The first part is a round-the-island tour with ups and downs.
At 11:00 a.m., the half marathon portion of the race begins. Runners are all running at the same time.
This race is set on the seaside of the Seto Inland Sea. The course for the half marathon portion starts at the "Shiomachi Shopping Street" in the northern part of Ikuchijima, crosses over to Takanejima from Takane Ohashi Bridge, circles the island, returns to Ikuchijima, and runs about 9 km round trip along the coast to the goal in front of Setoda Port. The time limit is 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Many local people cheer on the runners along the route. The volunteer staff that supports the operation of the event is also formed mainly by local residents. It is clear that this event has taken root in the community and is loved by the local residents.
Sakurako ran at a high pace right from the start. Before the race, she said, "I have a full marathon coming up the following week, so I want to enjoy running without getting carried away," but once the race got underway, her expression turned serious as if she was a former track and field athlete.
After passing through the "Shiomachi Shopping Street," runners run along the coast to Takane Ohashi Bridge, which connects Ikuchijima and Takanejima.
Sakurako runs up the hill toward the Takane Bridge. The incline is hard, pushing her legs and heart and lungs to the limit. The first half of the course has many ups and downs, while the second half is relatively flat. The key to success is not to use your legs too much in the first half and to save your energy for the second half.
Dean is moving forward at a brisk pace. Although he enjoys physical exercise and is familiar with a variety of activities on a regular basis, this is the first time for him to participate in a marathon.
I want to finish the race within the time limit while enjoying the scenery and cheering for the runners! Akemi, who says, "I want to finish the race within the time limit while enjoying the scenery and cheering for the runners!
At the Takane Ohashi Bridge, some runners take pictures without worrying about losing time. This is a sight not often seen at ordinary marathons.
The scenery at the water stations is also unique to this marathon. Like the Shonan International Marathon, for which Goldwynn and The North Face are the main sponsors, the Setoda Lemon Marathon does not provide disposable cups at the water stations. The aim is to reduce waste, which is an issue for marathons.
In fact, the Shonan International Marathon has succeeded in significantly reducing waste through the "My Bottle, My Cup" initiative, reducing the amount of waste generated in the 2024 event by 761 TP10T compared to the 2019 event, which used disposable cups.
