The 16th Katsunuma Grape County Marathon Race

Date: Sunday October 15, 2000 Weather: Cloudy occasionally sunny, then rainy

Location: Katsunuma Central Park, Yamanashi Pref. (15 min. by bus from JR Katsunuma Grape County station of Chuo Line)


Details of Races:

Race	20 km	Runners	1,100	*
	10 km		2,000	*
	5 km		900	*
	3.5 km		300	Pair
Entry Fee	Yen 3,000
Contact	1764-5 Tomichikushinden Ryuoh-cho Nakakyoma-gun 400-0113 Secretariat of Katsunuma Grape County Marathon Race Tel:055-279-3784
Gift	Lunch box, Grape (Wine bottle was given 3 years ago!) Telephone card
Free service	Free wine and grape juice availableiYou can drink as you like. You had better attach number sheet to verify that you are marathon runner!), Grapes, (Booths of charged food/drink available. Booths of wineries also available. You can taste various kinds of wines here and there.)
Remarks	Special JR marathon train available. Free shuttle bus available. number sheet mailed in advance. Lot of water supply points available on the course. (Water only) Time was counted by bar-code, not by RC chip. Certificate will be issued 20 minutes after the goal.

ImagesF

 
Opening Ceremony Goal Free Wine Service

Free Grape Service Winery Booth


Records and Impression

• I participated this race 3 years ago for the firtst time.
• At that time, it was fine and hot when the 20 km race started. The course was the same as that of 3 years ago.
• This is my second paticipation. First, I would come here by train. However, a few days before the race, I was told by my E-mail friend, YK-san, to come together by MK-san's car.
• I joined with both YK-san and MK-san at Inariyama Park station of Seibu line at 6:30AM.
• The traffic was not so heavy as expected and thus we arrived the marathon site at 8:45 AM. (If you go to there by car, designated parking lot is notified in advance by mail.)
• It was cool on the way. After arrival, it became warmer.
• The 20 km race started at 10:55 AM. However, just after passing 10:00 AM, announcement was made to gather around. Too early to start! I did not know how to kill the time. The starting time should be advanced.
• It was cloudy when I started and the temperature was not so high as that of 3 years ago.
• The uphill road continued to the 8 km point. More than half runners started to walk at the final uphill point.
• As usual, I could pass the other runners during the uphill road. The scenery at the highest point was not so good this year owing to cloud.
• Then the downhill road started. I was passed by many runners this time!
• I could run in the best condition when the downhill road finally finished.
• I felt a little fatigue when the dispaly '3 km to the goal' appeared.
• I felt that the running pace was slowing down. However, I tried to speed up as much as posiible and finally arrived to the 1 km-to-the-goal point.
• I continued to run as fast as possible to the goal.
• The goal time was 1 hour 35 minutes 35 seconds. I was satisfied with the result.
• Aftet the race, we celebrated the completion of the race with beer, wine and luch box.
• We left there at 3:00 PM and went to the 'Daibosatu Spa' ('Bosatu' means 'Buddhist saint'.) located in a suburb of Enzan city.
• The spa (Fee Yen 500) was so crowded. I could heal the fatigue in the open-air spa. It was nice to drink beer after the bathing.
• As for the merit of going by car, it is easily possible to stop on the way after the race. However, the demerit is that the driver of course cannot drink beer/sake.
• When we got on the Chuo Highway, it was almost 5:00 PM. Unfortunately, owing to the accident, the traffic was jammed and thus it was past 9:00 PM when we arrived in Inariyama station!
• Moreover, the train did not arrived due to the fact that it was holiday's night. I finally arrived home around 10:00 PM. I was so tired!

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