Oct. 21, 2018
42.195 K: 4:13:21(gross)/4:10:59(net)
200 M to the Finish Line
On Oct. 21, 2018 Aqua Line Marathon 2018 took place in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture. For the first time in my life did I run the entire distance of 42.195 K without wearing shoes. It was the biggest goal that I had set for myself for the event. I am very happy to have achieved it. This marks the beginning of a new phase in my fitness endeavor, and it is very important. I would like to take a moment to report how I ran the race below. It was never easy...
The Devil Man and I
The event takes place only once in two years. Considering the magnitude of commercial influence caused by blocking the traffic artery between Tokyo and Chiba, that is totally understandable. But probably because there are two years between races, and sufficient preparation time because of that, and also because of its commercial importance for the local economy, it was a very well-organized event. Handling of runners' personal belongings at the baggage check counter was smooth, and there were enough porta-potties near the baggage counter to meet the need of starting runners. The main event area is 20-minute walk from the nearest train station, and the start area is another 20-minute walk from there, but if you think of it as warm-up, it's nothing to complain about.
There were a number of guest runners. One of them is retired former Hakone Ekiden hero Mr. Ryuji Kashiwabara of Fujitsu, who is now the manager of his company's American Football team. He is my long-distance running hero. I was hoping to shake hands with him if I ever saw him, but there were just so many people, and spotting him in the crowd seemed next to impossible.
A couple of minutes before the race began, there was slight noise in one corner of my corral, and soon a few people started taking photos with their smartphones, holding their arms high up in the air. Soon more arms were in the air, all holding their smartphone to take pictures. People around me said to each other, "Who is it?" A second later I heard one runner say, "It's Kashiwabara." I was suddenly excited. My hero was only several meters away in my corral! Now I saw people doing a high five with the legendary uphill runner. I hesitated for a moment, worried he might not like this sudden hassle. But a second later, another side of me said, "Hey, how can you miss this opportunity of a lifetime?" I threaded through runners to get close to him, and cried his name, "Kashiwabara-san!" He turned to me because all the others just reached out their hand to receive his high five, but I called his name. He gave me one with a shy smile on his face. I was elated.
There were speeches before the start by Governor Kensaku Morita and former Olympian Masako Chiba, and the venue was filled with a festive mood. Soon the gun went off, and the race was under way.
I started off very slowly at first and almost jogged until I hit 10 K, which is about 1 K into the Aqua Line. However, when I overtook pacers and saw their bib, it said 4:30. I realized then how slow I was. Shortly after that more and more runners were coming from the other direction who had come around the turning point at the Umihotaru Rest Area. I saw 4:00 pacers. I quickly calculated the distance between them and the turning point, and doubled it. The gap seemed almost unrecoverably large. I decided to increase the pace while on the highway although that was not my original plan. I was originally going to go at a near 6:00/K pace until 37 K and kick in the last 5, hoping to cross the finish line just under 4:00:00.
I ran a very narrow concrete area which is part of the median divider of the highway. It was neatly painted and the surface was smooth. I thought the damage to the sole was minimum if I ran there.
Running on the highway was indescribably refreshing. Many runners stopped to take pictures, and had there pictures taken by their fellow runners. I wouldn't blame them. After all it was a special occasion, and the event was a festival.
While on the highway, a number of runners talked to me. Many were surprised that I was wearing shoes. One runner, who looked a lot older, was genuinely interested in trying it, and asked me how long it took me to eventually run a race barefooted, and what steps it took me to finally be able to do it. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there were people who were interested in this kind of challenge.
Once I left the Aqua Line, the 20 K mark was near. My pace increase was significant after 10 K. I knew I had to slow down for a while so that I could recover.
Before 20 K Alone and Away from the Pack
The clock said 11:56 a.m. at 20 K. I quickly did the math to estimate that my time at halfway would be somewhere around 2:02. With negative split, I could run a sub-4 marathon.
But the second half presented two big challenges to me. One was unexpectedly rough road surface and large uphills. Also, the effect of the sudden increase pace in the second quarter was slowly showing. I felt the first sign of spasm in my left hamstring while going down a hill near the 28 K mark. I was worried.
I rested awhile every time I hydrated at a water station, walking for a while and stretching if necessary.
In the last 7 K of the race, that is from the 35 mark on, the cheering along the road was overwhelmingly large in volume and tremendously encouraging. But I felt ashamed of myself for not being able to run strongly like a true caveman, because some cuts in my right sole made each landing agonizing, and the fear of another cramp made my running pathetically lame.
When I passed the 36 K mark, I thought of the 6 K shuttle course that I had run so many time. I don't know about other runners, but as far as I'm concerned, 6 K is one unit, and a full marathon is 7 times of that unit. This is because that's the distance of my most familiar training course. So when I finally reached the point, I felt, "Another 6 K run, and I will be back home..."
The size of cheering crowds got even larger around the 40 K mark near JR Kisarazu Station. Many seemed to know what kind of physical as well as mental state runners would be in at this stage a marathon, and their words of encouraging and congratulatory yells seemed to reflect that knowledge of theirs. I did my best to show a thankful gesture every time I heard a cheering comment or surprised reaction that was clearly directed to me such as, "Go, caveman!" or "Holy mackerel! He's barefooted!" And when the familiar sight of the finish arch that I had seen earlier that morning was finally in sight, I was hit with a sudden dopamine rash, and all the pain that had plagued me up to that point seemed instantly forgotten. I kicked, and turned two corners in a row like a guided missile, turning my legs like a track athlete in the final lap, crossed the finish line and roared with joy!
Near 42 K
Runners who finished the race were guided to the rest area where they picked up their certificate of completion. I saw my official time and smiled a bitter smile. After all, my sub-4 dream was not realized. But I was happy. Because I achieved something that was more important.
After the race I had a party with my cheerleader, and two other runner friends at an Izakaya restaurant near JR Kisarazu Station. We had so much fun talking about the race and the sport of long-distance running. This is the best part of running a race other than the race itself...
JR Makuhari Hongo Station
A two hour train ride got me and my cheerleader back home. Although we had a meal of a pretty decent size, by the time we reached home, we were already hungry, so we stopped by southern curry restaurant "HANA" near Keisei Katsutadai Station, and filled our stomachs with super delicious curry made with lots of medicinal spices and organic veggies locally grown.
Southern Indian Restaurant "HANA" in Katsutadai
That night I slept like a baby who still didn't know how to dream at all...
The next morning I woke up with many dull pains hear and there. But they were not to the point of making me not want to move around. In fact, the first thing I did this morning was to go grocery shopping. I looked back on the morning following my first marathon, and how I ached all over. I have become much stronger than I was at that time. But I can be stronger. I want to be stronger. Faster and more endurable. And that is the goal for my next race and those that follow it.
My next race is the Yotsukaido Gas Light 10 K Road Race in Nov. And the race that follows it is the Hadano Tanzawa Minase River Half Marathon in Dec. I am going to run both races without shoes. My goal is to renew my course record for each race.
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