In its 25 years of pursuing toughness, G-SHOCK has built a solid position as a global brand. G-SHOCK, which has built a solid position as a global brand, has released the "G-SQUAD," a model that supports workouts by linking with smartphones. It supports runners' motivation with a variety of functions such as step counting, calorie calculation, multi-timer and stopwatch. Takanori Kido, store manager of Mikkeller Tokyo, a craft beer bar in Hyakken, Shibuya, and a 100-miler, inspected this item. What kind of activity will he show us in his training and work? We explore the possibilities of the G-SQUAD.
Born in 1982. He has been running for 8 years and trail running for 7. He completed the OSJ KOUMI 100 in 2016 and became a long-sought 100 miler. He usually works as a store manager at Mikkeller Tokyo, a craft beer bar located in Shibuya's Hyakken and is well versed in both running and beer.
You have to be healthy to drink good beer.
What made you start running, Mr. Kido?
wicket gateIt all started about eight years ago when my then girlfriend dumped me (laughs). She wanted to move abroad and was studying languages, but I had nothing to be passionate about. I was also starting to gain weight, so I decided to try running.
wicket gateAbout a year later, I saw my drinking buddy running in the mountains and thought it sounded like fun. I went running with him in the mountains of Kamakura, and that's when I got into treerunning.
How fast are you running now?
wicket gateI don't get to the mountains very often, so I only hope to run on the trails once a month. I also run 6 to 7 kilometers around my neighborhood 4 or 5 times a week. Depending on the day, I set a pace of 5 or 4.5 minutes per kilometer.
You have been running quite a bit.
wicket gateI feel like I run for the sake of drinking and eating. Because of my profession, I have many opportunities to drink. I am aware that in order to enjoy good food and drink, I have to be healthy. Mikkeller, the big boss of Mikkeller, used to be a runner, and he was a fast track athlete in college. But at the time of the founding of the company, he was not running at all and had gained weight. He started running and started the "Mikkeller Running Club" in 2014.
Are you hosting a group run?
wicket gateWe are "Mikkeller" from all over the world, and we get together on the first Saturday of every month to run together. Mikkel himself believes that one should be healthy enough to drink and eat. It's not so much a running club for running as it is a group for drinking good beer (laughs).
What kind of people gather at your store in Tokyo?
wicket gateWe have quite a wide range, some runners who run properly and others who come because they like our beer. We usually have about 50 participants, and we divide them into 4 or 5 groups depending on their level. One group starts from Mikkeller Tokyo, runs through Tomigaya and Yoyogi Park, and comes back here again. When we get back, we serve beer to everyone.
What kind of beer is it?
wicket gateIt's after a run, so it's not a full-bodied beer, but a refreshing beer with a nice mouthfeel. We make beer for running clubs.
Even people who didn't like beer say, "I can drink this.
How did you come to love beer, Mr. Kido?
wicket gateI wasn't that much of a beer drinker to begin with. But one of my fellow trekking friends works for a craft beer company, and he recommended it to me, and when I tried it, I was hooked. I asked him for recommendations, and as I went to more and more places, I got more and more hooked.
What do you think makes craft beer so appealing?
wicket gateI think the image of beer up to now has been that of a "drink served with a toast. It is not something to be savored, but rather to be drunk as a rite of passage. But when you actually drink craft beer, you will notice that the taste is completely different. It's like having your common sense turned on its head. Many people who used to dislike beer say, "I can drink this.
I think craft beer is very exciting right now, but what makes Mikkeller unique among them?
wicket gateI guess the thing is that our company originally did not have a factory when it was founded. We have factories in San Diego and New York now, but at that time, we didn't have a factory. Our approach was to come up with a recipe and then ask various breweries to make it for us. The recipes are always changing, and we have a variety of beers on tap.
Running balances inputs and outputs.
Going back to the subject of runs again, what has the act of running changed in meaning for you, Kido-san?
wicket gateWhat I am aware of is that I make time to go offline by running.
What do you mean by offline time?
wicket gateThe Internet has become an indispensable part of our lives, and I think we are always online, browsing social networking sites and easily communicating with others. However, when I am running, I feel that I have time to myself, that I am free from the Internet, and I feel that such an environment is very important. It is a time for me to adjust, almost like a detox.
I see.
wicket gateWhat I found interesting recently is that my wife told me and I realized that September was a very busy month for me and I didn't get to run at all. She said that I complained a lot without realizing it. In reaction to that, I ran every day in October, and he told me that I complained less. So I said, "I want you to run all the time" (laughs).
So running is also a stress reliever.
wicket gateWhen I don't run, I feel impurities accumulate. I often think about "input and output. I often think about "input and output," and I feel that when I input information, I need to output it in order to maintain a proper balance. So, simply put, the day after I eat ramen noodles, I run.
The ability to measure calories is the most attractive feature of G-SQUAD.
Run as much as you eat. That is the basis of Mr. Kido's philosophy.
wicket gateI usually wear a heart rate monitor when I run and record the amount of calories burned. By doing so, I can easily see the balance between input and output, such as "I ran this much today, so I was able to reset my body. While many people are concerned about overeating and overindulging, few people properly calculate calories.
This "G-SQUAD" is linked to your smartphone so that you can see how many calories you have burned from your workout.
wicket gateI think it's great. With this watch, I can measure the number of steps I take not only on a run but also at work, so I can check the amount of exercise I do there. I can't go to the trouble of wearing a heart rate monitor at work, so it's nice to be able to know that just by wrapping the watch around my wrist.
Other features include interval training menus, a stopwatch function to record lap times and the difference from your target time for the run, and your best, worst, and average. Are there any features you are interested in?
wicket gateRather than functions, I am happy with the fundamental performance of G-Shock watches, such as shock resistance and water resistance. Especially in my line of work, my arms get wet all the time, so it's nice to know that the watch won't break. I am also happy that I can wash it as is if it gets dirty.
I also like the size of the watch. The watch I usually use for running has a very thick and large face. So I can only use it for running, and I have to wear a different watch on my wrist at work. The G-SQUAD is moderately sized, so it doesn't interfere with my work, and I can measure my daily steps and calories burned without changing my watch.
Finally, what do you think is the appeal of "G-SHOCK"?
wicket gateI like the fact that G-Shock has always been the same. G-Shock has been around since I was in high school, and I still use it today. While there are aspects that have not changed, there are also aspects that have evolved with the times, and I am attracted to that attitude. I feel very comfortable with such a brand.
