 |
*****************************
I stayed at Toyoko INN in Fussa the night before. Fussa is three stops from JR Kabe Station where the race starts. I hit the bed early and had a good night's sleep. I had a decent breakfast offered by the hotel a good three hours before the race. I avoided drinking coffee because caffeine can make you want to pee.
I reached the venue a good two hours before the race where I got together with my two runner friends. About forty-five minutes before the race, me and my friend went to porta pottis to take a pee. There was a long queue before porta pottis, but the turnover was quick and we didn't wait as much as we thought we had to. By the time we were done, it was already 20 minutes or so before the official time of start. The last tens of minutes can quickly pass. Me and my friend got some memorial photos taken with Ohme's iconic colorful balloons behind us. I reached my corral L, and my friend went on to get to his corral J.
The race was underway at 11:30. It took almost five minutes for me to finally reach the official start line. I excitedly waved at guest starter Mr. Tatsuhiko Hara, former Yomiuri Giants Manager. Once past the start line, runners started picking up the pace. But a minor congestion lasted for almost 30 minutes. It was only after I passed JR Miyanohira Station that I was finally able to settle into a decent pace.
Thanks to the slow pace in the first 5K, it wasn't so hard to inject the pace after the 5K mark. I was able to overtake a significant number of runners between 5 and 10K. Near the 10K mark, I found my cheerleader and waved at her.
Between 10 and 15K, the incline gets gradually steeper, and over-paced runners start struggling. It made it easier for me to overtake yet more foregoing runners. While running this segment, the leader returned from the turning point. It was Olympican Akira Akasaki. He was literally floating from the rest of the field! It was over a minute or so that I saw a runner-up. Later I learned that Akira won by the second fastest course record. Congrats to the Olympian!
When I ran past JR Kawai Station, the Okutama Ohhashi Bridge was in sight on my left. The turning point is near. I ran economically, saving energy for an increase in pace that I was planning after the halfway point which comes a few hundred meters after the turning point.
When I finally reached the halfway mark, I injected the pace and started hammering down the hill. It is in this segment that most runners run the fastest. But few people near me seemed to run as fast as I did. Though I was significantly faster than most other runners near me, I could tell that the two years of setbacks caused by my left meniscus injury had made me weaker than before the injury. But it's no time to pity myself. I gave it everything I had to make up for the slow pace in the first 5K.
Around 19K the course flattens a little. I eased the pace to recharge my batteries. Shortly before 20K Sydney Olympics Gold Medalist Ms. Naoko Takahashi, a.k.a. Q-chan was giving a high five to passing runners. My lane was slightly away from where she was standing, and it was too late for me to redirect myself to receive her high five, but I had got one from her a couple of times in the past, so I continued to press on.
At 20.5K shortly before JR Futamatao Station, the course starts to ascend. This is the Ohme version of the Heart Break Hill. It's a long and steep hill. But what makes it hard is not only its length and steepness. Its timing and location are the main factors of challenge. For citizen runners who have only run half marathons, it is close to the upper limit of their training distance. Also, this steep hill atypically comes in the predominantly descending second half. It is no surprise that you see several runners make a stop during or after the hill and stretch their legs for temporary relief from a spasm.
Once you reach the top of the hill, there is a long straight downhill. It is one of my favorite parts of the second half. There are few tall trees or buildings on the right. The sun shines strongly on you. The air feels awesome as you cut through it. The cheering from the sidewalks is enormous. Many locals come out along the road as it is the warmest time of the day.
The descent lasts for a couple of kilometers and the course flattens again. Then around the 25K mark, there are a last couple of upward inclines, not as long as the one near Futamatao. These are the final challenges for those who have only run half marathons. They are well into an uncharted territory. Many make a stop again, taking a longer break this time, stretching their calves and hamstrings. Their sight reminds me of myself doing the same on my first two attempts. Years have passed since then. I've run longer distances many times. These hills are not easy, but manageable now. I keep on paying attention to my running economy, making sure I have enough to run the last 5K strongly.
Once past JR Miyanohira Station, it's all downhill for a couple of kilometers. The course then completely flattens in the last couple of kilometers. The roars from bothr sides of the course increase. The number of cheerers is noticably larger. Yellow traffic lights flicker as you run past each intersection. Traffic is completly shut off to welcome back battle-beaten runners. And I am one of them.
I looked for my cheerleader who was supposed to have returned from Sawai. There she was, holding a smartphone to take memorial photos! I ran wide to get a little closer to her, and then past her into the final stretch leading to the finish line. Oh, I love this moment. The last 200 meters. The sidewalks look packed with crowds, layer upon layer. They are going wild as runners get close to the finish line one after another! The arch that says the finish is finally in sight, but I can't see it clearly because the sun is so strong that it blinds me. It doesn't matter, though. I know where the finish line is. I accelerate, working my arms like a track athlete. I throw my arms in the air, with a triumphant smile on my face, screaming, "I did it!"
My barefoot 30K race completed, 2 hours 35 minutes 34 seconds after the gun went off! The time is average, compared with my most recent records before injury. But I slashed almost 30 minutes off my record last year. One thing is certain. I'm now fully recovered from my knee injury. My mind-body is strong enough to withstand the challenges of the toughest of road races, and strong enough to do all the training leading to the race which was after all much much harder than the race itself.
My race season 2023 which started last June is now over. My next race is probably in June, and it's a 10K. I am going to lay a strong foundation first by running many long distances slowly, and then as the race nears, I will do some quality speed training. Cannot wait!
No comments:
Post a Comment