Here is a report of how I ran the race.
I arrived at the venue about an hour and half before the gun went off.
I went to the reception to pick up my number bib and IC chip, and fixed them on my running shirt and right shoe respectively. I did some stretching while waiting for the start. Half an hour to the start I went to the starting area with a friend of mine and waited for the gun to go off. Last year he and I was at the end of the section for runners aiming to finish under between 3:30:00 and 4:00:00. This year we were at the very front of it. This strategy was good, because last year we lost almost five minutes due to a congestion created by crowded runners, but this year we lost only two minutes because there were far fewer runners before us, and almost all of them were a lot faster than us. Congestion was brief, and there was immediately smooth passage.
According to Mr. Tetsuhiko Kin, who is a well-known running trainer, the key to success is not to increase your pace too much between 15 and 20 K where the course is relatively flat. The reason is there are a series of uphills awaiting runners from 20 K on. An early increase in pace can take a toll on your legs, and you can run out of stamina to overcome them. I kept that in mind when I finally reached the 15 K mark. I was overtaken by quite a few runners, but I didn't care much, feeling fairly optimistic about the prospect of catching up to them in the latter stage of the race.
Between 15 and 20 K you run along a straight road along the Heisaura Beach. There is no shade, and the temperature was high. I rolled up my shirt to the upper chest first for ventilation. But eventually I pulled both of my arms through the arm holes, and hang the shirt around my neck to cool off my body. I ran this way until I reached the 31 K mark.
Although I thought I applied Mr. Kin's advice, and carefully kept my pace in check, I realized that my legs were a lot more damaged than I thought when I started climbing the first uphill after the halfway point. It becomes harder for me to keep the 5:25 pace I had aimed for. I tried not to fatigue the legs too much because otherwise the last quarter could be extremely hard. But the fatigue in my legs already reached a point where there was no good strategy to manage it well. I started slowing down. When I finally reached the top of the heart break hill near the 30 K mark, not only was I significantly slow, but also I was terribly exhausted. I still remember how full of energy I was still at the same point; I was with two sub-four pacemakers. I was determined not to be left behind no matter what. This year I was far ahead of sub 4 pacemakers. And I was also well behind sub 3.5 pace makers. There was no one to follow. I was all by myself. The race became a war of attrition.
With the heart break hill behind me, past the 32 K mark, I was just before a right turn leading to the coastal road. Once you hit this road, there is only 9 K left. But right after taking the left there is a steep downhill. With the surface of the asphalt rather rough, and my legs fatigued, and the sole of my shoes only 5 mm in thickness (I was in minimalist split-toe shoes MUTEKI!), controlling the speed was extremely hard, and I sense a first ominous sign of cramp in my left hamstring. It was a matter of time that it could get cramped. The last 9 K is not as hilly as the third quarter of the race. But it is still rich in moderate undulation.
Shortly after the 33 K mark I stopped for the first time in the race. I did some stretching for my legs to give them a temporary relief. I did it altogether 5 times in the last quarter of the race. Each time I lost 1 to 2 minutes. When I finally saw a sign that said one more K to go, I couldn't believe the race was finally about to be over. The last quarter was that much painful. There was a wall of cheerers on either side of the street, waving at and shouting words of encouragement to runners. Running across the bridge just before the gate into the stadium, with 200 meters remaining, I grit my teeth and bore all the pain in the legs to put of a spurt. Swinging my arms strongly like Rio Olympics Men's Marathon Gold Medalist Mr. Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, I sprinted to the finish line on the homestretch that was dusty from the steps of runners. The finish banner came nearer and nearer with each swing of the arm. When I finally came under the banner, I threw my arms up in the air and cried, "やったー！"
The race was over. The clock said 3:52:XX. I didn't achieve my original goal of finishing under 3:46:00. But it wasn't as bad was I thought. At least I renewed my previous personal course record. I went to an aid station to grab a cup of wheat tea, and drank a gulp. It warmed my body from within. I heard a voice from behind. I turned around. A guy was standing. He was in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers. He said, "Those are MUTEKI, aren't they?" I said, "They are. You're in Vibram. How long have you been running in minimalist shoes?" He said, "Two years." We said congrats to each other and parted. It was nice to see a runner who is interested in running with minimum protection.
The race has given me many valuable lessons. One of them is that it's very important to keep your pace in check especially in the first half. I didn't realize it while I was running, but the data shows that I reached the halfway point nearly 8 minutes earlier than last year. The significant decrease in pace in the second half can be attributed to this. But there is also a very good lesson. That is, you can run a full marathon without relying on shoes with cushioning. Human beings lived millions of years, running around without shoes. And modern humans can bring out that potential through hard training.
My next big race is on Feb. 19. I'm running Ohme 30 K Road Race 2017 in Ohme City, Tokyo. It is one of the highlights of my 2016-2017 running season. There are only two weeks to get ready for the race. I will give myself a full rest for the coming few days. When I have completely recovered from the fatigue, I will start with a 7.5 K jog in my neighborhood. And then after that I will slowly increase distance. I will try not to overdo training to get injured.
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