~Road to Full Marathon~ Running Club Participates in Arakawa Half Marathon!
Hello! I’m Kage from the Sports Division, 3rd Bureau, Public Relations Business Headquarters.
The SUNNY SIDE UP Running Club is steadily practicing day by day with the goal of participating in a full marathon.
Check out our past activities here
▼ Internal Communication That Starts with “Let’s Run!” Experience Report on the “Running Club” with Fun-Loving Running Enthusiasts!
As a trial run, we decided to participate in a half marathon first, so we competed in the “Arakawa Half Marathon 2022” held on Sunday, May 22! This time, five members from the Running Club participated, so we’ll share how it went.
Arakawa Half Marathon 2022
The course for the Arakawa Half Marathon 2022 we participated in was a 5 km loop course (1st lap: 6.1 km, 2nd–4th laps: 5 km). It’s a relatively flat course, but strong winds along the river are characteristic. However, pace runners were positioned at 10-second intervals from a 4-minute per km pace to a 6-minute per km pace, making it easier to target your goal time.
8:30~ Registration Begins
The five of us were full of energy from the morning, ready to demonstrate the results of our practice sessions after work!
Two managers also came to cheer and support us!
10:00~ Wave Start
373 runners started in several waves! The first kilometer after the start was at a decent pace of 5:03, but the weather gradually improved, and by the time we reached the first turnaround point, the sun became strong and it got hot.
2nd lap (6.1 km point)
Members flying along smoothly at a 5-minute per km pace. Leading everyone as the ace of the Running Club.
3rd lap (10.1 km point)
Steady members listening to the radio, calmly following the same pace runner and recording lap times.
4th lap (15.1 km point)
A member whose knee was hurting and whose spirit was about to break. Determined not to lose to a senior chasing from behind, they put on a final sprint.
Finish Point (21.1 km)
All five of us finished safely! At the final member’s finish, we all ran together, creating a touching scene reminiscent of the 24-Hour Television. “Sarai” was playing in my head.
Funny Completion Certificate
At this event, in addition to the official record certificate, a unique record called the “Funny Completion Certificate” was issued…
We could see our rankings by age, region of residence, zodiac sign, and name. Overall ranking was 261st, but by name, a proud 1st place… (laughs)
There were moments when it was tough and I wanted to walk, but thanks to the two managers who supported us and the people cheering along the roadside, I was able to keep going until the end without giving up.
I also started running again after a long time because of this event, and I realized that rather than training alone monotonously, setting a goal like participating in a competition and joining a community where you can encourage each other is important for maintaining motivation.
When I think that a full marathon is twice this distance, my spirit nearly breaks, but we will continue to hold regular Running Club activities toward participating in a full marathon, so please look forward to it!
