HOUYHNHNM RUNNING CLUB♡ Special Edition Tokyo Marathon 2021 Special!

Enomoto:How many times have you two run the Tokyo Marathon? This is the fourth time for me.

AQ:This is the second time for me . The last time was in 2019. Unfortunately, it was raining and freezing cold, but the cheering along the way was amazing and I remember thinking, "This is the Tokyo Marathon! I remember running the Tokyo Marathon with great excitement.

Yamamoto:This is the second time for me too. The appeal of this event is that you get to run in the middle of Tokyo while being cheered on along the way. Tokyo is our hometown, and it is nice to have running buddies there to cheer us on.

AQ:However, since the event was held at the Corona Disaster this year, people were asked to refrain from cheering, so the number of people along the street was sparse. . It seemed quieter than in previous years.

Enomoto:. Indeed, the streets were quieter than in previous years. . But personally, there were many scenes where I could feel the passion in the quietness. There were people who applauded and cheered for the participants without speaking, and volunteers who held up handwritten messages of support. Even though it was difficult to speak out loud due to the Corona disaster, I was touched to see how they tried to make the event more exciting in their own way.

AQ:. I agree. . I felt a quiet excitement, different from the festive atmosphere of the Tokyo Marathon in the past.

Yamamoto:There are many turnarounds on the course, and it is fun to pass runners you know each time you turn around. . This time, too, I passed many people I knew. Marathon running is basically a solitary sport, but it is invigorating to meet people you know.

Enomoto:Speaking of passing each other, I passed Kipchoge this time. I don't know him, though (laughs).

Yamamoto:Kipchoge, you competed this time.

Enomoto:I think it was around the halfway point of the race. A relay truck and a motorcycle were coming toward us from the oncoming lane, so I thought, "What if this is it?" , stopped and waited for a while. Then, sure enough, Kipchoge came dashing by!

AQ:Oh . That makes me excited.

Enomoto:Seeing Kipchoge run live for the first time was so beautiful that I shivered. . That was the highlight of the Tokyo Marathon for me personally.

Yamamoto:In terms of differences from previous years, this year's event was held at the Corona Disaster, so for us runners, there were many preparations leading up to the day of the event. . like inputting our health status into a physical condition management app, PCR testing at the registration desk, and so on.