Iizaka-Spa & Moekko-lake Marathon Race (The 6th)

Date: Sunday, November 3, 2013 Weather: Cloudy, calm

Location: Iizaka-cho, Fukushima Pref. (Iizaka-Spa Station of Iizaka Line of Fukushima Transportation)


Details of raceRefer to Iizaka-Spa & Moekko-lake Marathon Race (The 5th)





Image

 
Bath Towel

Records

5 km	*
10 km	56 minutes
15 km	*
20 km	*
Middle Point	2 hours 05 minutes
25 km	2 hours 31 minutes
30 km	3 hours 06 minutes
35 km	3 hours 44 minutes
40 km	4 hours 18 minutes
Finish	4 hours 32 minutes

Impression

• Saturday, November 2, Cloudy then sunny
  
  
  
  • I got on highway bus bound for Fukushima from Shinjuku Station to be left at 8:00 AM. The seats were fully occupied. It was announced that the bus would reach in one hour delay at the terminal owing to traffic jam.
  • But actually there was no heavy traffic jam as experienced last year at highway.
  • Instead, we met traffic jam while the bus was running on general road from Sukagawa to Nihonmatsu.
  • Finally the bus reached at Fukushima Station around 14:30.
  • On arrival, I checked in the hotel. This year, it was not necessary to register on previous day since the saddlecloth was sent to each runner in advance.
  • I planned to go in a hot spring, so I took the train and went to Iizaka hot Spa Station.
  • There are nine public bathes in Iizaka Spa. This time, I visited the nearest spa. called Hakoyu from the station.
  • The fee was Yen 300. The bath was smaller than expected. Ten people may take a bath at a time. There were two bathtubs. One was very hot (more than 42 degrees Centigrade) and the other was hot. I could soak in the very hot bathtub in only a couple of minutes. Shower was available here.
  • Fortunately, the bath was not so crowded and I could enjoy taking a hot spring.
  • After taking a bath, I returned to Fukushima Station by train. On the way back to the hotel, I bought locally brewed Japanese sake and take-out dinner box. I enjoyed taking them and went to bed early in the evening.
  
  
• Sunday, November 3, Cloudy
  
  
  • This year, I was told that free bus to the marathon site from Fukushima Station was served at 7:50 AM.
  • I had a breakfast at hotel's all-you-can-eat buffet. I ate a butt-load of rice.
  • I went out the hotel at 7:20 and arrived in Fukushima Station at 7:30. A lot of runners were already in the bus. The bus was soon filled with runners and started past 7:30 AM. It took about one hour to reach the marathon site.
  • The weatherman said that it would be sunny and then cloudy and the maximum temperature would be around 20 degrees Centigrade. However, it was cloudy and very cool there.
  • Last year, I wore short-sleeve T-shirt and felt cold. Therefore, I decided to wear long-sleeved T-shirt this year. My choice was correct.
  • I misunderstood the start time of full race. The start time was not 10:00 but 9:40.
  • Before start, professional instructor gave guidance about warm-up exercises. It was very useful and I could warm-up well.
  • The full race started at 9:40 AM as scheduled. It was announced that 910 runners joined. The course was not so crowded at start. I decided to start slowly from behind. Loss time was almost zero. It was still cloudy and no wind. It was neither hot nor cold. It was an ideal day for marathon.
  • The course was the exactly the same as that of last year. Runners ran 5 km downward alongside Surikami River and returned to the starting point.
  • When returned to the start point, Ms Minami, a guest runner who would join Yokohama Women's International Marathon Race this year) gave high five.
  • Next, runners had to run toward upper stream to reach the second turn-around point (18.8 km). First, runners had to run up a long slope to the dam. I could manage to reach the dam.
  • After passing the dam, runners ran seeing Moekko-lake on left side.
  • Trees in the mountains around the lake turned color. The mountains with colored trees were reflected on the surface of the calm lake's water. However, to my regret, the color was not clear owing to cloudy weather.�A
  • It had been cloudy and calm. I neither felt cold nor sweated.
  • I managed to reach the second turn-around point. But I had to return here once more. I felt slightely depressed.
  • There were various kinds of foods such as bread, bean-jam bun, orange, apple, Ume, etc. at several water supply points. I bobbled down them.
  • When returning, my running speed slowed down, but I managed to arrive in the dam (25 km point) again. I exchanged a high-five with Ms. Minami again. One lady cheered for runners with handheld microphone.
  • Runners had to cross the road upon the dam to reach the third turn around point (26 km).
  • Then I had to run to the second turn around point again. By this time, numbers of runners around me decreased. Among them, I found one old runner in his seventies with pink uniform written "Society for enjoying one hundred full marathon races" after so long.
  • I chased each other back and forth, but finally he seemed to finish earlier than I. I was much impressed that he was so tough.
  • During the second return course from the second turn-around point (32.6 km), I continued to run without feeling. Again I chased each other back and forth with young gal. (I won at the finish!)
  • I could enjoy seeing nice scenery while running on the road of dam. (39 km to 40 km)
  • The course became downward slope from 40 km point. I injured my right ankle while running the slope last year. Therefore, I carefully ran down this year.
  • Anyway, I finally finished. Finish time was 4 hours 32 minutes.
  • A senior high school girl student put bath towel on my shoulder at finish.
  • As a prize for participation, 1 kg of newly harvested rice was given to me. It seemed that several prizes were available. A sort of fruits was given to other runners.
  • I got on the bus to be left at 14:40 to Iizaka Spa.
  • At Iizaka Spa., I went to the oldest public bath called "Sabakoyu". It is said that Basho Matsuo, a famous Haiku poet, took a bath here.
  • The fee was Yen 200. The bathtub might be full of six bathers. The temperature of hot spring was 42 degrees of Centigrade. It was a little bit hot. This public bath was crowded. No shower available.
  • When I came back to the hotel, it was 17:00. I was really exhausted.
  
  
• Monday, November 11 Rainy
  
  
  • In the early morning, I got on the JR local train from Fukushima Station to Aizu-wakamatsu Station. The main purpose was to visit "Joshoji Temple", one of one hundred temples Mr. Hiroyuki Itsuki, a famous novelist, recommends. I worshipped Yakushi Nyorai sedentary statue, a national treasure.
  • In downtown, I visited several tourist attractions such as Amidaji Temple, Tsurugajo Castle, and Mt. Iimori famous for Byakko-tai, etc. I saw lots of tourists.
  • I got on the highway bus at 18:00. The bus reached Ikebukuro at 22:15. I finally got home around 23:00. I was exhausted again.
  
  
  
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