The 18th Ohmachi Alps Marathon Race

Date: Sunday October 7, 2001 Weather: Sunny occasionally cloudy

Location: Ohmachi City, Nagano Prefecture (JR Ohito Line, Shinano Ohmachi Station, 10 minutes by car)


Details of Race

Race	Full	Time Limit	5 h 30 mi.	800 Runners
	Half		5 h 30 mi.	500 Runners
	3 km		*	200 runners
	3 km pair		*	300 runners
Entry Fee	Yen 4,000
Contact	1136-1 Ohaza Ohmachi, Ohmachi city 398-0002, Nagano Pref. Secretariat of Ohmachi Alps Marathon Race TEL: 042-998-9248
Gift	Bath Towel
Free Service	Sports Drink, Banana, Bread, Apple
Remarks	Free Shuttle Bus Service available every 30 min. However, be carefull. the bus is a micro-bus. Thus the bus will be occupied immediately. I was forced to walk to the station. It took almost 30 minutes on foot to the station.

Images

 
Starting Point. You can see Japan Alps far away. Goal

Impression & Records

• On marathon day, it was cool and fine in the morning. I and my wife took a taxi to the Ohmachi Field & Track Ground from the hotel. We could see Ushiro-tateyama mountain range far away.
• We arrived in the site around 7:30 AM. A lot of people/family were already there.
• I felt clear air and coldness. After registration, we went to the ground where the start will be done.
• The opening ceremony started at 8:00 AM. The national anthem was sung and the national flag was raised, which was my first experience at the marathon races. The participants for the opening ceremony were very few.
• The total number of runners for this race was announced as 1,800. The runner of the most southern part of Japan was from Kumamoto Pref. and that of the most northern part of Japan was from Aomori Pref. The oldest male runner was 81 years old and the oldest female runner was 79 years old. Those two runners joined the half-marathon race, which I could not believe. My wife said they completed the race! A box of apples was awarded to each of them.
• Full marathon race and half marathon race started at 9:10 AM at the same time.
• This time, I decided to keep my own running pace from the beginning.
• Soon after the start, the course was bound for the west (The distance was approx. 10 km to Matsukawa Village) and was turned back.
• You may see the after-the-harvest rice fields all around while running. Also you may see mountains far away. It's a peaceful scenery and you will surely calm down. Cosmoses were in full bloom and the apple trees were heavily laden with red fruit.
• It was fine and a little bit hot during the first half of the course. I tried to drink water/sports-drink at every water-supply point. (The water-supply point was set every 5 km. During the latter half of the course, bananas, bread and even salt were available.)
• After returning to the original junction, the course was westward and extended to the turning point of Kizaki Lake.
• On the way, there was a turning point of half-marathon race. After passing it, the number of runners drastically decreased. The time of middle-point (21.0975 km) was 2 hours 2 minutes. I thought it would be difficult to complete the race within 4 hours.
• After passing 25 km point, I felt it took much time to arrive in the turning point of Kizaki Lake. (The distance was almost 30 km.) I even envied people on the Kizaki Lake who were fishing leisurely.
• From the turning point, runners had to return the same course. However, from 30 km to 35 km, the course became gradually upward. After passing 30 km, I was getting tired and the running pace excessively slowed down. I felt that my legs were heavy. It was very hard to continue to run. I could not afford to enjoy the scenery, but I tried my best not to walk.
• Then it became cloudy and cool.
• Anyway, I could pass 35 km point. To my delight, the course became a little bit downward.
• I was revived and running pace was also recovered. Distance to the goal was displayed every 1 km from 5 km. The time at 40 km was 4 hours 02 minutes.
• Finally I arrived in the ground, however, I had to run more than half round of the track field. At the goal, a staff of girls cout put the big bath towel which is the gift for the runner over my shoulder. I was very delighted. The goal time was 4 hours 16 minutes 03 seconds.
• The certificate was issued immediately after the goal. To tell the truth, I shall be categorized as Senior Group (i.e. Runners of more than fifties!) from this season! My ranking was 109th among 230 runners of that category. Not so bad!
• Generally speaking, the course is flat although there are several small up-and-downs. It's easy to run. You can enjoy the scenery. It is good for runners that the last 5 km is downward. You can also see a lot of stone Buddhist images and "Dohso-jin" (the travelers' guardian deity) alongside the course, which is common in the Shinshu District.
  
   
  Dohso-jin (Left one)
  
  
  Split Time
  
  

  5 km	29 minutes
  10 km	55 minutes
  15 km	1 hour 24 minutes
  20 km	1 hour 55 minutes
  Middle Point	2 hours 02 minutes
  25 km	2 hours 24 minutes
  30 km	2 hours 55 minutes
  35 km	3 hours 28 minutes
  40 km	4 hours 02 minutes
  Goal	4 hours 16 minutes

  
  A by-talk
  
  
• For the first time, I made an overnight trip for the marathon race. My wife joined me and we enjoyed the trip very much!
• On previous day (Saturday), we stopped over at Matsumoto City. We first visited a small noodle shop which was recommended by my running mate. Buckwheat noodles were very delicious. I also tasted good Japanese Sake there. Then we visited Matsumoto Castle. At the station, I had very delicious soft ice cream. ( I love soft ice cream very much!)
• I visited Matsumoto City after a long interval. The city is but the ruin of what it was.

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