Tateyama Wakashio Marathon Racw (The 30th)

Date: Sunday, January 31, 2010Weather: Sunny

Location: Tateyama City, Chiba Pref.


Details of Race:Refer to the 21st Tateyama Wakashio Marathon Race.


Image


Bath Towel

Records

5 km	28 minutes
10 km	56 minutes
15 km	1 hour 25 minutes
20 km	1 hour 53 minutes
Middle-point	1 hour 59 minutes 45 seconds
25 km	?
30 km	2 hours 49 minutes
35 km	3 hours 19 ninutes
40 km	3 hours 47 minutes
Goal	4 hours 00 minutes 02 seconds

Impression

• I left home to catch up the first train. It was cloudy, but not so cold.
• I got on the limited express train "Sazanami" to be left at 6:45 from Tokyo Station. The reserved seats were fully occupied. Even non-reserved seats were more crowded. Almost all passengers were runners.
• The train reached Tateyama Station at 8:35 AM. The runners immediately made a line for the free shuttle buses to the marathon site from the station. I did not need to wait for bus last until year. However, the waiting line extended into the station this year.
• Since the time limit extended to 6 hours from 5 hours 30 minutes, more runners registered the race this year.
• I was a little bit annoyed since I did not expect such a long line.
• I was forced to wait 15 minutes to get on the bus. Moreover, the runners had to get off the bus at the parking lot far from the marathon site compared with last year. We had to walk more distance.
• Eventually, I delayed to arrive in the marathon site as expected. It was past 9:00 AM. I quickly registered and hastened to change the wears.
• The weatherman said it would be cloudy. However, it was on warm sunny day! I found it impossible to think it was January. It was so warm that I wore thin long-sleeve T shit. It might be better to wear a half-sleeve T-shirt, but unfortunately, I didn't have it.
• It seemed that the sun glare down when I made a line at the starting point since there was no wind.
• So far a small number of female runners have joined the race. However, this year, a lot of female runners joined. The marathon boom among young gals seemed to be true.
• The race started at 10:00 AM. The loss time was less than a minute.
• Soon the course was along side the seashore. A breeze was blowing and the waves were calm. It was sunny, but hazy over the sea.
• After passing 5 km point, I was passed by the group surrounding 4-hour pacemaker. I decided to catch up with them.
• To my regret, I could not see Mt. Fuji over the sea owing to haze.
• It was so crowded with runners around the pacemaker. Therefore, I sometime touched with other runners while running. I felt a little bit dangerous.
• A pacemaker was an athlete of the track club of university, He continued to run calmly without stopping at water-supply point.
• Therefore, I had to chase him whenever I drank sport-drink at the water-supply point. It seemed to be comfortable for me to run with him since his running pace was constant.
• The time at the middle point was 1 hour 59 minutes 45 seconds!
• The sun was glaring down around 20 km point and I felt hot.
• Anyway, I continued to run with pacemaker after middle point. A cute gal among the group served as a source of encouragement.
• The large slope appeared after 30 km point, but I was forced to stop for toilet.
• To my regret, owing to toilet break, I lost sight of pacemaker and cute gal.
• I got rice balls and hot tea at annually operated private aid station and was refreshed.
• I had still energy even after 30 km since I did not overrun during the first half.
• I continued to run several moderate slopes alongside seashore.
• I tried to run as fast as possible, but I could not find out pacemaker.
• I reached the point where the distance was 4 km to the goal, but somehow the number of runners on the road ahead and behind became sparse.
• The time at 40 km was 3 hours 47 minutes. It seemed to be impossible to complete the race within 4 hours.
• However, just before the goal, someone shouted, "It's still possible to complete within 4 hours!"
• I looked the watch and found there might be a possibility.
• I rushed to the goal with my all energy. My heart almost stopped!
• My official goal time was 4 hours 00 minutes 02 seconds! I could complete the race within 4 hours if I reached 3 seconds earlier!
• I could not walk for a while after the race.
• I rushed to change wears and went to the shuttle bus station so that I could catch the limited express train to be left at 15:09.
• The bus arrived in the station at 14:50 and I rushed to the ticket booth to buy the reserved ticket. The reserved ticket was almost sold out.
• I drank one canned beer and one Japanese one cup sake and fell into sleep. When I waked up, the train was almost arrived in Tokyo Station.
• The race was my 50th full marathon race! (Excluding two ultra-marathon races)

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