Tazawako Marathon Race (The 30th)

Date�FSunday, September 20, 2015 Weather: Sunny and occasinally cloudy

Location: Senboku City, Akita Pref. (15 min. by bus from JR Tazawako Station)


Details of raceRefer to 22nd Tazawako Marathon Race.


Image�F

 
T Shirt


Impression

• Saturday, September 19
  
  
  
  • I got on the super-express "Komachi" bound for Akita from Ueno Station at 14:26. The train arrived in Ohmagari at 17:41. I checked in the hotel and went shopping. On the way back to the hotel, I came across one of my running mate. I remembered that he would join this marathon race. However, I completely forgot it. Anyway, I was surprised and promised to meet him next morning in the first train bound for Tazawako Station. I drank locally brewed Japanese sake and went to bed.
  
  
• Sunday, September 20
  
  
  • When I waked up, I looked the sky. It seemed that the weather was OK.
  • The first train would leave at 6:57. I checked out the hotel at 6:25.
  • For my running mate, I reserved one seat after getting on the first train. However, he did not come. He appeared just before the train left.
  • When approaching the train to Tazawako Station, the sky was getting dark. When arriving (7:37), it was drizzling,
  • Anyway, we were waiting the bus in the drizzle; the bus did not come as expected. The bus arrived just before 8:00AM.
  • Fortunately the rain stopped when we reached marathon site (8:20).
  • After registration, we went to the summerhouse near the lake as usual. We could find seats there.
  • The sun appeared. It seemed that it would be hot daytime.
  • After changing the wears, I tried to find a bus stop where the bus bound for Shin-tamagawa Spa would stop. However, there are a few bus stops. It took time to find out the correct one.
  • The starting point of full marathon race was slightly changed this year.
  • The race started at 10:00 as usual. The course was downward slope from the start. It was sunny.
  • However, this year, my running condition was not so good from the beginning. I felt my foot did not go forward contrary to my will.
  • The condition finally recovered after running 2 or 3 km. I was relived.
  • The temperature was 22 or 23 degrees Centigrade. Since brisk wind was blowing, I did not feel so hot.
  • I could run smoothly until 15 km point. After passing 15 km point, I felt hungry and I took several caramels. And thus I could continue to run as usual.
  • I could run up the long slope located before 22 km point just beside Tazawako Lake shore.
  • The only food served at water supply point was a small piece of banana. It was not satisfactory for me. I again felt hungry while running around the lake. This time, I took M & M chocolates in my waist porch.
  • Anyway, I could run almost smoothly until 25 km point. But soon the running pace gradually slowed down.
  • Although my running pace slowed down, I continued to run in self-absorption and managed to reach 30 km point.
  • The running pace further slowed down between 30 km and 33 km since I felt so hard.
  • I changed the mood and the pace slightly recoverd from 33 km to 35 km. However, I had no energy to run up the long slope after passing 35 km point.
  • After walking up the slope, I started to run again. But the running pace was so slow. My foot didn't go forward. I was almost crying. A lot of runners were already walking.
  • I crossed my mind that I could not finish the race within 5 hours under the present condition. I felt that the 40 km point was far away.
  • I tried to continue to run and finally passed 40 km point.
  • At last water supply point, I could get two small rice balls ( They were almost out of stock.) and I could get energy and refresh. I decided to run the last 2 km to the finish.
  • Just before the finish, Ms Naoko Takahashi, who was a guest runner of the race, were waiting runners to do high fives. (She did the same when I joined Niigata Marathon Race before.) I also did high five with her.
  • Anyway, I managed to finish within 5 hours. The finish time was 4 hours 49 minutes. My running mate finished in 3 hours 9 minutes.
  • After the finish, I said good-by to my running mate and went to the bus stop to go to Shin-tamagawa Spa.
  • A lot of runners were still running to the finish although time limit of 5 hours was over.
  • The bus left at 15:36 and arrived in Shin-tamagawa Spa at 16:40. A lot of guests were there contrary to my expectation.
  • After taking a rest, I went to sit in a hot spring. A bath was big and spacious. It was not crowded and I could enjoy taking a bath.
  • There were several kinds of bathes. I took all bathes and finally sit in a 100% of source of spring.
  • I enjoyed hot spring next morning from 5:00 AM. I was surprised that several guests were already there.
  • The dinner was all-you-can-eat buffet style. The dining room was full of guests. The taste was not so good.
    
    Records
    
    

    05 km	30 minutes
    10 km	58 minutes
    15 km	1 hour 30 minutes
    20 km	2 hours 01 minute
    Middle-point	2 hours 09 minutes
    25 km	2 hours 35 minutes
    30 km	3 hours 12 minutes
    35 km	3 hours 49 minutes
    40 km	4 hours 31 minutes
    Finish	4 hours 49 minutes

    
    
  
  
• Monday, September 21
  
  
  
  
  • I took a bath again very early in the morning, then I strolled to Tamagawa Spa, located upstream from Shin-tamagawa Spa.
  • It took 15 minutes to Tamagawa Spa on foot. There was a source of spring and the steam was rising there.
  • I walked alongside the river. The river was covered with sulfur.
  • A large amount of hot water was spraying out from the spring.
  • Further a lot of fumaroles were producing abundant gas. I realized that the earth was alive!
  • There were a few huts and many people were taking bedrock bath. I wondered it bedrock bath was effective.
  • Anyway, I could have extraordinary experiences.
  • I returned to the hotel and took breakfast. I got on the bus at 8:17 bound for Tazawako Station.
  • I took on "Komachi" and arrived in Ohmiya Station at 16:30. I returned home at 18:30.
  • This time, I completed the 99th full marathon race! One more race to the completion of the 100th full marathon race!!
    
    
    Shin tamagawa Spa. River in steam Source of spring
    
    
    fumarole fumarole
  
  
  
  

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