Will everyone make it to the finish line!? Mensore! SUNNY SIDE UP’s famously energetic running club has finally come into its own! We took on the grueling NAHA Full Marathon!

Hello everyone. I am Komori, in my second year in Sports Team 2, Division 3, Public Relations Division Headquarters.

2023 has begun, but there is something I absolutely want to put on record from our 2022 activities.

That is… the running club’s activities!

The running club was re-formed in spring 2022. We have previously introduced various activities, including the Arakawa Half Marathon and the TOKYO Night Relay at the National Stadium. However! In fact, all of these activities were merely the prologue. They were actually training toward achieving a certain goal….

That goal was…

\Finish a full marathon (42.195 km) as a team!///

Yes. All of our activities were training to finish a full marathon!

To complete a full marathon, the running club held weekly after-work running sessions, did 20 km Imperial Palace runs on days off, and even ran to and from Asakusa—about 30 km round trip from the office—activities that felt like reliving our student days in the middle of youth.

(Incidentally, some members are so tough they ran 100 km for two consecutive months. Their stamina is limitless.)

And finally, the other day we took on the “NAHA Marathon,” held in Okinawa Prefecture. Komori—who was somehow running this time despite being the manager until September (?) and for whom this was the first full marathon of my life—will share what it was like! What were the results…!?

What is the NAHA Marathon?

The NAHA Marathon course is 42.195 km, looping around five municipalities—Naha City, Haebaru Town, Yaese Town, Itoman City, and Tomigusuku City—centered on Peace Memorial Park. The time limit is 6 hours and 15 minutes.

Runners who regularly run full marathons all say in unison that the NAHA Marathon is “full of hills and extremely tough!” However, along the way there is a famous zone where you run while dancing to “YMCA,” and there are also offerings like steak and soki soba—so it is packed with excitement and fun as well!

As it was the first time the event had been held in three years, 11,933 runners participated from all over Japan.

Heading to the venue to pick up our bibs

Even though it was for the marathon, the running club wanted to fully enjoy Okinawa as well. Members who arrived a little early also enjoyed sightseeing.

We absolutely wanted to see the ocean! So we went to the beach without worrying about the light rain!

Members getting excited at their first A&W. We also enjoyed sata andagi and ice cream!

Then, the day before the race, we headed to Onoyama Park—the starting point—to pick up our athlete bibs.

As soon as we had our bibs in hand, it started to feel real…! After having dinner together, we went to bed early to prepare for the big day tomorrow, along with a growing sense of nerves!

The morning of the race

At last, the day arrived! Despite it being December, the forecast high was 27°C. Fired up and ready to go, the running club members ate breakfast, stocked up on energy, and headed to the starting point!

When we arrived near the start, it was already overflowing with runners! The running club members each did warm-ups and taping to prepare for finishing—fully ready to go!

Before heading to the start, we found a photo spot and snapped a quick shot.

We will probably be a sweaty mess by the next group photo, so taking smiling photos before the run is essential ☻

Now, what I would like you to notice here is the uniform. To commemorate our participation, we made special running club T-shirts!

Even if you are running alone, wearing matching T-shirts makes you feel unstoppable.

8:30–Temporarily parting ways with the members

After taking photos, it was time to part ways for a while. (The waiting blocks at the start are divided by predicted full-marathon finish time.) We promised, “Let’s all meet at the finish line in six hours!!!!” and headed to our respective waiting blocks.

9:00–Start!!

With a bang of the starting gun, the race finally began!!! To Okinawa-style music, the runners all set off at once!

A few minutes after starting, we first entered Kokusai-dori! People lined the streets, and passionate cheers of “You can do it!” rang out. It has begun!!! I felt my motivation surge!

To be honest, from here on I was desperately focused on finishing, so I have no photos. A major regret.

So, I (Komori) will look back on it in a live-commentary style while recalling the moment!

• In the NAHA Marathon’s famous YMCA zone, we ran while dancing together to the music…
• Encouraged by the bands playing along the course…
• Helped by oranges and rice balls handed out by Okinawan volunteers, and even Okinawa’s signature soki soba…
• Moved by the beautiful ocean spreading out before me when I took a break and walked for a bit…

Around the 27 km mark

• Just as I was about to say, “I might not be able to finish…,” I saw a teammate ahead wearing our uniform! No! We are finishing together! I steeled myself…
• Even so, my legs and hips were screaming, and in the painful second half I was saved by the cheers from the sidelines…
• And before I knew it, only 10 km to go!!
• I have already run 30 km! Just a little more! I gradually regained energy…
• At last, the final corner to the finish came into view!
• And members who had already finished were cheering for me!

Around 15:00–

At last………

Finish!!

We did it!!!!

\The entire running club finished!!!!!///

Everyone made it to the finish within the time limit and received a medal!

We are smiling in this photo, but behind the scenes everyone is definitely dragging their feet (laugh).

What everyone is wearing around their neck is a commemorative medal given to all finishers. It is apparently made of Ryukyu glass! Without a doubt, it is our greatest treasure!

The officially announced finish rate for this marathon was 67.68%, so the fact that all nine members finished is truly remarkable!

The people along the course were all very friendly. Even though we were complete strangers, we received so much support—and above all, things like food supplies, lending cooling spray, and more. We truly felt the kindness of the people of Okinawa to the core!

In closing

What did you think of the running club’s challenge?

The NAHA Marathon was a major challenge for the running club. Since most members were running their first full marathon, we took on this challenge with the theme: “Make it memorable, not just measurable!”

Until three months before the full marathon, I personally had nothing to do with exercise, but being able to try something new even as an adult was truly enjoyable—and it became by far my best memory of 2022.

It truly is “youth, even as an adult!”

However, the running club’s challenge does not end here. In fact, now that we all finished, we are already hearing voices saying, “Next, Honolulu?”

Please look forward to the running club’s activities in 2023 as well! Mensore!