At first, she could barely run for 30 minutes, but as she gradually increased the time and distance, she learned about the Shibuya-Omotesando Women's Run, a 10km race, and thought, "Running the streets of Shibuya and Omotesando sounds fun," so she entered without much thought. Her goal was to maintain a 6-minute 1km pace and finish in under an hour.
He finished in a time of 57 minutes 16 seconds, brilliantly clearing his target, and this made him feel "so happy, so happy, I want to run more."
Since then, running has become an essential part of Okamoto's daily life. In addition to his morning and evening runs, which he does as both a hobby and training, he also goes for runs a little further away on weekends. He participates in more than 10 competitions a year, including trail runs, and now sometimes runs more than 300km a month.
Among these, Okamoto is especially looking forward to "travel runs," which combine travel and running by participating in local marathons and experiencing the local culture. For Okamoto, travel runs are one of the motivations that keep him running.
Introducing the charm of marathons and travel runs in [JAL Travel Run INTERVIEW]. In the first installment, we interviewed Yui Okamoto.
Yui Okamoto
In April 2016, she made her full marathon debut at the Nagano Marathon (4 hours 19 minutes 13 seconds). Since then, she has participated in a variety of competitions, from full marathons to ultramarathons and trail running competitions. Her personal best is 3 hours 49 minutes 11 seconds (2017 Nagoya Women's Marathon). She is a member of PUMA's running team, TOKYO IGNITE.
Marathons are not run alone. It's fun to run with friends.
OnTrip JAL Editorial Department (hereinafter, JAL): Do you remember the Shibuya-Omotesando Women's Run, which was your debut competition?
Okamoto Yui (hereinafter, Okamoto): I remember it well. I was really nervous at first. A competition is completely different from jogging around my house, and I was full of anxiety, wondering, "Will I be able to get a good time? Will I even be able to finish the race?" Even when I started running, I was struggling, but when I looked around, I noticed people on the sidelines cheering me on. That gave me so much strength.
With the support of those around me, I managed to finish the race, and what's more, I was so happy to have beaten my target time that it made me want to run more.
JAL: Have you started to enjoy running?
Okamoto: No, to be honest, even now when I'm running I feel pain 80% of the time (laughs). But even though I'm not an athlete, I don't often get that much support from people I don't even know. It makes me happy, and it's one of the joys that keeps me from quitting.
JAL: The support from the people along the route is one of the things that motivates you to continue running marathons.
Okamoto: Yes, that's right. It's definitely become something I enjoy. Of course, compared to when I first started running, I've started to enjoy running itself more. At first, I didn't like running alone, but when I started participating in group runs, I started to enjoy running more and more.
JAL: Marathons tend to be seen as a solitary activity, but that's not the case.
Okamoto: Of course, there are many people who work hard aiming for the best time or to win, but I run while cherishing the feeling that I enjoy it. I set goals to beat my best time depending on the competition, but what I find most enjoyable is running with friends. Strangely enough, running becomes more fun when there are friends. Even at competitions, I'm not the only one running. I like that feeling of running with everyone.
A runner's high after debuting in a full marathon
JAL: What made you decide to take on the challenge of a full marathon?
Okamoto: Since my first time participating in the Shibuya-Omotesando Women's Run, I gradually started participating in competitions and made more running friends, which led to me joining my current Puma running team, IGNITE TOKYO.
There were many people on the team who were taking on full marathons and trail runs, and listening to their stories made me want to run too.
JAL: Before the race, were you nervous before the start, just like you would be doing in your first competition?
Okamoto: Yes. Most general citizen marathons have a time limit of seven hours, but the Nagano Marathon, which was my first full marathon, was five hours, so it's a pretty tough race. 42.195km was an unknown distance for me, so I was worried about whether I could run it within the time limit or even finish it.
JAL: What were the results?
Okamoto: On the day, the conditions were terrible, with strong winds and rain at the start. But I really enjoyed it. Even in the rain, many people came along the road to support me and cheered me on. What made me happiest was when Takahashi Naoko, the guest runner at the event, ran alongside me near Zenkoji Temple and called out to me, "Female runner, do your best!" I was caught up from behind and overtaken in no time, but her words gave me a lot of power, and I felt like I had a runner's high while I was running, so I was able to finish the race.
My result was 4 hours 19 minutes, which was under my target time of sub-4.5 (4 hours 30 minutes)!
The dialects are heartwarming! The aids and cheers unique to each region give you strength
JAL: Since then, you have started participating in marathons all over the country. Is there anything that is unique to local competitions?
Okamoto: In the case of regional competitions, you can go as if you were on a trip, so it's a different kind of fun than a day trip. For example, I participated in the Hakodate Marathon this year. This marathon is interesting because of the aid stations, but Hakodate specialties such as ramen, seafood bowls, and melons are served at the aid stations.
JAL: Ramen and seafood bowls?! What an amazing competition.
Okamoto: Yes! The seafood bowl had salmon roe and sea urchin on it, and it was delicious. The melon also got me excited. How many more kilometers do I have to run before I can eat a melon! When I run with that thought in mind, I can push myself hard, and the 42.195km went by in a flash.
In addition, the Kanazawa marathon serves its local specialty curry, and the Nagoya Women's Marathon serves Uiro. Many regional marathons provide local specialties at their aid stations. One of the joys of regional marathons is being able to experience the local specialties of each region.
JAL: It seems like it would be fun to ride in places different from where you usually ride.
Okamoto: It's true that going to the countryside gives you a refreshing feeling of being out of the ordinary. The dazzling scenery is different from usual, so you don't get bored and you can run comfortably. Also, in a marathon, you can use a running watch to measure your time and at the same time, you can link your smartphone and GPS to record where you ran on a map. One of the fun things is that you can increase the number of such logs across the country and feel like you're traveling while running.
More than anything, the cheers from the sidelines, which are a source of energy for me, feel warmer at local competitions. They cheer on everyone without discrimination, and when the cheers are mixed with local dialects, it makes me smile and I can't help but want to reply, "Thank you! I'll do my best!" (laughs). When someone says "Welcome back" to me at the finish line, I'm so happy I could cry.
So in local races, even if the course has a lot of ups and downs, I can run faster than I thought I would because I can run like I'm traveling and I often receive warm cheers. That's the power of traveling!
JAL: Traveling and running seem like a good match.
Okamoto: It's perfect! I think anything you do becomes twice as fun if you combine it with running. It's more fun to run wherever you go, and it's definitely more delicious to eat something after you've run. Plus, you can get a feel for the city by running, rather than taking the train or car. I'm always excited when I run in an unfamiliar place.
So when I go on an expedition to a local competition, I usually stay one or two nights after the competition to do some sightseeing and then come back. The next day, I run through the area and the townscape as a way to cool down. That's how I enjoy local marathons. Travel runs like that are one of the things that motivate me to keep running.
Which city should I ride through next? Just thinking about it is fun!
Amakusa Marathon: Running along the coast with a view of the blue sea
Amakusa is a scenic tourist destination located in the western part of Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, surrounded by the sea. During the Edo period, when freedom of religion was forbidden by the ban on Christianity (Christianity), the Sakitsu village in Amakusa, where hidden Christians hid and developed their own culture while coexisting with Buddhism and Shintoism, was designated a World Heritage Site in July 2018 as one of the constituent assets of the "Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki and Amakusa Region."
Okamoto is also looking forward to the Amakusa marathon, which will be held on Sunday, January 27, 2019. This marathon, which has already been held 12 times, is attractive for its course that runs along the coast overlooking the blue sea. The view of the sea spreading out before your eyes is full of a sense of openness, and you can run comfortably while smelling the sea breeze. Running through small port towns and connecting them is also a unique feature of the Amakusa Marathon.
The course itself is quite tough, with many small ups and downs, but the time limit is seven hours, so even beginners can easily take on the challenge. There is also a half marathon division, so please feel free to participate according to your level!
天草マラソン大会事務局
http://hp.amakusa-web.jp/a0455/MyHp/Pub/Default.aspx
The day after the Amakusa Marathon, we went on a trip around the World Heritage sites
If you participate in the Amakusa Marathon, why not extend your stay a little and sightsee in Amakusa? You can also cool down the next day with a jog along the coastline, where the spectacular views continue. It's also a good idea to stretch your legs a little and visit Sakitsu Village, which is registered as a World Heritage Site. What kind of history has been engraved in this beautiful landscape? Running around churches while thinking back to the Edo period over 400 years ago is a travel run that can only be experienced in Amakusa.
If you suffer from muscle pain, try visiting hot springs. There are many hot spring spots in Amakusa. One of the most recommended is Shimoda Onsen. This famous hot spring has a history of about 750 years and is a natural hot spring that flows directly from the source. It is said to be effective in recovering from fatigue, and will soothe you after a marathon.
After taking a bath, walk about 5 minutes from the hot spring town to the west coast. Watching the sun sink into the horizon and paint the East China Sea crimson red, you'll surely forget the fatigue of the marathon.
And enjoy a luxurious dinner in Amakusa. The seas surrounding Amakusa on all sides are rich fishing grounds where a variety of seafood lives. The menu, which uses an abundance of fresh seafood, is all delicious. Experiencing the food culture of the land is an essential part of traveling. Okamoto says that if you run a little before eating to make yourself hungry, the food will taste even better. Be sure to try this unique way of enjoying a run trip.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
