Monday Yumemai Marathon

Today a bunch of us from Namban Rengo helped man an aid station at the Tokyo Yumemai marathon. This is a non-competitive, unofficial marathon through the city streets, running on footpaths, stopping at all the "no-walk" signals.

The marathon began a couple of years ago as a response by Tokyo's running community to protest the lack of a mass participation marathon in this city. New York has one, London has one, Paris has one, even Seoul has one, but Tokyo only has two very small and tightly controlled elite marathons, one for men (2:30 qualifying time) and one for women (3:15 qualifying time). Somehow the will has never developed within City Hall to add a major event such as a large international marathon to showcase the city. This is very strange given the enormous popularity of running in this country and also given the general policy push toward increasing inbound tourism. Perhaps the sport's popularity is its own downfall: the marathon could easily be enormous and would therefore almost certainly require entry by ballot; a large enough space for the start finish is also not easy to imagine.

The Yumemai Marathon route has been planned to take in a maximum of the city's major sites. We were stationed near perhaps the biggest foreigner magnet of all, the Kaminarimon Gate to the Asakusa Kannon Temple (Sensoji) at Asakusa. Well, we are mainly foreigners after all!

The course in our section ran up one street to the Kaminarimon, crossed the road, and then back down the other side of the road past our aid station and then off towards Tokyo Dome and ultimately the finish at Hibiya Park. So there were quite a few points in our area at which we had to intercept and direct runners in the right direction. It was overcast and cool and there were scads of rain around, but generally we were spared a thorough drenching. Our position was at about 28 km into the run and we had to play a waiting game before the first runners showed up, but once they started coming through it was fairly constant and good fun. Generally everyone was jovial and friendly and into the mass participation spirit of the run. They were out for a good day and to support their sport. It was also very humbling to have so many of the runners, exhausted as they were, thanking the volunteers. There was a great sense of oneness of purpose and it was quite uplifting to be a part of it, regardless of how small a part it was.

There is a rumour going around, even ahead of this running of the Yumemai, that Tokyo's governor, Ishihara, has agreed to allow a full mass participation marathon in the near future, if not 2006, then at least 2007. So that is something to really look forward to. Japanese runners travel the world to participate in big international marathons such as Honolulu, Boston, New York, Gold Coast. I believe there is nothing they would love more than to reciprocate the hospitality and experiences they have received to the runners of the world. The first one, whenever it happens, will be a truly sensational event to be a part of, whether as competitor or volunteer. Either way, I can hardly wait.