Oyama Marathon Race (The 11th)

Date: Sunday, April 14, 2019 Weather: Sunny occasionally cloudy

Location: Oyama City, Tochigi Pref. ( 15 minutes by bus from Oyama Station of JR Tohoku Line)


Details of Race�F

Race	Full	Time Limit	6 hours	1,400 runners
	5 km		*	1,100 runners
	Entry fee		Yen 5,000
	Contact		Postal code 362-00731-16-3 Sengendai Ageo City Oyama marathon race entry center Tel: 048-778-5880
Gift	Shoes Bag
Free service	Sport drink, Banana, etc.
Remarks	‰wFree shuttle bus available from the station

Image�F

 
Shoes Bag

Records & Impression

• I joined the full marathon race after almost one-year interval. I entered Kitakami marathon race last October and went to Kitakami City in Tohoku District to join the race. However, the race was cancelled owing to typhoon attack and I could not run. I was told the cancellation had been informed in advance through website, but I didn't see it. I was surprised to learn the cancellation in the morning on the marathon day at the shuttle bus stop when the marathon staff told me the cancellation. After all, I went to Getoh Spa, which is located in the heart of a mountain and I enjoyed bathing spa. I visited there almost 40 years ago after climbing Mt. Yakeishi.
• Well, on Saturday, after I finished the work in the morning, I took on the train of Shonan-Shinjuku Line bound for Utsunomiya. I thought I could get the seat easily. However, the train was so crowded and I couldn't get the seat. I could sit after the train passed Ohmiya Station.
• I arrived in Oyama Station around 14:00. I got off there for the first time. I went to the hotel at 14:30, but I was told that the check-in time was 16:00. However, fortunately, there was a room where the cleaning was finished and I could get in the room.
• After putting my baggage in the room, I went to stroll around Oyama Station. There was a row of cherry blossom trees on both east-exit side and west-exit side. The pink cherry blossoms were in full bloom and very beautiful.
• I dropped in the supermarket near station to buy food for dinner. As usual, I drank canned beer and red wine and went to bed earlier than usual.
• I got up at 5:00 AM on Sunday. It was cloudy. According to weather forecast, it would be cloudy, then rainy. The maximum temperature would be 19 degrees Centigrade.
• I took buffet style breakfast at hotel. The dining room was crowded in the early morning. I took a hearty meal for marathon race.
• I checked out the hotel at 7:15 and reached shuttle bus stop in front of the station at 7:30. I arrived in the marathon site at 7:45.
• I got a shoes bag as gift at reception. I changed wears at gymnasium. It was cold in the morning, so I decided to wear long-sleeve T-shirt with short pant. I also wore mask for pollen allergy.
• Full marathon race would start at 9:00. The number of runners was 1,400. It's not so large number. Cherry blossom trees on the bank could be seen from the start point.
• The race started as scheduled. It was cloudy with soft beams of light. It was breezing and neither cold nor hot.
• The width of road at the starting point was not so wide. However, the number of runners was not so many and thus I didn't care. Loss time was less than one minute.
• I could enjoy viewing cherry blossoms in full bloom ranged almost 1 km from the start.
• Soon the course was a path through a rice field. Wheat was cultivated at some rice fields.
• The passing time at 5 km and 10 km were 31 minutes and 1 hour 01 minute respectively. Not so bad!
• The course was the road on the bank again. Both cherry blossoms and rape blossoms were in full bloom. It was so beautiful. I should have brought a camera to shoot the picturesque scenery.
• I could run at usual running pace until 15 km point. Soon the course was a road on the bank of Watarase-Yusui zone. The desolate field extended. The scenery was monotonous and not interested. Sometime, I could hear skylark and nightingale singing.
• I continued to run with no feeling. But the running speed was gradually slowing down.
• I still had been worrying about my left knee once I injured. Therefore, lately, I used to run 10 km and 20 km at a maximum. I plastered on my left knee with supporter.
• Anyway, I finally reached 20 km point, the entrance of the center of Watarai-Yusui zone. From there, runners had to run around 5 km in the zone. It was so hard for me to run the 5km. It was really a patient running.
• Owing to patient running until 25 km point, I managed to reach 30 km point and thus I thought I might complete the race. However, hereafter, it took much time to finish the race.
• From around 35 km point, there was a row of cherry blossom trees again on the bank. However, I could not afford to see cherry blossoms in full bloom any more. I only continued to run with very slow running speed clenching my teeth.
• During the last 5 km to the finish, my running speed further slowed down. It took much time for me to find the distance indication located every 1 km.
• Finally the running speed was almost the same as that of walking, but I didn't walk.
• From 40 km point, my running speed was slowed down still more, but I tried to run.
• I entered the park, however, I had to run half round the ground to reach the finish. I wanted to complete the race within 5 hours, but my foot did not move fast.
• At last, I could see the finish line. A group of senior high school girls welcomed me with high five. I was smiling involuntarily for a moment although I was painful.
• The finish time was 4 hours 58 minutes. I managed to complete the race within 5 hours.
• During the last stage, it was so hard to run. However, owing to comfortable weather, I did not sweat so much and thus I did not feel exhausted and pain on my foot after the race. I could work next day without problem.
• After the race, I could have Udon noodle. The taste was so-so.
• There was a booth where the staff measured the "blood age". I asked the staff to measure my blood age. The result: my blood age was 71 years old! I was shocked since the measured age was much older than my actual age. I was unhappy with the result.
• I picked up my baggage and change wears. I took on the shuttle bus to the station. I could get on the train at 13:12. The train was almost empty.
• I could return to Higashi-kurume around 17:15. I could reach earlier than I expected. Oyama is not so far from Higashi-kurume.
• As usual, I dropped in Italian restaurant and enjoy drinking rose wine.
• I was satisfied that I could complete the race after almost one year blank. But it was a patient race. I felt aging. I wondered if I could continue to join the full marathon race.
  
  
  Record
  
  

  5 km	31 minutes
  10 km	1 hour 01 minute
  15 km	1 hour 34 minutes
  20 km	2 hours 08 minutes
  Middle point	??
  25 km	2 hours 42 minutes
  30 km	3 hours 18 minutes
  35 km	3 hours 57 minutes
  40 km	4 hours 40 minutes
  Finish	4 hours 58 minutes

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