Tokyo Marathon 10K race report

I ran 10K at Tokyo Marathon. This is my 3rd Tokyo Marathon and 2nd time for 10k race.
Every year, what section you start is one of the biggest issues, especially, for 10K runners, it can be crucial because they run with full marathon people.
My section was D which was not too bad, but still, it took me 3 minutes to get to the start point.

Tokyo Marathon 10K vcan be a PB course because there is no uphill. But to make it, you better start at Section A.

After start, I was trying to passing people as much as possible with finding the way out. For about 2-3 kilos, it was not easy, but also, I was enjoying so mcuh running in such crowds.

Around Ichigaya, near 5K points, just before the water station, I found Yuka, Mary, Mika, Joachim, Phill, Christinan running together and passed them, I could not believe I ever pass those fast runners, but oh well, they are running full marathon. I would not be able to run full marathon with their speeds.

First 5K was all right, but my weak point is last half. I always pace down last half. I tried to speed up, but I started being passed by many full marathon runners. After passing Takebashi, we run east side of Kokyo, we split the course 10K runners and full marathon runners here and go to long straight line for last spart.
This straight line was so long. It reminds me of Ome marathon last 2K. They are very similar.
You run long straight and when you turn the corner, finish line is right there.

I waved to my friends who came to cheer me (energized me a lot!) at the corner of Iwaida bashi which is 200m before the finish line. I finished in 48:49, according to my watch. The time is ordinary, actually, more than a minutes behind my PB, but I felt really good. As I was walking towards Hibiya koen, I found Yuka, Mary and Mika were running toward Shinagawa. I cheered them and went in Park.

I met Jay, Karen, Jonathan, Tamami and Barry there.
Jay came in 7th and Karen came in 22nd.

Later, I found that I finished in 19th among women. I was surprised. because not only the fact I placed such a good position, 10k women were not very competitive this year. If I were running my pb time, I would be easily top5.

Anyway, I really enjoyed it and I do reccomend 10K for Tokyo marathon, especially if you are a lady.

March 23, 2009