Iwaki Sunshine Marathon Race (The 1st)

Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010 Weather: Sunny occasionally cloudy

Location: Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.


Details of Race


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Race	Full	Time Limit	6 hours (4 Time-limit gates)	3,500 Runners
	10 km		*	*
	5 km		*	*
	2 km		*	*
Entry Fee	Yen 5,000
Contact	970-8026 4-8 Taira Aza Doune-machi, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref. Secretarie of Iwaki Sunshine Marathon Race Tel: 0246 22 7607
Gift	T-shirt
Free Service	Sport Drink, Banana, Bread
Remarks	Free Shuttle Bus available. Free Crab Soup service after the race. Goal Point to be Onahama Bay Aqua Marine-Park

Images


Reception Baggage Deposit Start Point

Impression
• Saturday, February 13, 2010
  
  
  
  • I left home before 6:00 AM. It was cloudy and cold. It started snowing when I arrived in Tokyo Station. It's freezing.
  • I reached Yaesu highway bus terminal around 7:15. While waiting the bus, one aged man asked, " Are you going to Iwaki marathon race?" I talked with him and found that he just arrived by overnight bus from Nagoya to join Iwaki marathon race and that he joined Tokyo marathon last year.
  • The bus started at 7:30 as scheduled. Less than 10 passengers were in the bus. It had been still snowing.
  • The bus ran smoothly and stopped once before Mito City for toilet-break. It was considerably snowing there.
  • It is hard to see the scenery by highway-bus trip owing to walls. Even when the scenery is visible, it is rice field all the way. I was getting asleep owing to monotonous scenery.
  • After passing Mito City, there was snow as far as the eye could see.
  • The bus reached in front of JR Iwaki Station at 10:30. The station was under re-construction.
  • The town seemed to be locally small one.
  • I deposited my large luggage at coin-operated locker and strolled around the station. The snow was piled and very cold!
  • I heard the local people chatting with an accent and felt that here was Tohoku District!
  • The reason why I got on the early bus from Tokyo was to visit the temple named Hakusui Amidadou Temple.
  • Anyway, after visiting Hakusui Amidadou Temple, I checked in the hotel.
  • There were several business hotels around the station and all of them seemed to be occupied by runners. The marathon race seemed to bring about positive economic effects to Iwaki City.
  • While strolling around, I found locally brewed Japanese Sake "Matabei" in the liquor shop just in front the station. I immediately bought 720 ml-bottle (Yen 1,155) and one-cups
  • I finished the dinner as early as possible for tomorrow's race.
    
    
  
  
• Sunday, February 14, 2010
  
  
  • I got up at 5:00 AM and checked out the hotel at 6:30.
  • It was sunny outside, but extremely cold. I got on free bus to be left at 6:50 in front of the station. The bus was immediately occupied by runners.
  • It took only 15 minutes to reach Iwaki Athletic Field. It was blanket with snow and cold.
  • I received program, T-shirt and deposit bag at the reception. Then went to gym to change wears.
  • I got large deposit bag, but I had two big luggages and could not put them into the bag. I asked lady at luggage deposit to receive two luggages. The luggages were sent to goal site by trucks.
  • I wore vinyl bag to avoid cold. The runners made lines at 8:30.
  • It was a little bit warm where the sun was shining, but it was very cold in the shaded area.
  • It was announced that the temperature was minus 1.5 degrees Centigrade. It was really cold.
  • The race started at 9:00 AM. The loss time was one minute.
  • The course immediately became downward. The road was crowded with runners and thus I felt very dangerous while running. To make the matter worse, the road was icy in spots. The condition continued by 3 km point. The ups-and-downs repeated several times.
  • Although it was sunny, the snow still accumulated on the both side of the road.
  • The wind was not so strong, but it was very coldly felt to the body. It was right to wear vinyl bag.
  • The distance was indicated every 1 km, but I missed 5-km indication.
  • The time at 10 km was 55 minutes.
  • Before arriving in the first turn-around, the open sea was visible on the right side. Big waves were washing the shore. The runners were running through small fishing villages. A lots of local people (almost all of them were old people.) cheered runners.
  • At the first turn-around, more people were gathering, and many large flags for pray of good hauls were set up. The sounds of Japanese drums and cheers were resonating.
  • During the return road from the first turn-around, I was passed by two gals with Fula skirt. They paid attention to the galleries.
  • The time at 20 km was 1 hour 50 minutes and that of middle-point was 1 hour 56 minutes. Not so bad for me.
  • The running pace of the first half was so-so, but after passing the middle-point, my running pace was getting slowed.
  • Soon the runners would run through the wharf of Onahama Bay. I was surprised that the wharf of Onahama Bay was far bigger than I expected.
  • There was the Aqua Marine Park and a lot of visitors were there since it was Sunday. They cheered runners and they encouraged me.
  • Very big fishing vessels I had never seen were at anchor, and crewmembers were looking the runners. (They did not cheer us.) I wondered how big they were while running.
  • At the end of the course of wharf, I passed 25 km point. The number of galleries decreased,. The course became monotonous and I was getting exhausted.
  • Anyway, I managed to pass 30 km point. However, I felt I spent almost all my energy.
  • Furthermore, the upward slope appeared after passing 30 km point. Give me a break! I tried to run up as much as possible. However, finally I gave up and started to walk.
  • Once started to walk, it was very difficult to continue to run.
  • I felt as if I completed 40 km run at the 30 km point. I was worrying if I could complete the race.
  • Anyway, I passed the second turn-around (33.8 km) and reached 35 km point, but it was very hard to run. A lot of runners started to walk. I was passed by other runners, but I did not care any more.
  • I reached the 4 km point to the goal. The course was completely flat, but I could not continue to run. I repeated run and walk until 2 km point to the goal.
  • The time at 40 km point was miserably 4 hours 14 minutes.
  • I ran with guts and sweat during the last 2 km, but the goal was far away.
  • I bought the reserved seat of limited express to be left at 15:08 since I expected to finish the race at 13:00. However, I started to worry if I could catch up with the limited express I had to get on.
  • Finally I could see the goal, but my physical strength was almost reaching the limit.
  • The goal time was 4 hours 31 minutes. When reached the goal, the male staff put the lei made of paper around my neck. I thought it's nice and thoughtful. It's much better than medal. It's much better if a Fula-dance gal gave it to me!
  • I might not recover from my fatigue caused by Tateyama marathon race two weeks ago; it was the hardest race during the last half. But anyway, I could complete the race. I could not afford to run looking for nice gals.
  • I planned to complete the race at 13:00, but I could not. I hurried to pick up my luggages and went to bus stop to go to JR Iwaki Station. I managed to get on the buss around 13:50 without changing wears.
  • It took much time to reach the station than I expected, (45 minutes) and arrived at 14:35. I changed wears at toilet of the station. I bought souvenir and canned beer in a hurry and got on the limited express to be left at 15:08.
  • The limited express consisted of only 4 cars. All reserved seats were occupied. Non-reserved cars were crowded with passengers even in the aisles.
  • I was relived after drinking canned beer. Then I drank one-cup locally brewed sake bought previous day.
  • I was going to have free crab soup after the race. However, unfortunately, I did not have enough time.
  • I got home at 18:45. I was exhausted physically and mentally this time. But I could go to the office next day as usual and had no pain on my foot due to the fact I walked at the end of the race.
  • After the race, I learned that Iwaki City is the second populated city in Tohoku District after Sendai City.
    
    
    Record
    
    

    5 km	*
    10 km	55 minutes
    15 km	1 hour 22 minutes
    20 km	1 hour 50 minutes
    Middle-point	1 hour 56 minutes
    25 km	2 hours 21 minutes
    30 km	2 hours 56 minutes
    35 km	3 hours 35 minutes
    40 km	4 hours 14 minutes
    Goal	4 hours 31 minutes

  
  
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