Tazawako Marathon Race (The 28th)

Date: Sunday, September 15, 2013 Weather: Cloudy then rainny

Location: Senboku City, Akita Pref. (15 min. by bus from JR Tazawako Station)


Details of raceRefer to 22nd Tazawako Marathon Race.


Image

 
T shirt (Back)


Impression

• Saturday, September 14
  
  
  
  • On Friday night, I got on the highway bus bound for Akita City to be left at 21:50. Owing to consecutive holidays, the seats were fully occupied.
  • Since the location of bus stop was moved because of construction work, I felt a little bit pressed.
  • The bus arrived in Akita Station on time (6:30 A.M.) next morning.
  • It was cloudy, humid and hotter than expected. I could not sleep well in the bus and was still very sleepy.
  • It was my first visit to Akita City and I went sightseeing in the city.
  • First, I visited Senshu Park, where Akita Castle was built. I could see beautiful big lotus flowers in the moat. To my regret, Akita Prefectural Art Museum, where famous wall painting by Tsuguharu Fujita (Oil painter) was exhibited, was closed owing to renewal construction.
  • Then, I visited "Neburi Nagashi Museum", where materials of Akita's famous festival "Kanto Festival" were exhibited. I also visited "Akita Prefectural Redbrick Museum" which was headquarters of Akita Bank. It was a gorgeous building. I thought it represented that the local bank exercised the great power in the past.
  • Since I booked the hotel in Ohmagari, I got on the local train bound for Ohmagari past 12:00 PM.
  • I arrived in Ohmagari Station before 14:00 and checked in the hotel.
  
  
• Sunday, September 15
  
  
  • I got up at 5:00 AM. It was cloudy in the early morning. I saw morning glow. It had to be rainy soon. In fact, weather man said it would be rainy all day.
  • I got on the local train bound for Morioka to be left at 7:04 AM. The train was two-car and filled with runners.
  • The train reached at Tazawako Station at 7:43 AM. It was hotter than expected in the morning. It seemed to be rainy shortly.
  • Usually, it was possible to get on the shuttle bus on arrival. However, this year, we had to wait the bus for a while. Runners made a long line in front of the station in a moment..
  • The first bus finally arrived around 8:00 AM and I managed to get on the bus.
  • As soon as I got on the bus, the rain started to fall. It took around 15 minutes to reach the marathon site.
  • The large tent for runners was already full of runners to avoid rain. I checked a small rest house with roof where I stayed last year; however, it was also occupied by runners. I had no choice but to stay under the eave of rest house to avoid the rain. Additional tent for runners should be prepared since the numbers of runners increase year by year.
  • Due to the damage caused by mudflow in August at Tazawa District, the course of the first half of full marathon race was slightly changed. Accordingly, the start point was moved about 500 m forward compared with conventional staring point.
  • The rain continued until the race started. But when started, fortunately, the rain stopped.
  • The temperature at start was around 24 Centigrade. It was a little bit hot and humid. I started to sweat immediately after start at 10:00 AM.
  • The loss time was 40 seconds. I was out of condition for a while. Other runners passed me one after another. I decided to run by my own pace.
  • Soon I started to feel pain on my right ankle. I was worrying that former injury might reoccur.
  • Anyway, I continued to run. Shortly, I did not feel pain and was relived. My running pace recovered and I could enjoy seeing exuberance of blooming cosmos flowers alongside the road.
  • The rain started to fall again before 10 km point. It was getting a little bit cooler.
  • As usual, runners went back to Tazawako Lake via JR Tazawako Station. Cheers by local people around the station encouraged me.
  • I could manage to reach the lakeside of Tazawako Lake (22 km point) without problem.
  • The rain was getting a little bit heavier. The lake was hazy and nothing was viewed.
  • I was getting tired, but had to continue to run.
  • Soon, this time, I felt a pain in my fifth finger of my foot. It seemed that a blister was formed since I just wore new running shoes. But I was forced to run.
  • Only bananas were served at each water supply point as food. I prefer bread to banana. I could not eat banana so much. I didn't feel full stomach with bananas.
  • Therefore, I felt hungry and my running pace slowed down. I got out caramels from my waist-porch and had some caramels. Then I could recover my running pace and managed to pass both 25 km and 30 km point.
  • At 35 km point, the rain was getting heavier. I was getting exhausted. The steep slope started; however, I had no energy to run up the slope. I had to walk up the slope to keep my running energy.
  • I arrived in the top of the slope, and then I started to run. The steep downward slope started.
  • Afterward, up-and-down course continued. The rain was getting heavier and heavier. My running speed getting slower. Some young gals passed me. It was regretting, but I had no choice.
  • Finally I reached 40 km point. Soon I arrived in the last aid station. I could finally get food other than bananas. That was a rice ball! Rice ball should be served at other former aid station!!
  • I stayed at aid station for a while and ate rice ball and pickled plum to restore my energy.
  • I ran last 2 km in the downpour. The temperature was down and I started to feel even cold in the rain. I could not believe the hot weather at starting point.
  • I tried to finish the race as fast as possible. The finish area was flooded.
  • Finish time was 4 hours 35 minutes. I was satisfied with the result as the first marathon race of this season.
  • After the race, I was drenched to the skin. The shoes were soaked. Both my toes and fingers were pruned due to heavy rain. I changed the wears and rushed to shuttle bus stop to go to Tazawako Station.
  • I could catch up with the shuttle bus to be left past 15:00. I arrive in the station at 15:25.
  • I reserved the hotel in Akita City. I took on the "Komachi" at 15:58 and reached Akita Station past 17:00.
  • I was really relived after checking in the hotel.
  • It was hard to run in the rain. But rain in September will lower temperature and is helpful for runners.
  • Next day, I had a plan to visit Oga Peninsula. However, Typhoon No.18 traversed longitudinally Japanese islands. Owing to strong wind and rain, I could not carry out my plan. Akita bullet train stopped all day.
  • Fortunately, the night highway bus I booked was served as scheduled. I could come back to Tokyo in the morning on September 17. In Tokyo, it was fine. The typhoon brought clear skies with its passing.
  • Despite that, Tazawako marathon race was always caught in the rain.
    
    Records
    
    

    5 km	28 minutes
    10 km	56 minutes
    15 km	1 hour 27 minutes
    20 km	1 hour 57 minutes
    Middle-point	2 hours 04 minutes
    25 km	2 hours 29 minutes
    30 km	3 hours 03 minutes
    35 km	3 hours 38 minutes
    40 km	4 hours 17 minutes
    Finish	4 hours 35 minutes

    
    
    

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