Kasumigaura Marathon Race (The 20th)

Date: Sunday, April 18, 2010 Weather: Sunny

Location: Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Pref.


Details of Race:Refer to the 14th Kasumigaura Marathon Race.

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@T-shirt


Impression

• The rain on Friday daytime changed to sleet, then to snow at midnight. I was surprised to see the fallen snow on Saturday morning. It was reported that the latest snowfall in Tokyo after an interval of 41 years. By the way, I did not live in Tokyo 41 years ago and thus I did not have any memory of snowfall.
• The snow disappeared after the sun rose, then I jogged 10 km on Saturday. The atmosphere was still cold.
• The weatherman said it would be fine and warm on Sunday. The temperature might rise to 17 degrees Centigrade.
• I left home before 6:00 AM. It was fine but still cold in the early morning.
• I took on the rapid train from Nippori Station, however, seats were already occupied and I had to stand in the train. I should have taken on the train from Ueno Station.
• As latest trend, every time the train stops, the more runners get on, the more the train is crowded.
• Two elderly men were loudly talking about marathon race in the seats. It was so noisy and offensive to the ear.
• The train reached Tsuchiura Station around 8:00 AM. The platform was filled with runners. Since I took on the front train car, it took much time to get out of the station. I was disgusted to see so many runners more than I expected.
• I got program at the reception and went to the designated place to see my running mates. But no one was there as yet. So anyway I changed the wears. Shortly, I could meet them.
• I made line around 9:30 AM. It seemed around 15,000 runners joined full marathon race. 2.5 runners join the races in total. That was the reason why the marathon site was so crowded. The starting point of full marathon race was changed this year to cope with the increase of runners. I could keep front position this time. It might take more than 10 minutes to reach the starting point who were positioned at the end of the line.
• It was fine and warm in the morning. While I was standing at the starting line, I was getting sleep owing to lack of sleep.
• The full marathon race started at 10:00 AM. The move of line was so slow and it took almost two minutes to pass the start line.
• The narrow course continued for a while and it was dangerous to run owing to crowded runners.
• Shortly after the start, I had a desire to urinate and thus was looking for the good place while running. But I couldn't and had to wait in front of the portable toilet located just before 5 km point. I lost a few minutes there and the time at 5 km was 30 minutes.
• The temperature was rising little by little and there was no wind. I felt hot and started to sweat.
• The time at 10 km was 57 minutes. I could recover the loss a little bit.
• I could catch up with a large group of runners just before 15 km point. I wondered what they were. I found they were the group of runners who surrounded the 4-hour pace makers who were running with balloons as ID.
• Since the course was narrow and crowded with runners, I could not pass them. Then I was away from them.
• The time at middle-point was just 2 hours!
• The thin clouds started to cover the sky in the afternoon. After passing the turn-around at 22 km point, the cool head-on wind was blowing. The hot weather was softened.
• I tried not to care for the time and runners around me while running. I tried to keep my own pace as much as possible.
• Therefore, my running pace did not slowed down even after passing 30 km point. I could also keep the drive to run to the finish.
• I could get a rice ball and hot tea at privately operated aid station.
• I could continue to keep my usual running pace after 35 km point passing many walking runners.
• I gave@up to complete the race within 4 hours, but even after passing 40 km point, I still had energy enough to spare for running 2 km to the finish.
• The finisih time was 4 hours 08 minutes. I was satisfied with the result.
• I made a toast with canned beer with my running mates after the goal. The sun appeared again and the sunshine was so hot that we enjoyed drinking beers. I found I was sunburned when I looked at my mace with mirror when I got home. I was told, "You are sunburned." next day at the office.
• We went back to the station and looked for the Japanese Pub for the drink party. The pub very close to the station was already filled with runners. We could finally find the seats at the third pub we visited.
• We made a toast again. We changed to Japanese sake and enjoyed chatting about marathon races.
• We continued to drink in the train bund for Ueno Station.
• We felt asleep at some time or other and passed Nippori Station to get off. When we waked up, the train already reached Ueno Station.
• I went back to home after 20:00.
• I could afford to run looking around young gals this time. Owing to hot weather, I could see several gal runners with no-sleep running wears.
• I did not feel any damage next morning. I wish I could complete every full marathon race like this.
  
  Record
  
  

  5 km	30 minutes
  10 km	57 minutes
  15 km	1 hour 24 minutes
  20 km	1 hour 54 minutes
  Middle-point	2 hours
  25 km	2 hours 23 minutes
  30 km	2 hours 53 minutes
  35 km	3 hours 24 minutes
  40 km	3 hours 55 minutes
  Goal	4 hours 08 minutes

  
  
  

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