The 18th Tachikawa Marathon
Tachikawa City, Tokyo (Showa Memorial Park)
March 13, 1999

• I injured my left knee after finishing Narita Marathon in November 1998. It was hard for me even to walk after the race. I was told by the doctor not to run for a while. Therefore, I could not jog and only walked. I finally could run in March 1999. After an interval of three months, I joined the race. However, the three-month rest seriously affected the record of the race.
• According to the weekly weather forecast, it might be rainy. I was worrying about it, because I joined the half-marathon race after a long interval. However, it was fine in the morning! It was not cold! When I arrived in the Showa Memorial Park, it became comforatably warm. I prepared long T-shirt for coldness. However, I had to wear short T-shirt which was a gift for participant of the race.
• Half-marathon started at 9:30AM. Participants had to assemble by 9:10 at the starting point. The staff checked the name of participants. I couldn't understand why it was done since everybody had already finished registration. The firework signaled the start. I ran slowly at the initial stage and everybody passed me. I finally was in the last group.
• The first 4.5km of the course is in the park. There was a water supply point at the exit of the park (Water only)
• From 4.5km to 15km, the course is in the streets of Tachikawa city. From 15km to the finish, the course is in the park again. The course is completely flat! I felt disappointments that the cheer along the road was not enough.
• I could run without problem to 13km. I happened to pass a brown-dyed hair lady whom I sometimes met at Higasi-kurume city during the jogging there. However, after 13km, my pace suddenly dropped. I couldn't run as I expected. (The maximum running distance just before this race was only 15km.) I could barely reach to 15km point which is the entrance of the park. I almost gave up there. However, so far, I have never given up the races. I thought if I gave up, I might lost my confidence. Thus I desparately tried to continue to run. While running, I ate chocolate for energy replenishment.
• However, after entering into the park, the pace further slowed down. A lot of people passed me, whom I passed once. It was very hard for me to run, but I tried not to walk, then I arrived in 17km point. I felt terrible since I still had to run 4km. I felt very far to the goal. When I passed 20km, it took 1 hour 56 minutes. Finally I reached the goal!(2h03m31s)
• I thought I could have finished the race within 2 hours. However, actually, it took 2 hours 3 minutes. It took much time during the latter half. However, I felt satisfaction since I could complete the half marathon race after a long interval.
• It was so hard during the race. However, to my strange, I forgot the hardness after the race. I felt muscular pain on the foot, but I didn't feel exhausted. To my relief, my left knee was all right!
• After the race, I drank a canned beer with great satisfaction. It was hot rather than warm at that time. The canned beer was therefore lukewarm.
• After the race, I went into the busy quarters of Tachikawa city for celebrating the finish of the race with my friend who participated 10km race. We found the pub "Yooro-no-taki" which opened at noon. The minutes-to-minutes broadcasting of the horse races was being made there. My friend went to buy horse tickets to get the expenses for celebration. However,unfortunately, he could not win. Anyway, we both drank and felt satisfgaction. I felt muscular pain next day!

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