Run 7: Arakawa Half Marathon

Sunday, 4th October 2015 (10:30am)

As this was my first run in the land of the Rising Sun and my first outside Europe, I came prepared to the run with a plethora of screenshots on my phone detailing exactly where I had to go, the route, my race number and everything that would be required of me to get the run off without a problem.

The site of many a sport

The race venue was just over an hour from where I was staying and three different metro lines away. Tokyo's railway system can be confusing as different lines are owned by different companies but when you get used to it, navigating isn't too scary. Fortunately, today was a good day as I arrived at my designated station with no problems at all.

Peace and quiet in the foreground, busy Tokyo in the background.

It is very typical of Japanese people to sleep on the train during their morning commute (and their commute home). I almost never do this (mainly because I never get a seat!) On my first leg of the train route I snoozed in and out. Not a very promising start!

The station in question was Higashi-Ojima, and it was a very short walk from here to an incredibly peaceful sports fields/riverside community area. The sun was shining and my walk through the park was incredibly. Old men were grouped together on one field, shooting paper aeroplanes in to the air and watching them glide around. Families were setting up barbecues and picnic areas. Joggers were gearing up for the run, and adorable akitas and other breeds of puppies were being walked.

Short and sweet. Japanese efficiency in action.

With my screenshots and very basic Japanese in hand, I nervously approached the race-pack collection tent. Western names in Japan are translated in to katakana, while Japanese names are written in kanji. The race staff had a list of names and as soon as they saw me and I said my name, they knew to look at one of the very very few katakana names on their list.

So, race number pinned to my top, shoe laces tied and checked, stretches done, I donned my Diabetes wig and got ready for the start of the race. Very few people seemed to look or care about my strange gaijin get-up. Perhaps, being Japanese, they'd seen people wearing stranger things or perhaps they were politely trying not to stare.

Blissfully unaware that a blue-wigged gaijin was waiting behind them.

I have very little to say about the race. It was baking hot (somewhere close to 28°) so I was sweating even before I started running. Given the heat I wasn't prepared to run to beat any Personal Best I have so went in with the mentality that I would just finish the race and do so under 2 hours. The course was a series of 4 laps along a promenade where kids and adults played baseball (Japan's favourite sport) and bicycles whizzed past. Every stretch of a lap was 2.5km and each side had a water station. I stopped and re-hydrated at every water stop - I did not want to be that ignorant Westerner who died of heat stroke during a run he wasn't prepared for.

All types of people were on the run, from all ages and shapes and sizes. It seemed a very inclusive run and had a very good spirit about it. For most of the run I was in my own little headspace, just wanting to finish and though I picked up my pace towards the end, it was an average of 5:30 per km. Lacking a big, bright finish line, two Japanese ladies held a strip of ribbon between them and runners were encouraged to run through it with their arms stretched upwards in salute of their victory.

Celebrating with my instantly printed certificate!

In true Japanese style of efficiency, immediately after completing the race I was presented with my certificate that congratulated me on my finish time, a cool 1:55:02