Iwate Ohshu Twinkling Marathon Race (The 1st)

Date: Sunday, May 21, 2017 Weather: Fine

Location: Ohshu City, Iwate Pref. (JR Tohoku Line Maesawa Station, 5 minute by Bus)


Details of RaceF

Race	Full	Runners	3,200	*
	10 km		1,000	*
	3 km		300	*
Entry Fee	Yen 7,000
Contact	§023-1192 Ohshu City, Esashi-ku, Ohdori 1-8 Secretariat of Iwate Ohshu Twinkling Marathon Race TELF0197-35-2111
Gift	T Shirt, Towel
Free Service	Drink
Remark	Time limit of full race: 7 hours

ImagesF

 
T shirt Towel

Records

5 km	32 minutes
10 km	1 hour 03 minutes
15 km	1 hour 34 minutes
20 km	2 hours 10 minutes
Middle-point	2 hours 18 minutes
25 km	2 hours 43 minutes
30 km	3 hours 07 minutes
35 km	4 hours 05 minutes
40 km	4 hours 58 minutes
Finish	5 hours 20 minutes

Impression

• Saturday, May 20
  
  
  
  • After finishing the work in the morning, I took on the superexpress "Yamabiko" from Ohmiya Station to be left at 14:02.
  • I drank one canned beer and white wine, and then I felt a little bit drunken. I arrived in Ichinoseki Station at 16:10.
  • I saw only a few people on the main street from the station. I checked in the hotel located from the station 5 minutes on foot.
  • After taking shower, I strolled around the station. I found only one convenience store close to the station. I purchased a Bento for dinner and a few Onigiris for breakfast.
  • I drank red wine at the hotel room and went to bed earlier than usual. It seemed to be hot next day and I wondered if I would be OK.
  
  
• Sunday, May 21
  
  
  • I got up at 5:00 AM. It was fine. First, I took Onigiris.
  • According to weather forecast in the early morning, the maximum temperature would be 31 degrees Centigrade. I had to be careful for heat stroke,
  • I decided to wear a non-sleeve T-shirt.
  • I checked out the hotel at 6:20. I went to the station and waited for the train bound for Morioka to be left at 6:44. A lot of runners were already there.
  • Two-car train was filled with runners. The train reached Maesawa Station at 6:58. I remembered that Maesawa was famous for "Maesawa Beef"!
  • There was no shop around the station. Anyway, I took on the free shuttle bus. The bus passed the Aeon Mall and then arrived in the marathon site. It took only 5 minutes.
  • I received T-shirt and changed the wears, then deposited the bag. I still have one hour extra time to the start.
  • I injured my left knee at Kakegawa marathon race in April and thus I could not run almost one month. I still felt a slight pain at the knee when running.
  • I once gave up joining the race, however, I re-considered and decided to try to run as much as possible.
  • The full marathon race started at 8:30 AM. The number of runners to be around 3,200. The course was not so crowded from the start. I deliberately started to run with my own running pace.
  • Just after the start, comfortable wind was blowing and I didn't felt hot.
  • I could run without feeling pain on the knee until 5 km.
  • The course was almost flat in the rural district and easy to run. I could enjoy seeing pastoral landscape.
  • After passing 7 km point, runners passed through the big bridge across the Kitakami River.
  • At the water supply point, sports drink and water were served. However, while running the second half, only water was served although "sport drink" was displayed at the booth. It seemed that sport drink became out of stock earlier than expected owing to hot weather condition.
  • At the food supply booth, bananas, small Manjus and candies were served. Small cuts of Yokan were served at one station.
  • I could run as usual until 20 km point. However, I felt pain sometimes while running. Thus I did a stretching exercise every time I stopped at aid station.
  • When reaching middle-point, it became hotter. I saw several runners started to walk.
  • While running, I could see Mt. Yakeishi still covered with white snow far away. Just before 25 km point, I passed long bridge across the Kitakami River. While running on the bridge, I could see Mt. Yakeishi again clearly at the right side.
  • I managed to reach 30km point. It was so hot that I frequently felt thirsty. Each aid station, I drank water heavily. I felt my stomach became filled with water. Nevertheless I became thirsty shortly.
  • Finally I arrived in 35 km point. I think the temperature might reach 30 degrees Centigrade then. Owing to hotness, my running speed drastically slowed down.
  • I still continued to run with very slow speed. However, at 37 km point, I suddenly lost my running energy. My running pace was almost the same as that of walking. I was worrying about heatstroke and pain on the knee. Thus I finally decided to stop running and start to walk the last 5 km to the finish.
  • I still had an energy to walk and tried to walk as fast as possible.
  • After all, I completely walk to the finish.
  • The finish time was 5 hours 20 minutes. To my regret, I lacked a sense of accomplishment due to the fact that I completed by walk.
  • Thanks to last 5 km-walk, I did not felt tired and pain on the knee.
  • After finish, I changed wears and hasten to the shuttle bus stop. Luckily, the bus started as soon as I got on, However, unfortunately, at Maesawa Station, I found the train to Ichinoseki just left when I reached. I checked the timetable and found that only one train was available every one hour,. I was forced to wait one more hour! What a worst access condition!
  • Anyway, when I arrived in Ichinoseki Station around 15:40, I found a superexpress "Yamabiko" would leave at 15:50. However, there was a line in front of the ticket booth. I managed to get the ticket and rushed to the platform. I could catch up with the train and happily get the seat at non-reserved No. 1 car. I was relived and started to drink red wine.
  • I returned home at 20:30 via Ohmiya Station. The Tohoku District is too far away!
  • On Monday morning, I watched NHK TV news was broadcasting that 17 runners were carried to the hospital by ambulance owing to heat stroke at Ohshu marathon race. Surely, I saw several runners fell down while running. I was right that I walked last 5 km!
  • This is the 108th completion of the full marathon race. The number is the same as that of human's worldly desires.
  
  
  
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