Katsuta Marathon Race (The 53rd)

Date:Sunday, January 2005 Weather : Sunny

Location: Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Pref.

Details of Race:Refer to Katsuta Marathon Race (The 52nd).

IMAGES

 
T Shirt

Records & Impression

• I went to see the doctor on January 24 to have MRI picture taken again. The result was almost the same as that of previous time.
• The doctor said I might run full marathon race unless I run with full power. Thus I decided to join the race.
• This full marathon race was the race after an interval of almost 9 months.
• Katsuta marathon race had been done on February 11 until last year. However, the date was changed this year. The last Sunday of January, the same day of Tateyama marathon race!!
• I wondered which race I would join and chose Katsuta since Katsuta is more convenient than Tateyama for me.
• I had a handy this time that my training was not enough owing to bad weather at the end of 2004 and the beginning of 2005.
• Furthermore, my right leg is still numbed. I just tried to complete the race.
• I left home at 5:50 AM. It was fine and still dark in the early morning. Only the sky in the west was a little bit blightened. The temperature was around 5 degrees Centigrade, but I felt colder since the strong north wind was blowing.
• I took on the local train at 7:05 AM from Nippori station and met with my running mate, Mr. Y. We arrived in Katsuta station at 9:29 AM. It took around 10 minutes to the marathon site.
• We registered and changed the wears beside the gymnasium. Soon my another running mate, Mr. O, came to see us. I thought he also registerd, however, he said he forgot to do it, but he came to cheer us.
• Full marathon race started at 11:00 AM. It was said that around 4,500 runners joined. Although Mr. O did not registered, he started to run with me. It was cold since north wind was still blowing.
• Mr. O finaly ran until 25km point with me. We chatted while running. Thus I could run without boring. When we were talking about Simanami Ultra marathon race, the lady in her 50s running next to us suddenly talked to us that she also joined the ultra marathon race. We were surprised at it.
• I could see that the dried sweet potatos were being made in the vinyl-houses. Dried sweet potato is the special product of Katsuta. It is given to each runner as gift.
• Anyway, I could reach 30 km point without problem. However, hereafter, I felt tired and running pace started to slow down.
• I could have hot Japanese tea and a big pickled plum at the aid station operated by the individual. It was so delicious and I could refresh.
• I could managed to continue to run until 37 km point. When passing 37 km, the man in charge of controling the runners said the traffic restriction just finished and that the runners should run on the walkway. It was 2:45 PM. However, I thought the time should have been 15:00. (I was right!) On hearing it, my feeling to continue to run just were gone and I started to walk for a while.
• I almost lost my energy to run. I repeated walking and running to the 41km point. I tried to run the last 1 km to the goal. I could run, but the speed was so slow and the goal time was 4 hours 26 minutes.
• I was extremely exhausted to complete the full marathon race after an interval of 9 months.
• After the goal, we went back to the station and had a drink party at Japanese pub just in front of the station. I drank hot Japanese sake and got warm.
• We had the second party in the local train to Nippori station.
• We arrived in Nippori at 20:00. I came home at 21:00. This time, I was completely exhausted.
  
  Records
  

  5 km	30 m
  10 km	57 m
  15 km	1 h 28 m
  20 km	??
  Middle Point	2 h 02 m
  25 km	2 h 28 m
  30 km	3 h 00 m
  35 km	3 h 30 m
  40 km	??
  Goal	4 h 26 m

  
  

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