周りから満開という声を聞いても、今年はどうも桜を楽しむ気分になれなくて、やり過ごしてしまった。そんな空気を洗い流すような今日の天気に誘われて衣笠山公園まで走った。発端は友人とロードレーサーで長距離走行の話題を交わしていて、登坂力のため彼からインナーのチェーンリングをもらって42Tから38Tに変更することになった。そんなことから、先月は秋谷まででお茶を濁したが、横須賀とか三崎までちゃんとトレーニング・ランをしなくちゃと思い立ったのだ。ついでにどこか桜のあるところと考えて衣笠に決めた。Google Mapでルートを確認してみると、往路16km・復路19kmで徒歩7時間13分、車なら1時間半くらいと出た。iPhoneアプリのCyclemeterを起動してポケットに収め、10時半頃スタートした。
行き、帰りともちょっとしたアップダウンが2回ほどあるくらいで、至って平坦なコースなので、すんなりとJR衣笠駅に着く。所要時間は約45分。ここは逗子より立派な駅前商店街だ。その商店街を抜けて右折すると上り勾配。衣笠山公園入口の道標に従って路地に入り、真新しいマンションの所から上り坂が始まる。ここは歩いて桜並木を駐車場まで行く。すでに気分良し。駐車場から先は自転車を持ち込めないらしいので、自転車を置いて公園に入る。
花見頃は先週末で過ぎたようで、すでに葉桜になりつつあった。頂上の広場にはあちこちで弁当を広げたり休憩したりしている小グループの人たち、そこに風が吹くと桜吹雪だ。枝振りの良い桜が2本、周囲にはまだ若い木などが植えられている。公園の規模、桜の本数とも小規模だが、枝越しに見える海が何とも気持ちいい。近場の散歩には悪くない。
軽食を取ってしばらく休んだ後、公園を後にする。下り坂で楽なスタートだったが、26号線に出ると強い向かい風と微妙な上りの勾配で思うように進まない。1時間ちょっとの走行で体内に乳酸が溜まっているとでもいうのだろうか。とにかく辛抱してゆっくり進むとあとは海岸に向かってほぼ下り続きの道となった。これで息を吹き返し、秋谷、葉山はあれよあれよというくらいの快走で通り抜けた。トータル2時間半弱、平均走行速度は13.66km/h、最高速度は49.07km/h、消費カロリーは1047というのがCyclemeterのはじき出したデータだった。無理はしないので初心者レベルの走りですね。
Hearing that the cherry blossoms were in full bloom around me, I did not feel like having a sakura-watching this year with my tension fully down, but today’s clear sky must have washed away such depressed feelings, and I ran to Kinugasayama Park on my bicycle. The trigger was the conversation with a friend of mine regarding long distance running with a road racer, and I was given from him a front-gear inner chain ring for enhancing the power of ascending by replacing 42T ring with his 38T. Well, I did a lazy run last month to Akiya, but more thorough training runs to Yokosuka or Misaki for example should be considered. And I picked this Kinugasa because the cherries in the park could be a bonus. I checked the route using Google Map to confirm 16km forth and 19km back, taking 7 hours 13 minutes on foot or roughly 1.5 hours by car. Starting Cyclemeter in my iPhone, I left Zushi around 10:30.
The route was generally flat with only two minor ups and downs both ways, and I arrived at Kinugasa train station with no rests in about 45 minutes. The shopping area looked much larger here than Zushi. When the shops end, I made a right turn and the road was uprising. I took a small path with the sign post of Park Entrance. The slope became steeper in front of a brand new condominium and I got off my bike and walked under sakura trees up to the parking. I left my bicycle there because no wheels were allowed in the park.
The peak of the blossoms seemed over by the last weekend and the green leaves were getting gradually dominant. In the open space on the top of the park were people in small groups having lunch or just relaxing. The petals swingingly fell as the wind blew. The size of the park and the number of sakura trees were both small, but the view of the sea over the trees was very nice.
After having a good rest and a small bite, I left the park with easy downhill in the beginning. When I got back to Route 26, the wind was strong against me and the road was ascending slightly. It was very tiring as if my body was full lactic acid. I could only move very slowly, and in the meantime a long downhill to the shore was in front of me. I recovered my pace fully and speedily passed Akiya and Hayama. The total running time was almost 2.5 hours, the average speed 13.66km/h, the fastest 49.07km/h, and the energy consumption 1046 calories according to Cyclemeter record. The level of running must be that of beginners as I do not push myself hard.
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