Iwaki Sunshine Marathon Race (The second)

Date: Sunday, February 13, 2011 Weather: Sunny occasionally cloudy, snow shower

Location: Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.


Details of Race:Refer to Iwaki Sunshine Marathon Race (The first)



Images


T Shirt(Front) T Shirt(Back)

Impression
• Saturday, February 12, 2011
  
  
  
  • On Friday, February 11, 2011, a national holiday, it snowed after an interval of three years. The roofs were lightly covered with snow.
  • On Saturday, it started to snow again in the morning. I was worrying if the Iwaki marathon race would be hold.
  • I left home at 12:30 PM and got on the limited express "Super Hitachi" from Ueno Station at 14:00. The seats were occupied by 50 %.
  • The terminal was Iwaki Station, however, after leaving Hitachi Station, there were only several passengers in the cargo. I thought the business of local line of JR West Co. Ltd. might be red figure.
  • I saw snow cover around Mito area, however, after passing Mito, the snow disappeared. It was not snowing. The Iwaki marathon race would be done.
  • The train arrived in Iwaki Station at 16:16. I checked in the hotel, located 5-minute walk from the station. It seemed that almost all guests might be runners.
  • First, I went to the supermarket in front of the station to purchase locally brewed Japanese sake. I bought sake named "Matabei".
  • I met my running mate, Mr. J, an Englishman, at 18:00 in the hotel lobby.
  • We took Gyoza (Jiao-zi) and Ramen (Chinese noodle) and chatted about Iwaki marathon race. Mr. J did not drink a liquor, because he was afraid that drinking might effect the tomorrow's record. Thus I was subjected to him.
  • I took farewell with him and came back to the hotel. Then I drank on cup sakes before going to bed. The taste of sake was so-so.
    
    
  
  
• Sunday, February 13, 2011
  
  
  • I got up at 5:30 AM. It was fine and cold. I had rice balls as breakfast.
  • The weatherman said it would be fine with strong wind warning.
  • I could see a sunrise from the hotel window around 6:30 AM.
  • I checked out the hotel at 6:45 and took on the free shuttle bus to the marathon site. The bus was not so crowded. The bus went smoothly and reached the site within 10 minutes. There was no snowfall.
  • I received T shirt and large luggage bag. Then I went to the gymnasium to change wears. I looked for Mr. J, but in vain.
  • Soon Mr. J found me and called me. We chatted for a while.
  • It was cold and thus I decided to wear thick long-sleeve shirt, long running pant and vinyl.
  • Around 8:15 AM, I deposited my luggage. Then both Mr. J and I took photos. He said he wood update the photo to his Facebook.
  • The full marathon race started at 9:00 AM. The limited time was 6 hours. There were four barrier gates. It was cold but not so much like last year. I was relived that the road was not frozen.
  • I missed 5km-indication. The time at 6 km was 35 minutes.
  • The time at 10 km was 56 minutes. Just before 13 km point, I could see outer sea. large waves were lapping.
  • The first turn-around was 16.5 km. It was so cold that I frequently wanted to go to the toilet. Every time I went to the toilet, the loss time occurred.
  • The time oat middle-point was 2 hours 04 minutes. Just after passing the middle point, the slope appeared, but I could manage to run up with slow pace. While running down, I met snow shower. No wonder it was cold.
  • It was hard to run from around 20 km to 33 km owing to cold and strong head wind.
  • The same as that of last year, many galleries were cheering while running through Onahama Bay Aqua Marine Park, which encouraged me.
  • This time, I could manage to reach 30 km point without suffering and ran up next slope.
  • It seemed to be far away to reach the second turn-around, but I continued to run. I could run the gradual slope until 37 km point. At this point, I was sure that I could complete the race since the course to the goal after 37 km was downward and flat.
  • Soon I reached the point 4 km to the goal. I again felt certain I could run out since I still had energy.
  • I headed the goal while chasing young gal wearing pink wear each other back and forth.
  • I ran last 2 km and finished 60th full marathon race.
  • Although I did not walk, it took much time than I expected and the goal time was 4 hours 32 minutes.
  • The reasons might be strong back wind and frequent toilet stop time.
  • Anyway, I was satisfied that I could run out up-and-down course without suffering.
  • I was very glad that young and pretty gal put the pink ray around my neck when reaching the goal. I had to say "Thanks!".
  • When reaching the goal, strong and cold wind was blowing. I picked up the luggage and hastened to change the wears.
  • I had a spare time to get on the train to be left at 16:16. I decided to have free crab soup. A long line of runners was made in front of the booth.
  • Crab soup was made of Miso. Only slices of green onion were in the soup with one small crab leg, but the taste was good. I could slightly warm up my body.
  • Then I took on the bus bound for Iwaki Station. The bus arrived in the station around 15:00.
  • I bought a canned beer and sweet solid confection named "Mamadore" as souvenir at the station building shop. I thought that the "Mamadore" was Iwaki's specialty, but later I found it's Kooriyama's specialty. I found a lot of tourists had paper bags of "Mamadore".
  • The limited express to be left at 16: 16 arrived before 16:00. As soon as I sit on the seat, I drank up a canned beer and was relived. The seats were completely occupied.
  • The train reached Ueno Station at 18:35. I could get home at 19:40. It was earlier than I expected.
  • It was a really cold race.
  • I could not meet with Mr. J after the race. He seemed to complete the race within 4 hours and went back to Tokyo earlier than me.
    
    
    Record
    
    

    6 km	36 minutes
    10 km	56 minutes
    15 km	1 hour 26 minutes
    20 km	1 hour 57 minutes
    Middle Point	2 hours 04 mintes
    25 km	2 hours 31 minutes
    30 km	3 hours 04 minutes
    35 km	3 hours 42 minutes
    40 km	4 hours 17 minutes
    Goal	4 hours 32 minutes

  
  
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