I traveled San Diego for one week and came back to Japan this weekends. On the second day I joined the marathon race called Rock'n Roll marathon at San Diego and finished it fortunately in the California sunshine.
My time of this race is 6 hours, correctly 06:02. It was the HARDEST RACE EVER! After the start of race I was getting lost my energy and stopped running at 15 km point and then almost walked until the goal. Last year I finished Tokyo marathon in 04:24 so I thought I would finish it in 5 hours in the worst case but... Let's look back on the race.
Cheerleaders and visitors repeated "Keep it up!", the same meaning of "Ganbare!" in Japan, they talk in a low voice, but whatever. I kept walking and finally crossed the goal line at Petco Park, MLB stadium of San Diego Padres, and finished the race without a smile, you don't know, I can't afford it. But, AWESOME! I got a heavy big medal. It's two times bigger than Tokyo marathon's medal, it's American Cheeseburger, hehe. My legs (and I) were almost dead and I maybe was sunstroke or heatstroke, I don't know, so I came back to hotel by San Diego Trolley soon and jumped into the bed and died.
The next day, fortunately I came back to life and enjoyed watching MLB game at Petco park and sightseeing to Ensenada, Mexico. I introduce them later too.
My time of this race is 6 hours, correctly 06:02. It was the HARDEST RACE EVER! After the start of race I was getting lost my energy and stopped running at 15 km point and then almost walked until the goal. Last year I finished Tokyo marathon in 04:24 so I thought I would finish it in 5 hours in the worst case but... Let's look back on the race.
Start:
I arrived at San Diego one day before the race. Landing in America first time! On the day I checked in at a hotel in beach side and joined Marathon Expo at the convention center. I had dinner at Holton Plaza in down town and then came back to the hotel. On the race day I woke up at 4 AM and walk to the Balboa park, the start point, through the silent streets in the dark.
I was ready and waited more than 30 minutes at the starting point. I'm surprised a little at many tattooed runners there, arm, leg, head?..., because we don't have tattoo except scary people, you know, like Yakuza in Japan. I think here tattoo is a kind of fashion or cool thing ( maybe their grand mother disagree...) but some Japanese think they are mafia runners, haha... Anyway, the race was started at 6 AM, 06:15.
Race & Goal:
After the start I ran slowly first and kept my pace enjoying the band play ( more than 30 bands play in the course, it's rock'n roll marathon! ) and taking photo. The camera was heavy in my pocket, I forgot the porch for camera from Japan... The sunshine was getting strong than I expected and lost my energy little by little. haa haa... haa haa... hot...hot... I had a bad feeling that this race will be tough one. It was right. I stopped running at 15 km point. And I gave up the good record and focused on finishing this worst parade ever! I can get a medal when I crossed the goal line. I walked and waked, the limit is 7 hours, I watched G-shock and I believed I can finish if I won't stop walking.
Cheerleaders and visitors repeated "Keep it up!", the same meaning of "Ganbare!" in Japan, they talk in a low voice, but whatever. I kept walking and finally crossed the goal line at Petco Park, MLB stadium of San Diego Padres, and finished the race without a smile, you don't know, I can't afford it. But, AWESOME! I got a heavy big medal. It's two times bigger than Tokyo marathon's medal, it's American Cheeseburger, hehe. My legs (and I) were almost dead and I maybe was sunstroke or heatstroke, I don't know, so I came back to hotel by San Diego Trolley soon and jumped into the bed and died.
The next day, fortunately I came back to life and enjoyed watching MLB game at Petco park and sightseeing to Ensenada, Mexico. I introduce them later too.
