The 20th Tachikawa Marathon Race

Date: Sunday March 11, 2001 Weather: Fine

Location: Tachikawa City, Tokyo


Details of Race

Race	Half	Time Limit	2 h 10 m	1800 Runners
	10 km		*	1200 Runners
	3 km		*	1700 Runners
Entry Fee	Yen 3000
Contact	190-0012 2-23-5 Akebono-cho, Tachikawa City, Tokyo c/o Seibu Newspaper Co. Ltd., Secretariat of Tachikawa Marathon Race TEL: 042-525-0425
Gift	T-shirt
Free Service	Tea
Remarks	The race starts/ends in the Showa Memorial Park, which is located near JR Tachikawa station.

Images

 
Snowed Mt. Fuji in the middle Reception

Drink local beer! People's Field



Records & Impression

• This year's race was held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Tachikawa City.
• Although it was in the middle of March, it seemed to be midwinter!
• I left home at 7:00 AM and arrived in the Showa Memorial Park at 8:30 AM.
• The cold wind was blowing from the north in the park and it was severely cold!
• It was fine and thus I could see snowed Mt. Fuji far-away from the "People's Field".
• I looked for the place to avoid the wind, but I couldn't. I was forced to change the wears in the wind-swept grass. I was shivering with cold.
• I heard someone among the group of runners saying "It's so cold. Let's drink hot Japanese sake after the race!". I completely agreed with him. Every drunkard thinks the same thing!
• Both Mr. H. Taniguchi and Ms. H. Suzuki, who are famous runners in Japan, joined the race. However, to my regret, I could not see them.
• The half-marathon race started at 9:30 AM. The temperature was 9 dgrees Centigrade.
• The course was the same as before. First 5 km in the park, Secondly, 10 km in the street of Tachikawa City and finally, 6.0975 km again in the park.
• In comparison with other marathon races, the number of gallery was small every year.
• Split Time: 5 km---27 minutes, 10 km---53 minutes, 15 km---1 hour 18 minutes, 20 km---1 hour 45 minutes.
• The goal time was 1 hour 50 minutes 52 seconds. It's a common time for me.
• I happened to see the young buxom girl who I met at Narita POP Run last year. This time, her goal time was better than mine!
• Owing to the cold wind, I did not sweat this time. The temperature when I reached the goal was 9 degrees Centigarade!
• I had to wait my running mate who joined 10 km race (The 10 km race started at 11:30 AM). While waiting, I drank a beer and Japanese sake (not hot one) to warm up my body. However, my body was not warmed up and I finally ran out of Japanese sake! Fortunately, the local beer (Off-brand beer) was sold near the reception and I drank a glass of local beer. It was delicious !
• After joining my running mate, we hurried to go to the pub "Yoro-no-taki" near the JR Tachikawa station, where we had a after-race party every year.
• The time was early enough and thus the pub was not open as yet. However, we urged the lady's owner to open the pub! The pub was immediately open!
• We warmed up with hot Japanese sake!
• We left for home with drunken. I got on the Semi-express train from Akitu station of Seibu Ikebukuro Line. There are only two stops to Higashi-kurume station.
• However, when I waked up, I found the train had already passed Higashi-kurume station and was rushing to Ikebukuro station (The terminal!). I completely fell asleep after sitting on the seat! (This is a very rare case for me! Believe it or not.)
• I returned from Ikebukuro station and finally arrived in my home at 5:00 PM. I was exhausted with coldness & drinking! Anyway, it was a cold day!

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