Inagi Ekiden race report

(sorry folks, somehow this one got to be a long 'un)

Sunday April 30, Inagi City, Tokyo

On a warm and windy pre-Golden week Sunday, a very healthy contingent of 24 Namban runners attended the 2^nd Inagi Green Tokyo Verdy 1969 Ekiden (yes, I swear that was its official name). It was held in Inagi Central Park, centered on a very nice dirt running track circumnavigating a beautifully grassed soccer field. Just about every bit of signage and bunting was either for Tokyo Verdy or Saucony. About three-quarters of the teams were Tokyo Verdy something-or-other -- and somewhat surreally they were all named after some kind of vegetable. There were teams named broccoli, celery, and tomato -- almost enough ingredients for Fabrizio to whip up a minestrone (if they'd stood still long enough). All the prizes were plastered with Saucony logos. But that's OK, every race needs its sponsors, and in this case we were left in no doubt about who they were.

The facilities were good, the organization a nice mix of efficiency and laid-back/friendliness. Tthe race started 10 minutes late and nobody seemed too concerned -- a refreshing change for the country that epitomizes the term anal retentive. On the other hand, there were timing mats and chip-enhanced sashes. The field was relatively small, but quite strong at the pointy end, as testified by our strong men's open team being run into a close second place.

The course was a tight and twisty little 3-km number that wound its way through the trees, around the fields, past the water feature, down the hill into the valley, and (oh my heart rate!) back up to the top of the hill for a lap of the oval to the changeover point.

Overall, it was a fine outing for Namban Rengo. Out of our six teams, our ladies and men's veterans A team picked up 1^st place in their categories (yeeaayy, loud cheers and applause!), the speedy men's open team was pipped into second place, and our mixed team had a well-deserved 2^nd placing. Congratulations all round.

Result Summary

Mixed

A: Stephan Felix, Rie, Katakura, Anthony (2^nd place in 0:51:30 out of seven teams)

Mens open

A : Stefan, Daniel, Omar, Brett (2^nd in 0:40:06 out of 19 teams)

B : Gary, Katara, Peter, Paddy (9^th in 0:48:06 out of 19)

Male Vet's teams

A : Jay, Fabrizio, Steve, Terry (1^st in 0:44:16 out of 9 teams)

B : Don McMillan, Chiba, Gareth, Shoji (strangely omitted from the results)

Ladies

A : Yuka, Yasuko, Takako, Mami (1^st in 0:56:12 out of ahem, cough, three teams)

Full results at (Japanese only):

http://homepage.mac.com/ironshu/triathlon/event/ekiden_sanka06.html

Official report at (Japanese only):

http://homepage.mac.com/ironshu/triathlon/news/060501.html

And now for some selected and edited-without-prejudice comments on the day:

Stefan Husler (Mens open A)

It was very nice to compete as part of such a fast team. I gave my best on the first leg and it also went ok until the bottom of the course where I was still in contact with leading guys but I felt totally worn out on the remaining uphill part and lost precious seconds there. The whole Inagi Ekiden event was another great experience for me here in Tokyo. I liked in particular the post-race event. [Ed.: They say a picture paints a thousand words: http://ja.global.sendpix.com/albums/06043018/vbtv56k8c4/ ]

Takako (Womens Victorious A)

That race was just supercalerfragilisticexpialadotious!!! Running through the verdant copses of lowland Japanese lucidophyllous forests was as exhilarating an experience as you could hope for. The uphill was excruciating; it seemed to go on and on like one of Juergen's pre-workout speeches. But the eye candy was fully bodacious and the prizes were, like, totally bling bling; we were like back-flippin, dudes! We'll be back. [Ed. Takako asked me to lightly edit her English and I was happy to oblige]

Gary (Mens open B)

Yuka and I were chatting at the start line about why the announcer hadn't announced her team when the gun went off unexpectedly. I got off to a slightly slow start as a result but by the bridge had made up the gap, and then went on to pass about 9 people. A really nice friendly race and the onsen was very sulphurous! [Ed. Brrt! "eee kusaaaiiii!"]

Gareth (Mens Vets B)

A jog around the course quickly planted foreboding of the race to come. Only 3k, but along an initially rolling route that gave way to a last 1.5k or thereabouts of deep downhills followed by even steeper uphills. Tough, demanding, and any thoughts of a PB quickly put aside. Our team astonished all present by failing to capture any of the copious volume of prizes that Saucony generously provided, despite a sterling first leg from Don and good performances from Chiba and Shoji. The race itself was a bit slapdash about starting times and organization generally, a (refreshing) first for me in Japan, but was both testing and fun. Definitely a keeper and well found by Takako.

Brett (Mens open A)

The university team was so far ahead when I started (~2 min) that I didn't realize it when I passed their anchor; I thought he was just another 3rd leg runner [Ed. So hapless he must have been, especially compared to his team mates]. As such I have to apologize for letting the guy from the triathlon team pass me at the top of the hill. If I'd known I was in the lead I would have tried harder. Thanks to Takako for setting this up. I thought this was a great little event and hope it will become one of our regular races. Excellent course, well-organized, and 1st-rate prizes considering the entry fee. Congratulations to the women's and vet's teams, too.

Triumphant Jay (Mens Vet's A)

I was the lead-off for our team, and when the gun went off the other 60 runners burst down the track like they were shot out of a gun. I struggled just to keep up. A kilometer into the race I began to overtake some people, and at the halfway mark I caught up to the individual wearing a prosthetic leg from just above the knee. It was very impressive and inspiring to see how smooth and fast this guy moved on the prosthetic leg - a flat curved piece of metal with Nike racing flats on the foot. I would have been content to stay behind him, but teammate Steve Lacey had urged me on before the race by saying - "At make sure you beat the guy with one leg," so I managed a burst of speed, and then held on through the hilly final kilometer of the course.

Anthony (Mixed team)

As we were waiting for the other runners to come in we'd see them come down the backstretch of the track and try to urge them on to catch the runner ahead or to hold off a challenging runner from behind. This is what I was thinking as I was chasing the boy who was ahead of me, all of 12 years old maybe. I felt a little bad passing him but I figured Namban Rengo was cheering me on what else was I going to do, let him beat me? The bags we received are nice and the first place team was eyeing them while they held their shirts. I told them to run slower next year.

Steve (Mens Vets A team)

"Did we win, we f%&$'n sh%tted it in!!" (old Australian victory cry). Jay got us off to a great start. I especially liked the way he mercilessly ground his one-legged opponent into the dust. I expected nothing less of this steely eyed aspiring ironman. Fabrizio consolidated our position with a solid run. I was the third runner, and after a week of not running and expelling about four gallons of phlegm daily, I was what you might call, well-rested. Got off to a good start and passed five people during my leg, at least one of whom was a veteran "Here, stick this up ya jumper ya old b@stard" I said as I breezed (or was it wheezed?) past. Then I especially enjoyed having the opportunity to pass a guy on the running track coming into the change-over point in full view of the cheering barbarian horde. Terry (aka Teruyuki Minegishi) ran a very solid last leg to bring home the bacon. Judging from the incriminating photos floating around, we may have erred in not joining the onsen crowd.

Ijou desu.