This is a repost of the blog I originally posted here.

With just hours to go before the host city of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games is chosen, I’m delighted to share my latest Art of Running project, completed late this afternoon. I ran this in support of the Tokyo 2020 campaign: having seen the positive impact that the London games had on my home country last year, I would love for the Games to come to Japan.

This was by far the most ambitious piece I’ve done to date, and saw me run 385km of Tokyo streets. The design, that of the emblem of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic campaign, features 83 petals, the outlines of which are between 2km and 8km each. I chose to place the design in the heart of the city, with the Imperial Palace as the centrepiece around which the flowers bloom.

This project was unlike any other I’ve attempted. For a start, the detail and scale of the picture meant that my usual method of ‘painting’ the picture wouldn’t work – there were too many uncrossable rivers, roads and other obstacles in the way. So, I experimented, and came up with a new method, similar to join-the-dots. This brought with it the necessity to use two GPS trackers (an iPhone and a Galaxy S4 running Runkeeper) …and to run a lot further than I usually would, what with all the running around obstacles.

It was also unlike any other I’ve attempted in that the course was incredibly diverse. In addition to the well-known shopping / entertainment districts, there were many quiet residential areas hidden away in places you’d never expect. Little lanes without lighting, tiny shrines tucked behind skyscrapers, incredibly steep hills that really should be serviced by ropeways, parks that have been left to grow wild with an abundance of meadow flowers.

My route took me into hospitals and hotels, across university campuses, through tunnels, and across countless bridges. Three petals required me to run around Tsukiji fish market, another two saw me running around the Russian Embassy no less than 8 times (leaving some bemused policemen). During another run I was stopped twice by police, the second time, a couple of hours after the first, was for encouragement by a policeman who’d heard what I was doing over the police radio.

I was shouted at by a baseball team manger and laughed at by the players for running across a baseball pitch during a game at Meiji Jingu (!). I was cheered on my way several times by people who recognised me from my other projects and asked what I was drawing.

In fact, wherever I went, the people I met were welcoming; smiling, laughing, asking questions, encouraging – regardless of their age or occupation.

Through this project I feel I’ve come to know Tokyo a lot better, and I’ve also come to feel a lot more at home here. It’s a very special city, with incredible diversity, and great warmth too.

It’s my hope that Tokyo is chosen as the host city for the 2020 Olympics – it would be a huge boost for the city and country – and I have no doubt it would also result in a very memorable games for people coming from across the globe.

If you’d like to check out the route in more detail, download the GPS data here and open all files in Google Earth.

UPDATE: IT WORKED!
I’m delighted that this project had the desired effect – bringing the Olympics to Tokyo! Tremendously excited already – it’s going to be a great 7 years!

2020年オリンピック・パラリンピックの開催地の決定までに数時間となりましたが、ここで僕が今日の昼に完成させた最新のランニングアートのプロジェクトを発表したいと思います。去年のロンドンでの興奮を日本でも実現させるため、東京へのオリンピック招致「TOKYO 2020」の応援として走りました！

今回はこれまでのランニングアートとは全く比べ物にならない、無謀とも言えるくらいの規模でした。東京の街を350km走りました。「TOKYO 2020」 のキャンペーンロゴ、1枚、約2km〜8kmの花びら83枚で出来ています。咲き誇る花が皇居を取り巻くように街の中心をアートのキャンバスとして選びました。

このプロジェクトは今までとは全く違う試みでした。まず最初に、ロゴの細かさと規模から通常のように走った軌跡をそのまま絵にするのでは、きちんとした物は出来上がりません。渡れない川や道、障害があまりにも多過ぎたからです。今回は実験も兼ねて新しい方法に挑戦することにしました。言うなれば「点をつなぐ」です。これには２つのGPS装置が必要でした（iPhoneとGalaxy S4）。そして障害物を避けるために普段より余分に走らなければなりませんでした。

コースがバラエティ豊かだったのも今までと違うところです。ショッピングやエンターテイメントで有名なエリアから、想像できないくらい場所に点在する静かな住宅地。街灯もない暗い小道、高層ビルの裏に隠された小さな神社。ロープウェイが必要なくらい急な坂道に雑草だらけの放置された公園。

ルートの中には病院やホテル、大学のキャンパス、トンネルに、いくつもの橋。花びらのうちの３枚は築地魚市場周辺を走らなければいけなかったし、あとの２枚はロシア大使館の周りを少なくとも８回走らなければなりませんでした（警察もちょっと困惑してた）。時には警察の無線で僕が走っていることが知らされていて、全く別の場所で出くわした警察がすでに僕のことを知っていることもありました。

明治神宮で野球の試合があった時は野球場のピッチの中を走ったら、チームの監督に怒鳴られ、選手に笑われてしまいました。街ではすでに僕のことを知っていて今は何を走っているのか、と声をかけてきてくれる人もいました。

僕がどこを走っていても、出会う人は職業等関係なく、みんな親切でした。笑顔に笑い声、質問をしてきたり、応援してくれたり。

このプロジェクトを通してさらに東京を知れたと思います。そして、以前よりもここが僕の「ホーム」だと感じるようになりました。温かくて、特別で素晴らしい街です。

2020年のオリンピック開催地にはぜひ東京が選ばれて欲しいと思います。街や国全体を元気づけてくれるに違いありません。そして世界中の人が東京に来た際には忘れられない経験をして帰ってくれると信じています。

Google EarthのGPSデーターはこちらです。

アップデート: やりました！
今回のプロジェクトが望む結果になってくれました！
オリンピック開催地が東京に決定！
今からとっても楽しみです！グレートな７年になりそう！

This is a repost of an article first posted here.

Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet was in Japan recently as part of an Asia Tech Week, covering robots, Tokyo-style skyscraper demolition… and an artistic tech runner with a thing for LEDs.

We spent a couple of days with the crew, first at our home office planning the route we were to run (a 22km Canadian Maple leaf as Daily Planet is Canada-based) and prepping the gear, and a second day out on the streets shooting.

This was really fun to film, with a lot of interaction with folks on the streets. I’m glad that TwinkleTame was able to be a part of it too.

Any excuse for a bit of make-up

Yesterday, Twinkle and I waddled along to the hospital for a parenting class. I say waddled, as Twinkle isn’t allowed to walk. An examination a couple of weeks back showed that there’s a risk of premature delivery, and she needs to avoid any exercise that might encourage the little chappy to make an early entrance. If the situation worsens she’ll be hospitalised until October, which of course is something we want to avoid if possible, thus she is essentially under house arrest, but without police involvement.

Anyhow, back to the hospital, where we were treated to a lesson on the various stages of labour, hospital check-in procedures, guidance on creating a birthing plan, complications that can occur and how they’ll be dealt with – plus a tour of the maternity unit.

The highlight however was a superb performance by the staff of a typical birthing process, from the first contractions to the point after the delivery where the extended family can be invited in to meet the new addition. Our midwife played the role of the panicking husband trying his best (very funny!), with the other staff playing the roles of the short-tempered wife and the doctor.

The photo above was taken seconds after the birth (made somewhat more real by an elaborate costume), with the umbilical cord still attached to the placenta which was yet to be removed.

Another memorable part of the session was when the fathers were taught how to help their wives deal with early labour pains, by shoving their fists up their bottoms (not actually inside!); we were told that if we got tired we could actually use a tennis ball instead.

Overall I was reassured by the session; I now have a much clearer idea of what to expect when the time comes.

In other news: I completed the Anpanman running art project, and am continuing work on developing my new wearable computer.

…and continuing to work through my thoughts and feelings re. long term goals.

We’re getting there.

Joseph

The key is for me to identify when something feels uncomfortable due to it being at odds with my fundamental beliefs and gut reaction, and when it feels uncomfortable due it being something I believe I could do very well, but feel nervous about taking on (but should take on).

I find it interesting how much I’m drawing on prior experience to guide me, and really appreciate the educational value of all that I’ve done up until now.

I think another week or two of this and I’ll have a much clearer idea of what I’m going to do. It’s is becoming clearer and I have actually started taking the first baby steps towards starting down a new path. As I’m not choosing any pre-existing (traditional) career path, I need to integrate a whole range of activities which whilst may seem superficial in isolation, together, over time will enable me to look after my family and allow me to to do what I love doing.

I’m going to need to do a fair amount of research into my chosen field. This will take time, but I believe in my capacity to learn and I’m willing to put in the time and energy to do that.

In other news:

• I have continued my latest running art piece, running everyday but one last week. Only 20km left to draw!
• The interview on Bunka Housou (radio) went very well.
• Our little boy is very active in mummy’s tummy, causing a few disturbances through the night. She’s doing fine though.
• I visited a Pocari Sweat factory (photo shoot for our client) – loved it! Amazing automation.
• My next invention is coming on nicely.
• Early-to-bed Early-to-rise is going fairly well
• I have quit the BBC news site and and am trying to stay off Facebook too, and there is an overwhelming volume of bad news, and I realise that reading all this was doing nothing but sucking my energy away and making me feel angry and stressed.

We’re in a good space then.

10:30pm. Time for lights out!

Joseph

Time seems to have sped-up recently. Another week over – seems it was only yesterday that it was Monday. Perhaps that’s what happens when you make a conscious effort to make the most of each and every day.

It was an interesting week. I had another three meetings with friends and acquaintances to discuss the path ahead, all of which were very useful.

Made good progress with my next invention – I’ve been asked to appear on Bunka Housou (radio) again on Tuesday, and that’s providing me with a useful deadline by which to at least get the prototype finished. Whilst I appreciate that the listeners won’t be able to see the thing, the last time I gave an interview there I found that my physical appearance made a significant impact on the atmosphere, which was carried across the air waves.

I’m pleased that I was asked to do this interview – these kinds of media appearances are an important part of the roadmap as I currently see it, and this kind of interview makes for good practice. They also happen to be good people to work with.

Working with JP I’ve also made progress on the narrative that will accompany my next invention. I’m planning to make a series of short videos that graphically demonstrate its revolutionary features, clearly showing how it holds the key to the future of humankind. Perhaps.

For the first time ever I am using chicken wire, which is proving to be quite an incredible material. Even when you don’t have any chickens in the house.

I’ve also done a pretty good job on the exercise front, getting out for some decent milage on three separate occasions, totalling a little over 50km. All part of the next Art of Running piece. It has left me knackered and sore, but I tell myself these are good things to feel, and all is OK.

Being fit, incidentally, is another of the core features of Joseph Tame (that’s me) as I see him (i.e. as I feel I am at my core). That’s how i can prioritise it. It’s my job to be fit.

One activity that doesn’t fit in to the Joseph Tame framework is watching American TV dramas. A few weeks back I pressed the ‘enter’ button on our Apple TV remote 5 times, and hey presto! we had signed up to Hulu (billed through iTunes). There was a legitimate reason for this – Twinkle Tame is studying screen translation, and her school does a fair bit of work for Hulu.

However, signing up for Hulu means you’re also signing up for the ability to watch trashy American drama series, of which there are plenty on there. One of these – The Mentalist – purportedly had a good reputation, so we idly gave it a go.

3 episodes later …I found myself feeling somewhat headachy and done in, but wanting to watch more. This was not good.

The process was repeated yesterday after I got back from my run. Once again, it left me feeling somewhat dull, almost hungover. Later I looked back at the after-effects of these sessions and assessed how I had benefitted from them.

Had they taught me anything? No.
Had they allowed me to relax? No (I tend to get stressed on behalf of the characters).
Had they given me an opportunity to look at some situations in my own life from a different perspective? No.
Basically, it had been a complete waste of time. I would have been better off sleeping!

Thus the decision to not indulge any further in Hulu.

Well, maybe I’ll just watch one more episode of The Mentalist.

Anyways, I’d best stop here. Have some planning to do.

Joseph

One thing that’s been on my mind is the need to exercise. I didn’t run at all in June, being ‘too busy’ for it. Well, that’s no excuse, it just needs to be prioritised. Thus this morning I was up at 5am, restarting my Gympact membership (you make a pact to exercise a certain number of times per week, and pay a penalty for any sessions that you miss (I set my penalty at $10 per session). However, if you complete your pact you receive a portion of the funds from all those gympact users around the world who didn’t stick to their program – genius!) – did a 7km lap of the imperial palace. Granny’s hip played up, but that’s not surprising given how long it’s been since it’s done anything but walk or rest.

Following that it was off to immigration, arriving just before they opened and ensuring I didn’t need to wait around to have my residency application processed. It’s now a case of waiting 6-12 months to be assessed. Fingers crossed.

This afternoon was spent on invoicing, end-of-year finances, a video edit and database updates (aka FUN!), followed by a shoot for a local client. Finished off the edit tonight, and am now leaving the mac to import and transcode data from multiple cameras, ready for another edit tomorrow.

In a way, aside from the important step of waking up extra early and restarting my exercise program, today was typical of the the kind of routine I’ve had day-in-day-out for the past year. The above description could be applied to almost any day, with the contents swapped around a bit and other tasks such as photo edits, website updates, and endless emails added to the list.

I always kidded myself that ‘if I just finish this batch of edits I’ll have time to think’ – but of course I never did, as before I knew it the next lot came in.

The choice is mine to discontinue this routine – whilst it may be necessary now and then, I will no longer perceive it as something that cannot be stopped.

And with that, I’m going to bed (at 9.45pm!)

Joseph

So, it was Sunday today. A good Sunday.

It began in a relaxed fashion – watching some movie trailers. I’ve recently started using our Apple TV, which until now has been sitting pretty much unused under our pretty-much unused TV, looking sexy. In addition to trailers, we have Hulu (the Japanese version, so limited in choice, but at least it has a whole series of BBC wildlife documentaries), radio (for background music), vimeo (for inspiration) and the settings app, providing the opportunity for many happy hours trying to enter extremely long wifi network passwords using the most frustrating and non-Applesque input menu.

Following that it was off to a local cafe for an extended meeting to further flesh out our plans for the years ahead. Very productive, with more parts fitting in to place.

Once home it was into the office to work on a couple of things for a client – redesign of a presentation, and further development of a FileMaker database I’ve been working on for some time. It’s coming on nicely.

Filtered throughout this was thoughts about the baby, and how he will impact our lives.

I’m not sure what it is, but I feel my attitude towards life, perhaps my interpretation of the meaning of life changing. I think it could be due to a combination of all these discussions I’ve been having with friends recently, our own decision to go back to square one (career-wise) should we need to, the upcoming arrival of our baby, and a number of news / magazine articles I’ve read lately (I found this one shared by my friend Roberto particularly interesting).

I have, for as long as I can remember, sought some greater meaning in what I do for work. I’ve never found it, and as a result of that I don’t think I’ve ever been satisfied in my work. This has spilled over into life in general, and this search for meaning has at times left me feeling very frustrated.

It’s too early to call, but it seems that as I start to let go of these fixed notions of success (in business), and instead choose to just do what I enjoy doing, so the quest for a greater meaning is becoming irrelevant. I’m starting to feel that there never was that greater meaning that I sought, that actually, I just needed to find peace and meaning in whatever it was I was doing.

We’ll see where this thought / feeling process leads over the next few weeks and months, and how embarking upon a path that is closer to my heart affects my attitude towards life in general.

Night night.