Sakura Marathon Racw (The 33rd)

Date: Sunday, March 30, 2014 Weather: Cloudy then rainy

Location: Sakura City, Chiba Pref.

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�@T-shirt(Back)


Impression

• The cherry blooms in Tokyo delayed this year compared with last year owing to heavy snow and severe coldness in winter. But finally the peak bloom dates for cherry blossoms is coming.
• According to weekly weather forecast, it would be occasionally rainy on Sunday. However, it changed to be spring storm.
• Anyway, I got up at 4:30 AM. It was already raining.
• However, the rain stopped when I left home around 5:30 AM. Besides, it was not cold.
• Via Seibu & Yamanote Lines, I got on the limited express train of Keisei Line bound for Narita at 6:50 AM. Contrary to my expectation, the train was not crowded and I could get seat easily.
• I could sleep in the train until the train reached Keisei Sakura Station.
• A lot of runners were waiting for shuttle bus in front of the station as usual. I started to walk from the station.
• Fortunately, it was not raining and cold there.
• It was 20-minute walk to the marathon site. I got T-shirt from the reception and went to the athletic field to change wears.
• I had big rice ball which I made before the start. Soon it started to rain.
• I wore thin long-sleeve T-shirt and short pant. I put on the vinyl bag for rain.
• When full marathon race started at 9:30, the rain stopped. It was not cold.
• The loss time was 2 minutes. It was dangerous to run down from the exit of athletic field since the course was down slope, crowded with runners and slippery owing to rain.
• I felt hot while running and thus I took off the vinyl bag at 5-km water supply point.
• After passing 8 km point, it started to drizzle. The drizzle stopped and re-started until 20 km point.
• Around 10km point, I noticed that a petite adorable (?) gal wearing red jacket with sunglass was running in front of me. Since the running pace was almost the same as mine, I decided to follow her!
• After passing 20 km point, it started to rain in real earnest. But I continued to run immediate after her.
• To my regret, the cherry blossoms alongside Imbanuma Lake were still buds.
• A young gal was still running in front of me, but I finally passed her around 30 km point. Regrettably, since then, I could not see her to the finish.
• In the real rain, I did not wear vinyl bag and thus I got soaked to the skin. To keep my body temperature, I had to continue to run hard in the rain. I also removed gloves, my fingers became wrinkly and almost anesthetic.
• After passing 34 km point, the rain started to come down in buckets with strong head wind. I felt a drop in body temperature and I ran as fast as possible.
• Around 38 km point, a big downpour stopped, but I suddenly had a shivering fit while running. I stopped running and wore vinyl bag and gloves again.
• Soon my chill disappeared while running.
• The rain finally stopped at 40 km point. It was hard to run the last 2 km to the finish, but I continued to run.
• My running pace further slowed while running up the last 500m to the athletic field.
• The finish time was 4 hours 32 minutes. I think I did my best to complete the race in the heavy rain.
• I joined the race by myself. Therefore, I changed the wears after the finish and hasten to the shuttle bus stop to the station. Although there was a long line of runners in front of the bus stop, I waited for the bus. I had no energy to walk to the station.
• I could get on the limited express train of Keisei Line bound for Ueno at 15:10.
• I got home around 17:30. Immediately, I took a hot bath and felt refreshed.
• Of course, then I had an evening drink.
• I was satisfied that I could complete the full marathon race after 2-month interval under bad weather condition.
  
  Records
  

  5 km	31 minutes
  10 km	1 hour 02 minute
  15 km	1 hour 31 minutes
  20 km	2 hours 02 minutes
  Middle-point	2 hours 09 minutes
  25 km	2 hours 33 minutes
  30 km	3 hours 05 minutes
  35 km	3 hours 37 minutes
  40 km	4 hours 15 minutes
  Finish	4 hours 32 minutes

  
  

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