On March 3 Tokyo Marathon 2019 took place in Central Tokyo. Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia won with a staggering time of 2:04:48. It was only his second marathon! Both thumbs up for the young Ethiopian! In the women's elite field Ruti Aga equally of Ethiopia won with a blistering time of 2:20:40 in defiance of the cold weather. Her victorious smile smashed the hazy sky of the finish area.
Because I didn't get a runner's lottery place, I enjoyed watching the race as a cheerer. I haven't got a lottery place since 2013, and since then I've been enjoying the race as a cheerer, so I'm quite experienced in the field.
My first cheering point is always Kanda. Metro Kanda Station is covered by my commuter's pass, and it's easy access from home. Shortly before the 9 K mark, there is a Starbucks cafe that directly faces Chuo Dori Street that runners go through. I got there around 9:15 a.m., waiting for leaders' arrival. The estimated arrival time this year was somewhere around 9:35 a.m.
With a cup of coffee in my left hand, and a sandwich on the left, I watched the race on my cellphone. Five minutes before the estimated arrival time, I got out and joined my runner friends who were already out there to watch the leaders.
In no time I could hear a distant cheer around the intersection a block away. The cheer gradually came nearer and the volume got louder. The leaders has arrived!
It was a pack of 9 to 10 runners, most of whom were Africans, but three Japanese stuck closely behind them. They are Japanese record holder Suguru Osako, Yuki Sato of Nisshin, and Shogo Nakamura who finished 4th in Berlin Marathon 2018.
I kept on watching coming runners for about 20 minutes, but then got back inside the cafe after saying bye to the friends who were going to the finish area to see the finish of the elite runners. I was planning to cheer on two runners who are both my students at the English school I teach at.
I carefully monitored their progress on an app called the 'Ohen' Navi, but I unfortunately couldn't spot the student who was faster than the other. But I successfully found the other one from a crowd of passing runners. She looked surprised to hear her name shouted through the speaker, but she also looked happy. I was glad.
After that I got back inside the cafe and killed time until all runners had passed, and traffic regulation was lifted.
It was almost after the faster student passed the 25 K mark that I finally left the cafe and moved to my second cheering spot. Originally I was going to Ginza shortly before the 30 K mark, but I changed my plans and went to Kayabacho. I was afraid Ginza would be too crowded for me to find a place to cheer. Also, when I ran it in 2011 and 2012, my family and relatives cheered me on in Kayabacho. Later they told me it was not as crowded and they could easily find a place to butt in. So as soon as I got off the train in Nihonbashi, I walked quickly along the underground tunnel leading to Metro Kayabacho Station. Halfway there, there was an exit. I went upstairs to find myself right next to the 28 K mark! I was right. There were far fewer people there than in Ginza or Nihonbashi. I monitored the progress of my friend on my smartphone, and shouted his name when I was sure that he was within a radius of 20 meters while I looked around for him. When I shouted his name twice, a runner in a huge passing crowd turned to me and waved at me. It was him! I threw words of encouragement at him, and he smiled back. But in less than a few seconds, he disappeared into the distancing crowd...
Excited to successfully meet both of my students, I hopped on to the subway to cheer on the faster student again somewhere ahead because there was still plenty of time before the other student was expected to reach Kayabacho.
I thought of welcoming him in Ginza, but he was going at quite a brisk pace and he could be gone by the time I reached there, so just to be on the safe side, I went to Shinbashi, walked from there to Hibiya Dori to see him in Uchisaiwaicho.
Fortunately I reached the course in time for his arrival, but I wasn't able to spot him among a large crowd. Disappointed, I headed back near Shinbashi Station and had lunch at McDonald's.
While having lunch, I monitored the progress of both runners from time to time. I then decided to go back to Uchisaiwaicho again, this time on the other side, to see the faster student right past the 40 K mark. Luckily, I was able to find him, congratulating him on almost completing the race!
Meanwhile, the other students was approaching the 30 K mark in Ginza. I went to the other side of the road using the under ground tunnel. There was an open space past the 31 K mark right on the street. It was right on a manhole, but was surrounded with azaleas, so no one would get in there. I jumped over the trees and settled there to wait for the student. Four hours had already passed. Runners passing there four hours into the race are not as experienced. Many were struggling. And she was thought to be one of those struggling. But I was hoping she would not give up. I carefully monitored her progress on the app, and when I believed she was within a radius of 20 meters, I shouted her name again and again and looked around for a runner who reacted to my voice. When I called her name for the third time, a short woman in a white raincoat looked right and left for the owner of the voice. I called her name twice this time more quickly, and waved at her. She found me, looking more surprised than before. She probably didn't expect me to look for her twice. I admired her for already completing 30 kilometers, and encouraged her to complete the race no matter what.
Feeling high after successfully cheering on my both students twice respectively, I headed to the finish area. I soaked up the festive atmosphere of the area for several minutes, and walked to Nihonbashi, and hopped on the subway to get off at Ueno, had sushi there because I was so hungry from hours of cheering in the freaking cold.
I had surf clam, alfonsino, and some other stuff to fill my stomach, and took out some as a gift for Madam Fumiko at home.
All in all, the Tokyo Marathon is one of the greatest races to run, but it is also enjoyable for a cheerer whether he or she is a runner or not.
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