TOKYO MARATHON 2007③～ in the rain

Harder than I imagined- this was my frank feeling.

My plastic raincoat made me harder to run. Still so cold ,although I started to run. Through the Shinjuku- the biggest down town Tokyo, there were so many people cheering us. Waving their hands, having the sign board with a messege, yelling "Ganbare!!(Cheer up.)" My tears leaked from the corner of my eyes naturally.

Raining getting harder and harder.

The marathon course was selected to the runners can enjoy with many sight seeing points and flatted.I have lived in Tokyo quite long -maybe 8-9years. I knew the all places on race course. But the scenery was totally different. Newness and rediscovery. I felt happy and lucky to run on the roads which are usually for cars , and not permitted to walk .

When I passed Hibiya park where was the goal of 10km race, it rained so hard. I saw many runner head for 10 km. "Wow, should I have choosen 10km?? Still I had more than 30km....." I knew at that park they prepared for foot bath, I really wanted to go. At that time , extremely cold . I had some candy and snack in my belt bag , but too cold to open them. I was cring for cold.

Around the 20km, I felt pain on left knee. "I didn't have enough time for training." I had to walk as fast as possible insted of runnning. Already I was in late group .I felt a kind of jealousy a little bit to the runners they already pass the returning point. But some runner, when they run pass , spork words of cheer like "Let's goal by everybody". I was really happy.

During race I saw many volunteers who smiling me with freezing in the cold. They were so great, they did perfect job. They looked so cold, needless to say, they were colder than us. I heard the many people applied for volunteers since they couldn't run because of lottery. Oh, yes more than 60000people couldn't run. I said to myslf I was lucky , I had to do my best, I had to enjoy insted of them.....

And I was so encouraged by many people along the course. They don't know me, and I don't know them, but they cheered and supported with full of their passion. In fact this was the very first city Marathon in Tokyo, many amount of foods and water were prepared, water was fine, but the food were not enough- it might be much colder than they expected. Anyway, we were severe lack of foods. Only the fast runners could get foods from the official aid. Some runners who had some money with them would go to the convenience store to buy something to eat. After Asakusa area- about 30km from the start point- the people noticed the runners were so hungry, many people offer us candy, sweet, soup, hot tea that gave us the energy for another step.

My legs were so heavy, but I want to say thank you to those who imvolved this marathon.

The goal was coming soon.

【to be continued】

TOKYO MARATHON 2007②～ START

On that day I woke up 4 o'clock in the moning, actually I didn' mean it, I was going to get up around 5:30, yes, I was nervous . It was raining hard, as suspected. But I didn't think of call off this event , I don' t know why. After breakfast , I head for Shinjuku where was the very "START" of this marathon.

In Shinjuku station I saw many people prepareing for the race, with the numbers on their T-shirts. Many ,so many people. Still raining and cold. Before I deposit my belongings, I made a phone call to one of my friends who also was going to run this race. "How are you????"etc.... I was tring to find where are they.... but I gave up at once because of the big crowd.

The runner must be at start position that they designed as a block decided depends on the declaration of the time to goal.As I submitted it by 6:40, I was the last block "K" . There we couldn't hear any sounds or voice from the ceremony , it was too far..... We had to wait for a quite long time before and after starting to race. I was freezing, and shaked with cold .Everubody was same. But we had fun, too. The people from the behind started the wave with yelling "Yeah-- ". The one woman on the balcony of the buiding-maybe 8th or 10th flour - was cring "Cheer up !!! " Everybody in K block was waving their hands, it was just like a greeting from the Royal Family on the new year day in imperial palace.

After 16minite passed already from the starting time , finally I was able to pass the startline with waving my hand to Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara.

The race was started.

【to be continued...】

TOKYO MARATHON 2007①

The day have came.
February 18th -Tokyo marathon 2007.
I am nervous,,,and excited. What's going on ?????


As you know , Tokyo is a capital city in Japan, is such a big city, has a big population -more than 12million and the central of political and economical of Japan , but never had a city marathon like New York, Boston , Berlin, London and Chicago. Since several years before they are planning to take place City Marathon in central Tokyo. The Governor of Tokyo had decided to hold on February 18th 2007 for the very first time . Actually there were not a few pople who express objection against it, the function of city would go down because of the traffic regulations of main roads for seven hours.

From last June to August the registration began. The applicants was three times than capacity (Entrants Marathon : 25,000 athletes , 10km Race : 5,000 athletes, but more than 95000pople entried.!!!). Only luckey 30000 people who were selected by lottary got their rights to be a runner.

Frankly saying, I was the one. When I got a email about to be ruuner on October, I was happy, but at the same time I was annoyed. How I can run 42.195km again??? It was so tough・・・・etc. (In fact I joined Walt Disney marathon 2005, so I know how difficult was it.....) But reading many poeple's blog , many people wrote about their shock from losing their lack of luck. So I decided to try the Marathon.

Although I strongly felt necessity of training , but I have been busy from last Autumn, went Mexico two weeks, had to find new apartment, and moving, in my job I had a lot to do. I couldn't have spare time for training. At last I could find my free time on January, became a member of sports gym. But obviously I needed training more and more....

【to be continued ...】