The 5th Yoshikawa Catfish Marathon Race
Yoshikawa City, Saitama Pref.
April 2, 2000
Weather: Cloudy occasinally fine

Races

Half	2000(9:40 started)
5 km	500(9:00 started)
3 km (Junior high school)	300(9:10 started)
2 km (Primary school)	300(9:15 started)
Wheelchair 9.5 km	5(9:55 started)
Wheelchair 2 km	10(9:55 started)

 
Opening Ceremony Race SiteT-shirt

Records & Impression

• This year, it had been cold even in March. Finally, it was getting warmer since last week.
• According to weekly weatherforecast, it would be fine and warm. The temperature would be 19 degrees centigarde on Sunday. Therefore, I thought that the marathon season would be over! However, the weather man said on the previous day that the temperture would be 17 degrees centigrade. The forecast temperature dropped to 14 degrees centigarde in the Sunday morning! I can't trust weather forecast!
• I left my home at 6:45 AM. It was surely cold on the way to the station.
• I arrived in the JR Yoshikawa station around 8:00 AM. A lot of runners took off and rushed to the bus stop for the marathon site.
• It took about 10 minutes to the athletic field. I was surprised to see the marvelous building named 'Yoshikawa Citizen Community Center'. Many runners were already there.
• It was said that it would be fine and mild. However, when I arrived, it was already slightly cloudy and windy. Besides, it was cold!
• I joined my running mate there. Totally, 6 members gathered this time.
• The half marathon race started at 9:40 AM. It was still cold.
• The course turns left at a distance of approx. 1 km from the start. Then, you can see a row of cherry trees alongside the river. The cherry trees were in 10 to 20% blossom. It must be wonderful in case of full blossom. Anyway, I ran while watching cherry trees.
• The row of cherry trees continues straight further. However, the marathon course soon separates from the row of cherry trees and turns to the left again.
• Then, the course becomes the road in the rice field.
• It had been windy during the race and thus it was hard to run against the wind.
• Around the 10 km point, I had a desire to pass water. However, I could not find out the appropriate place since all I could see was rice field and no shelter available. Anyway, I decided to continue to run since I did not want to interrupt my running pace.
• However, I could find the display of 'TOILET' at the 13km water supply point. I rushed into the toilet in the building of the citizen farm. I dropped in the toilet during the race after a long interval. Thus I must have lossed 1 or 2 minutes. Anyway, I could refresh and continue to run.
• Shortly after, I was passed by a runner with dog. This was the first time I saw the runner with dog (The dog was not a seeing-eye dog.) I wonder if the dog could complete the race.
• It took already 1 hour 20 minutes when I passed 15km point. The pace was slow this time.
• Thus I tried to speed up the last 2 km to compensate the loss time.
• During the last 1 km, I ran as fast as ppossible. The time was 1 hour 52 mimutes, which I was satisfied.
• To our joy, it became warmer after the race even it was cloudy.
• After the race, therefore, we went to the near-by park to see the cherry blossom and to have an after-race party.
• The chairman of our running mates examined and found the place for party on the previous day. Therefore, we could easily/smoothly buy the food and alcohol at the super market and go to the park. We must express our gratitude to our chairman!
• The cherry was not in full blossom as yet. However, a lot of people were there. It was calm and mild! Good for outing! We drank beers and then 2 packs of Japanese Sakes (Totally 4 liters of Sakes!)
• We were fully drunken and went back to JR Yoshikawa station by bus, then we separated.
• I took on the train bound for Fuchuu-honmachi. I could luckily sit down in the train and soon went into asleep. When I woke, the train was stopping at the station. I looked into the name of the station and found that it was Shin-akitsu! I rushed to get off. I was in time by a hair's-breadth! I might have gone to the terminal.
• When I came home, it was 4:30 PM. I found that the Yoshikawa city was not so far from Higashi-kurume city. It is good to join the marathon race in the vicinity.
  
  About marathon race
  
  
• The course is very flat and circulating. The latter half is the narrow road in the rice field.
• The distance indication is made every 5 km. During the last 5 km, the indication is made every 1 km. There is no indication at 20 km.
• There are 4 water supply points. Only water is available.
• After the race, a bottle of sports-drink is given.
• Free vegitable soup is available, however, the taste was not so good.
• The T-shirts with catfish design is presented.
  
  Others
  
  
• Yoshikawa city is famous for catfish dishes. There seems to be many restaurants for catfish dishes.
• As a souvenir, you may buy 'catfish pie', 'catfish dumpling', 'catfish rice cracker', 'catfish bean jerry' and so on!
  
  By-talk
  
  
• This time, believe it or not, I had been refrain from drinking for 6 days (The simple reason why was no one asked me to drink with on the weekday) However, eventually, I drank the volume equivalent to that of a few days at the after-race party. Not good for health!
  
  
  Split Time
  
  

  5 km	26mi.
  10 km	52mi.
  15 km	1 h 20 mi.
  20 km	-
  Goal	1 h 52 mi.

  
  

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