Sapporo Marathon Race (The 28th)

Date : Sunday October 5, 2003 Weather : Cloudy occasionally sunny, rain shower

Location : Sapporo City, Hokkaido (Northern Part of Japan)


Details of Race

Race	Half	Time Limit	At 9 km point : Within 55 minutes	3000 Runners
	10 km		1 hour 30 minutes	2700 Runners
	5 km		*	1400 Runners
	3 km		*	600 Runners
	2 km		+	600 Runners
Entry Fee	Yen 3,300
Contact	1-5 Nakanoshima Park, Chuo-Ku, Sapporo City 064-0931 Secretariat of Sapporo Marathon Race TEL : 011-530-5550
Gift	Large-size towel
Free Service	Sport Drink
Remarks	Shuttle bus available from Makomanai Station (One-way : Yen 200)

IMAGES

 
Skating Rink Goal Runners



Record & Impression

Saturday October 4 : Cloudy


• I jogged 10 km from 5:00 AM. I left home around 9:00 AM.
• I was on board together with my running mate, Mr. Y at Haneda Airport. The departure (at noon) was delayed by 30 minutes owing to the trouble of cargo room.
• Finally, we arrived in Chitose Airport around 2:00 PM. We were so hungry and thus we rushed to Sapporo Ramen shop.
• When arriving at Sappro Station by Express train, it was already past 3:00 PM. It was more than 20 years ago when I visited Sapporo last time.
• Mr. I, who already arrived here previous day, picked up us by car and took us to the registration site. Then we followed the tomorrow's marathon course by car.
• After checking-in the hotel, we dined at the nearest restaurant. The restaurant offered mutton barbecue. There, after paying Yen 3,500, you can eat barbecue and drink alcohol without limitation within 100 minutes.
• We ate and drank as much as possible and went back to the hotel. As a result, I went to bed around 8:00 PM.
  
  Sunday October 5 : Cloudy occasinally sunny, then shower
  
  
• There was a hot spring in the hotel. I enjoyed hot spring in the early morning although it was so crowded.
• The starting time of the half marathon race was 11:50 AM. Thus after taking breakfast, we strolled around the midtown of Sapporo City in the morning. I saw the Sapporo Clock Tower after a long interval.
  
   
  Clock Tower
  
  
  
• Then we went to Makomanai Ground via subway and bus. We arrived there around 10:00 AM. It's too early. I did not know how to kill the time.
• I went to the start line at 11:20 AM. More than 3,000 runners were there.
• The start was made at 11:50. It was cloudy. It took 50 seconds for me to pass the starting line since I was positioned in the middle of the line.
• At the intial stage, the course was slightly downwards. Thus all runners were running faster from the biginning. I felt dangerous while running since the road was so crowded. One might tumble if runners hit each other.
• This time, I ran with faster running pace than usual since there were two time-limit points: 5 km & 10 km.
• The time limit at 5 km point was 30 minutes. (I passed there in 24 minutes.) Soon after passing 5 km point, the course was set in the Main Street of Sapporo City, where is the most prosperous area in Sapporo.
• Runners had to turn just in front of Mitsukoshi Department Store (8 km point). A lot of gallery cheered runners there.
• The second time limit at 9 km was 55 minutes. (My passing time was 44 minutes.) I passed 10 km point after 49 minutes from the start. Then, the course was set alongside the Toyohira River (Cycling road).
• While running the cycling road, it started drizzle and suddenly it changed to heavy rain. Owing to the rain water on the road, it was hard for me to run for a while. The time at 15 km was 1 hour 14 minutes.
• After departing the cycling road, the course was around the Makonamai Ground. The distance was around 4 km.
• I felt a little bit tired since I ran too fast in the initial half stage. There were several ups-and-downs there and I was slightly weary of running.
• Just before entering into the skating rink, the course was upward again! Anyway, I ran as fast as possible in the last minutes. The goal time was 1 hour 47 minutes. Not so bad for me.
• After the race, we went back to the hotel and relaxed in the hot spring. Then we drank a canned beer, which was so delicious.
• In the evening, we had a after-the-race party at Sushi bar. We enjoyed delicious Sashimi/Sushi dishes together with tasty Japanese Sake.
• Then, we rushed into the Karaoke room and again enjoyed singing songs until midnight.
  
  Sunday October 6 : Sunny with shower
  
  
• I was day-off on Monday.
• Mr. Y ran in the early morning although we had a big party last night, however, I could not.
• We decided to go sightseeing in Otaru City. It takes 40 minutes from Sapporo to Otaru by train.
• I heard that Otaru is famous for canal. On arrival, we went to the canal area. But I disappointed the scenery. The sightseeing area was very small. But there were lots of souvenir shops and many tourists were gathering.
  
   
  Canal
  
  
  
• I tasted several Otaru wines there. The volume was not so much, but I was drunk a little bit. Anyway, I purchased one bottle of fruity rose wine.
• We went back to Chitose Airport around 14:30.
• Our original flight time was 16:30. However, we could reserve the 15:30 flight. We took on the plane after we hastily bought the souvenir.
• We arrived in Haneda Airport at 17:00 and I came back home around 19:00.
• I think I spent too much money this time and thus for some time I must bear a hard life to save money for the next long term marathon trip.
• From now on, I also have to register the long distance race (More than 42.195 km) if it needs lodging.
• PS : This time, I felt muscles pain on my foot for several days after the race since I ran faster than usual.

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