24-hour Relay Marathon Race by Runners Magazine

Date: August 3 to August 4, 2002 Weather : Sunny with shower

Location: Fuji-yoshida-city, Yamanashi Pref.


Details of Race

Race	24-hour Relay Marathon Race	Number of entry teams	227 teams	*
Entry Fee	*
Contact	1-31-9 Haramachi, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8532 Secritariat of 24-hour Relay Marathon Race TEL:03-3714-1733
Gift	T-shirt
Free Service	Water
Remark	Started at noon on Saturady and ended at noon on Sunday

Images


Start Relay Point Runner in disguised


Tents Food Booth

Record & Impression

• I happend to be a member of the 24-hour relay marathon race. The members came from one of the famous running clubs in Tokyo.
• The number of runners was 8. The oldest member was Mr. S, who loves Japanese Sake very much. The third oldest member was Mr. AO, who is so kind and a serious amateur runner. Mr. U is an ultra-marathon runner and runs 15 km every day. Mr. T, a yong runner, joined the running club, because he thought he could have a lot of drink parties. Mr. AY runs every morning/evening and total running distance is 800 km maximum per month. (It's really amazing!) Mr. N, the youngest male runner, brought food and drink for us by car. Of course, he also ran hard this time. The only gal runner, Ms. S, contributed to the harmony among the members and ran very hard. Mr. O, an Ekiden runner, took care of us as "Manager" during the race although he could not run this time. We were the strong team consisting of "soldiers". By the way, I was the second oldest runner.
• The running turn started from the oldest one. Therefore, I was the second runner.
  
  Saturday August 3 Weather: Sunny with shower
  
  
• I met with Mr. O at Higashi-kurume station at 6:20 AM. All members gathered at Ikebukuro Station at 7:10 AM. We took on the train of Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station.
• We changed to Fujikyuko Line at Ohtsuki station. Only a few minutes were left for changing the train.
• We though that the train might be full owing to the relay marathon race. However, it was not contrary to our expectation. Later, we found that almost all runners came by car.
• We took taxi from Fuji-yoshida station to Fuji-hokuroku Park and arrived in there around 10:00 AM. It was so hot!
• However, we found that Mr. N & Ms. S who should have arrived there earlier by car would be late owing to jammed traffic. Ms. S had our entry certificate. (They finally arrived at 12:30!)
• Anyway, we could register without the certificate and borrow tent and sleeping bags
• We built the tent and prepared for the start. It was flurried to the starting time.
• The number of entry teams this year was 227 and it was the largest number so far. A lot of family members gathered and thus almost 2,000 people might come.
• The race started at noon. Mr. S was the first runner. The first assighment was 3 rounds. The one round was approx. 1.6 km. My turn came at 12:24.
• Shortly after the starting point, there was a water supply point. Then the upward slope came. The slope continued more than 500 m. It was hard to run this slope every time. After passing 1 km point, the downward slope started. The slope was a little bit steep and thus it was hard to control the running speed.
• My first time was 23 minutes 29 seconds.
• My second turn was around 3:00 PM. However, the thunderstorm was coming. The second assingment was 2 rounds.
• Immediately after my second start, the storm also started. The storm became hard when I passed 1 km and the lightning and thunder started almost the same. I was so afraid, but every runner was still running. Just a few hundred meters before the goal, the announcement was made to stop the race and we were stopped to run and guided to the building of the athletic field. I was almost finished one round! This was my "phantom one round".
• Just after we entered the building, the heavy thunderstorm strated. The strom continued more than 30 minutes. The race was stopped one and half hours.
• The race re-started at 4:30 PM. All runners started from the started point again. It was still so hot even after thunderstorm. My second time was 16 minutes 30 seconds.
• The third assignment was 3 rounds again. My time was 24 minutes 14 seconds. In our tent, everybody could drink canned beer after finishing his turn. It was so delicious.
• Our team had a rule that every runner would run one hour after 10:00 PM as 4th assignment. However, we had to advance the time 40 minutes.
• My one-hour race started at 10:20 PM. The height of Fuji-hokuroku Park was 800 m and thus it became cooler at night. But I started sweating after starting to run. The night course was dark although there were many lights. It was very hard for me to finish the 6th upward slope. The goal point was also dark and it was hard to find out Mr. AO there. Anyway, I was relieved that I could relay to Mr. AO. My record was 53 minutes 20 seconds ( 6 rounds).
• When I came back to the tent, Mr. S, who already finished one-hour race, had a drink party by himself. I also joined the party.
• Soon, Mr.AO also came back and joined the party.
• The three senior runners continued the party to 1:00 AM and went to bed. While we had a party, the race continued and of course, our junior members were running one by one.
  
  Sunday August 4 Weather: Sunny
  
  
• We, three seniors, drank too much and could not get up in the morning! We should have started to run from 6:00 AM. But the running turn had to be changed.
• Anyway, the junior member continued to run one by one for senior members. I re-started to join the race after 8:00 AM. My re-start was 30-minute race. The time was 34 minutes 27 seconds. ( 4 rounds)
• My last assignment was 2 rounds. The temperature continued to rise. It was too hot to run. Anyway, I was really relieved after I completed my last turn. I totally ran 20 rounds.
• The race finished exactly at noon.
• Our team ranked between the 40th and 50th. (On the way, we once ranked in the 36th.) By the way, the first team ran 246 rounds and the 227th team ran 57rounds.
• After the race, we had to remove tent and return. It was also hard work under the shining sun.
• Finally, the picture was taken team by team.
• When returning, we could not catch taxi at the exit and thus we had to call them by phone.
• We came back to Fuji-yoshida station around 1:00 PM. We found the JR joined train to be left at 2:01 PM.
• We went into the cafe in front of the station and had lunch with draft beer!
• We, seven members, took on the train and occupied 2 box seats. As soon as the train started, we also started drink party with 2 litre packed Japanese Sake which I brought.
• Fortunately, the train was not so crowded. We drank and chatted about marathon races in the train.
• It seemed that 2 litre pack was not enough for 7 members. I should have taken 3 litre pack!
• I finally came back home at 5:30 PM earlier than I expected.
• I took shower and drank beer again.
• It was an enjoyable race. I ran with those members for the first time. While I ran with them for two days, I started to feel collaboration.
• I think that the number of the team should be from 8 to 10. I may join the race once more.
• I could see a lot of teams in disguised. I loved "nurse" team and "Budweizer gal" team!

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