The 19th Tachikawa Marathon Race
Tachikawa City, Tokyo
March 12, 2000
Weather:Rainy then cloudy

Races

Half	2300 (Started at 10:00)
10km	1500 (Started at 10:30)
3km	1700 (Started at 10:35)

 
Welcome banner 3km Race

Records & Impression

• Last year, I joined this race after 3 month-absence and it was very hard to finish. Thus I tried to clear my name this time.
• However, on the marathon day, I woke up by the sound of rain in the early morning.
• The weatherman said in the previous eve that it would be cloudy without rain. I therefore fell in asleep without anxiety.
• According to the weather forecast at 6:00 AM, it was still cloudy. However, at 7:00 AM, it was changed to rainy then cloudy. I blamed the meteorological agency!
• Anyway, I left the home at 7:15 into the rain. The rain was not likely to stop. Moreover, it was cold!
• In the rain, I walked to the Showa Memorial Park form Tachikawa station. While approaching the entrance of the park, I found a lot of runners were gathering.
• There was no place to take shelter from rain at 'Everybody's Open Space', the registration site in the park.
• Runners who arrived earlier already occupied even the eaves of toilets. A lot of runners gathered under the big trees.
• Finally, I could find the 'Shelter' under the small tree.
• It was really cold. I was reluctant to change the wear in the rain.
• Although the start of half marathon race was 9:30, the runners had to gather at 9:10. It was still rainy and cold.
• It was my second experience to run in the rain.
• The race started at 9:30 as scheduled. The temperature was 5 degrees C. It was already middle in March!
• I wore wind-breaker on the long sleeve T-shirt since I felt so cold. However, after start, I was warned by the staff of the race that the number sheet on the T-shirt could not be seen owing to wind-breaker! I wanted to say that it couldn't be helped since it was so cold!
• A lot of runners wore large garbage-vinyl-bags to avoid rain. I will try to wear the vinyl bag next time.
• The course was the same as that of previous year. I felt easy since I was familiar with the scenery of the course.
• When started, everybody rushed to run. I was forced to follow them and thus my running pace was faster than usual.
• The 5km point was the exit of the park. It was slippery and dangerous on the rainy day.
• During the half marathon race, the rain continued although it drizzled sometimes. The temperature did not raise.
• There were puddles on the road and thus my shoes was wetted.
• The course was again in the park from 15km point. I could run without problem this year to there. I could take off the wind-breaker there.
• Due to the fact that I ran faster in the front half, I had to slow down after 15km.
• It was hard to run last 3km.
• When entering into the park, the sky started to be light although it was still rainy.
• When I arrived in the 20km point, the time was 1 hour 43 minutes. I thought that I could finish within 1 hour 50 minutes and I tried to run as much as possible to the goal.
• As I expected, it was 1 hour 49 minutes 08 seconds when I finished.
• Oh my God! Immediately after my goal, the rain stopped!
• After the goal, I waited for my running mate, who participated 10km race. It was not rainy, but still cold. I ate rice ball (cold!) for snack while shivering. I also drank canned beer and Japanese sake cup for warming-up.
• After joining my running mate, we left for Tachikawa station. At that time, it started to be sunny and warm. What a vexing weather of the morning! I wished if the race would be done 12 hours afterwards.
• We had a grand lunch at the pub 'YORO NO TAKI' in front of the JRA Bldg.(Japan Racehorse Association) near Tachikawa station as we did last year.
• My running mate went to buy horse race tickets. However, he couldn't win.
• All guests were horse race fans. The gentleman next to me on the counter explained about horse races, but I couldn't understand. Frankly speaking, presently, I do not have any interest in horse racing.
• We became tipsy and I came home at 5:00 PM.
  
  Others
  
  
• Owing to rainy weather, I think a lot of runners cancelled to run this year.
• The water supply points were only two, where only water was available.
• After the goal, you could only get cold tea this year. No poke-miso-soup was available. More services should be available!
• The gifts were 2 one-day tickets of TAMA monorailI
  
  Showa Memorial Park
  
   
  Entrance Big fountain in the park
  
  
  
  
  Split Time
  
  

  5km	26 m
  10km	51 m
  15km	1 h 13 m
  20km	1 h 43 m
  Goal	1 h 49 m 08 s

  
  

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