The 30th Turtle Marathon Race

Date: Saturday September 15, 2001 Weather: Cloudy occationally sunny

Location: Arakawa Riverside, Adachi-Ku, Tokyo


Details of Race

Race	Half	Time limit	3h00m	2,000 runners
	10 km		*	800 runners
	5 km		*	400 runners
Entry Fee	Yen 3,000
Contact	1-43-15 Chuou, Nakano-ku Tokyo 164-0011 Japan Turtle Association TEL: 03-3363-5331
Gift	Gold Medal, Mineral Water, Drink
Free Service	Mineral Water
Remarks	Walkings (10 km & 5 km) are also available.

IMAGES

 
Marathon Cite Start Opening Ceremony Cite

Records & Impression

• I make it a rule not to drink just before the marathon day to maintain the best condition. However, this time, I had a chance to take a crusing boat in Tokyo Bay on Friday night. On the boat, every body could drink beer, wine, etc. without limitation at the cost of only Yen 3,000! Thus I drunk too much and when I got up at 6:00 AM on Saturday, I had a little bit hangover!
• Anyway, I left home at 8:00 AM. It was fine and so hot/humid.
• I arrived in Arakawa Riverside around 9:00 AM, earlier than expected. A lot of runners were already there. (It was said more than 4,000 people gathered there.)
• The half marathon race started at 10:30 AM. The temperature already exceeded 30 Centigrade degrees and the humidity was more than 60%.
• This is my first experience to join the race under such a bad conditions. Moreover, I had a hangover and had injured left knee a little bit last week when I climbed Mt. Ishizuchi. It was the worst conditions!
• When starting, it was sunny and hot. (It had been almost cloudy during the race.) I sweated a lot shortly after the start. At the initial stage, a tail wind was blowing and thus I didn't feel the wind. My body was getting hotter and hotter and I worried that I was going to be attacked by heatstroke.
• Every 2.5 km, the water supply point was set. Thus I tried to drink enough water at every point.
• The split time: 5 km---29 minutes, 10 km---58 minutes. It was so slow pace. I felt it took so much time to arrive in the turning point. (Approx. 10.5 km : It took 1 hour 01 minute)
• The course was completely flat and monotonous. (Not so interesting!)
• After passing the turning point, the head wind started to blow. I felt a little bit cool.
• When passing 15 km point(1 hour 29 minutes), suddenly, the sun appeared and became hotter. My running pace was also slowing down.
• During the last 3 km, my running pace increasingly slowed down. It was not painful for me to run, however, I could not run fast enough. A lot of runners passed me. Even an older lady passed me!
• Finally I could reach the goal. However, the time was 2 hours 09 minutes 30 seconds, which is the worst record so far for me! However, I was happy since I could somehow complete the race without walking. I was wet to the skin with sweat as if I ran in the rain.
• I found that the race held in September around metropolitan area is so hard (so hot!).
• I joined the race by myself. Therefore, after changing the wear, I immediately left for my home.
• I slowly headed JR Kita-senju Station while drinking canned beer in the Kita-senju Shopping Street. An autumn festival was held in the street and the festival car and a portable shrine were pulled/carried by the people there.
• I intended to eat a beef bowl at Yoshino-ya restaurant in front of JR station. (The price is only Yen 280! So cheap!) However, to my regret, a lot of people were making a line to eat and thus I was forced to give up!
• I then soon took on the JR line and came back home around 2:45 PM. After taking shower, I started to update my website.

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