Sakura Marathon Race (The 27th)

Date: Sunday, March 30, 2008 Weather: Cloudy then rainy

Location: Sakura City, Chiba Pref.

IMAGE

 
T Shirt


Records & Impression

• The cherry blossoms in Tokyo area are in full bloom this weekend. It's a little bit earlier than that of last year.
• It was sunny on Saturday; however, the weatherman said it would be cloudy and cold weather in the cherry-blossom season.
• I left home at 6:00 AM. As forecasted, it was cold in the morning.
• I got on the limited express of Keisei Line at 7:10 AM from Nippori Station. To my regret, I could not get the seat.
• I arrived in Sakura Station at 8:04 AM. Platform was full of runners. It took much time to get out of the station.
• Runners made a long line in front of the station for free shuttle bus. The line was longer than that of last year. Thus I gave up to ride on the bus and started to walk.
• I walked as fast as possible, but I reached the marathon site around 8:40 AM. The layout of the tents in the ballpark was changed this year and lots of runners were gathering there. It was almost impossible to find out my running mates there. The number of runner was greater than that of last year. Runners made a long line in front of the toilets.
• The full marathon race started at 9:30 AM. My loss time was almost 2 minutes.
• My running pace to the 10 km point was as usual. I was passed by the 4-hour pace maker around 15 km point, but I tried to catch up with him for a while.
• However, while running up the slope, I could not keep the same pace and I gave up. At this point, completing the race within 4 hours became difficult.
• Lately, my running pace drastically decreases around 20 km point and thus I tried to keep the same pace around 20 km this time.
• The passing time at middle-point was 1 hour 59 minutes.
• It was so hard for me to run between 25 km and 29 km where windmill stands. There was a row of cherry blossom trees, The rater of blossoming was 50%. Instead, the flowers of both forsythia and thunberg spirea were full bloom. However, I did not afford to enjoy the beauty of the flowers. The temperature was decreasing shortly.
• It was also hard to run between 29 km and 33 km. The passing time at 30 km was 2 hours 59 minutes. The running pace per one km was 6 minutes. I wondered if I was approaching the limits of completing full marathon race.
• But I ate "Daifuku" to change then mood. I could see the effect of eating "Daifuku" past 36 km point.
• After 36 km point, I decided not to care the completing time and ran my own pace.
• Then, inexplicably, I felt good and my running pace restored.
• The passing time at 40 km was 3 hours 59 minutes. My running pace did not slow down even after 40 km this time! I did not feel pain to the goal.
• I slowly ran up the last slope to the athletic field.
• The goal time was 4 hours 13 minutes. I was satisfied with the result this time. I did not feel exhausted at all after the goal.
• I could not find out my running mates after the race. I changed the weras and started to go home.
• I was disappointed to find a hug line in front of the shuttle buses. I had to wait for a long time to get on the bus.
• The rain started after the goal although the weatherman said the rain would start at night. Anyway, it was lucky that the rain started after I completed the race.
• The bus reached the station and while going up the stairs of the station, someone called me sideway.
• I was surprised that Ms. M, my schoolmate, was there!! Since I heard that she is living in Sakura City, I had been asking her to cheer me. However, it has never realized so far.
• I was trying to find out her around the goal. However, in vain.
• According to her, she could manage this time, so she first visited Chinese restaurant where I have a after-the-race party every time. But she could not find out me there, and then she came to the station and happened to find that I was descending from the bus!!
• Anyway, it was a miracle to meet each other this time.
• She took me to the coffee shop by her car and then we chatted joyfully for a while.
• Such being the case, I did not have a chance to drink beer or sake this time. I couldn't belive it.
• Of course, I celebrated my completion of the race by drinking sake after return to my home by myself.
  
  Record
  

  5 km	29 minutes
  10 km	*
  15 km	*
  20 km	1 hour 53 minutes
  Middle Point	1 hour 59 minutes
  25 km	2 hours 26 minutes
  30 km	2 hours 59 minutes
  35 km	*
  40 km	3 hours 59 minutes
  Goal	4 hours 13 minutes

  
  

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