backpack for racing purposes on the Asics website (Japanese), so decided to give it a try.

Features:

- Compact: （L）24×（H）34×（W）8cm (4l)

- Breathable mesh straps

- Adjustable chest and shoulder straps

- Reflective material front and rear

- Fold-out bottle carrier on bottom

Performance:

I didn't want to run too far on the first outing with the bag, so I opted for a 10k (far enough to see what it was like, not too far if it turned out to be horrible) and was very impressed. The bag stayed very stable on my back and didn't move at all. The straps were comfortable and, unlike my bigger pack, it didn't make my back feel it was stuck in a sauna despite the humidity.

I started the run barefoot and packed my VFF in the bag. Even with the shoes, there was still room for a 500ml bottle of water, a couple of cereal bars, a towel, my keys, my wallet and my phone. Nothing was shoved in despite the bag being very small.

Due to its size, weight and snug fit, I barely noticed I was carrying the bag while running. If I have to find a negative, I would say that the mesh pockets on the side of the bag could be a bit bigger, but as they're the perfect size for snack bars, I'm being very picky.

Overall, it's exactly what I was looking for and with a recommended retail price of 5,000 yen (I got it cheaper at Sports Authority) it's well worth the money.

Kaio bows out, who will fill the gap?

I've mentioned sumo here a few times because I am a big fan of the sport. For a while, the match-fixing and other controversies put me off, but things seem to have been sorted out and I'm back to following it.

The tournament that finished at the weekend got me fired up again. First of all there was sumo great Kaio, pictured right, finally hanging up his mawashi after an amazing career that saw him win more bouts than any other wrestler in history, a total of 1,046 wins. His retirement also creates a worrying lack of Japanese-born wrestlers in the upper ranks of the national sport: the sole yokozuna is Mongolian and the three remaining ozeki hail from Bulgaria (Kotoshu), Estonia (Baruto) and Mongolia once again (Harumafuji).

It was the latter of this trio, the affable Harumafuji, who wrapped up the tournament in impressive style with a 14-1 record. He looked set for a clean sheet after defeating his fellow ozeki and the recently all-powerful Hakuho, but he came to grief against perennial ozeki hopeful Kisenosato on the last day. Kisenosato has been touted as the next big thing for about as long as he has been fighting, but the Ibaraki native has so far failed to live up to expectations.

This time around, all eyes were on Kotoshogiku who could have (possibly) sealed promotion to sumo's second-highest rank by posting 12 wins. He looked very much on track after sending Hakuho to his first defeat, but then suffered something of a meltdown and ended up on his arse twice in quick succession to dash his hopes. He, along with Kisenosato and another Mongolian, Kakuryu, could all be gunning for promotion in the September basho. When the banzuke is released for that basho, however, there will be no Japanese wrestlers occupying the top spots. The last time there were no Japanese wrestlers at yokozuna or ozeki was in the New Year tournament of 1993, when the sole ozeki were Americans Akebono and Konishiki - there was no yokozuna at the time.

Shortly afterwards another sumo great came along in the form of Takanohana, who more than restored some lost Japanese pride, and many Japanese fans are hoping somebody like him can come along again. Soon.

Tom Wegener Surfboards

If I ever get good enough at surfing, I want to ride a Tom Wegener alaia board. Based on the ancient Polynesian boards, these finless beauties are probably the closest thing you can get to a truly enviromentally-friendly surfboard: no chemicals, just wood. Sadly I'll probably never be good enough to ride one.