Every year, the past 10 years or so, I have watched the Hakone ekiden on Japanese TV on my laptop computer or tablet. Being a runner, not so much a marathon runner anymore, but still a runner, as I still run everyday I am very much interested in running in Japan.
Being a former running coach with 15+ years of experience at the middle school, high school, and university, I am amazed at the level of dedication and enthusiasm for running in Japan. It has been said, the viewership of the Hakone ekiden is larger that the US super bowl. I know marathon running and running in general is big in Japan. Every time I visit Yokohama, for over 20 years now, I am amazed, almost any time of the day, you will see people out running, whether for health/fitness or for marathon training.
Whenever I run in around the Minatormirai area or the Yokohama Yamashita park, koen, I see more runners in one morning/day than I see all year in my area around where I live in Incheon South Korea. Yes there are areas in Korea/Seoul etc. where there are a lot of runners and walkers but not so much my area. Japan, it seems is truly an running country.
Of course I have a knowledge of most of the famous marathon runners in Japan from the past. I often visit several sports stores in Yokohama when I visit, just to look and maybe buy some good running shoes. At one shop one time, they remembered me as the gaijin who likes to buy a lot of good running shoes. Of course I always look for good running shoes on sale.
In Korea, for example, the prices seem to be too high, so I always buy running shoes in Japan. One day, maybe I will be able to watch the Hakone ekiden, maybe at the Yokohama ekiden area live instead of on TV only.
I've watched many You tube videos about the latest Hakone and on Japanese TV, to improve my Japanese listening skills. I am especially happy, whenever, after some Hakone runners finish, they show good sportsmanship to the other Hakone runners who just finished before or after them. Such as the Aoyoma Gukuin University captain, on the third leg, who showed good sportsmanship to the Kenyan runner who just finished before him and a Hakone runner who just finished behind him.
To me that is/was just as important, of not more than winning. And then the last leg, 10th leg, the Soka University runner, an up and coming team moving from 11th to 9th place in the standings, was a major highlight of the Hakone race. An up and coming team moving into the top ten for the very first time, and the effort, a course record, was truly the most exciting part of the entire Hakone race. Of course Aoyoma Gakuin winning again was exciting as was all the teams who always give their best effort in no matter what place they finish.
A common Japanese saying; fall down seven times get up eight can apply to all the teams who didn't win. Ganbatte to all the teams in the future. And the other 32 or so teams, who didn't make it to Hakone this year.
© 2020 Tom Metts, all rights reserved
Source: For the information related to my ideas: http://japanrunningnews.blogspot.com/
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