(日本語は下の方にあります)
【English】
I participated in the TOKYO NEW YEAR HALF MARATHON 2025, which I attend every year. Since this race is held in Tokyo at the beginning of the new year, many people choose this race as their first race of the new year. It is an important race for me to exercise and stay healthy during the year-end and New Year holidays, because I cannot run properly in this race if I spend a lazy New Year's day in bed! In this blog, I would like to introduce the outline and results of the race!
✈︎Overview of TOKYO NEW YEAR HALF MARATHON 2025
The outline of the event is as follows: In addition to the half marathon, there are also 10 km and 2 km paired runs, so participation with beginners and children is recommended!
The event is said to be a record-breaking event due to the flat course setting with a turnaround on the riverbed.
- Date: Sunday, January 12, 2025
- Venue: Arakawa riverbed (Shin-arakawa Ohashi Baseball Ground)
- Categories and capacity: * Half Marathon: High school students
- Half Marathon: For high school students and older, 1,500 runners per start time, 6,000 runners in total
- 10km: for high school students and above, 1,500 runners
- 2km Pair Run: Pairs of two able to complete the race (children of elementary school age or younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian 18 years or older to participate); 200 pairs (400 participants)
Image Source：TOKYO NEW YEAR HALF MARATHON
✈︎Race Preparation
I fell ill after the last Aqualine Marathon in November, and finally started to be able to run around mid-December. In order to be able to run as much as possible during the year-end and New Year's holidays, I took my running gear with me when I went home to my wife's parents' house, and I practiced by running with the same power and momentum I got from watching the Hakone Ekiden. From the beginning of the year to the day of the half marathon, I practiced about 41 km in 10 days. I think this was just right, because if I ran more than this in my current condition, I would be too tired on the day of the race to run the half marathon! One week before the race, I will not drink alcohol, eat a lot of food, and sleep well to build up my strength! The weather on the day of the race was cloudy, with a minimum temperature of 3°C and a maximum temperature of 9°C, so it looked pretty cold. Since I wore light clothes in the previous Aqualine Marathon and got cold, I will wear one more layer of running clothes this time!
✈︎Race Start
Now it was time for the race signal. The start time is divided into 4 waves according to the self-reported target time, and I was in the last wave, starting at 10:00. I was the last one to start at 10:00 a.m. Because the road was narrow in some parts of the riverbed, I had to slow down at the beginning. However, I didn't have to go too fast, so it was fine for me.
My goal this time is 2 hours, but I want to leave some strength for the second half of the race, so I will start running at a slightly slower pace of about 5:50/km. If I started running at this pace and felt good, I would gradually increase the pace and aim for the 2-hour record. Although I felt some pain in my calf, I was not in bad shape and passed the turnaround point, the halfway point, without any difficulty. After 11 km, my time was 1 hour and 5 minutes, and I needed to run the remaining 10 km at a pace of 5:30/km in order to break 2 hours. Well, I felt it was a bit tough, but I picked up the pace little by little. After 15km, my legs suddenly stopped moving and I walked during the last half marathon, but this time I feel okay. From this point on, I was chanting in my head, “2 hours! in my head as I move my legs forward almost mindlessly. Toward the end, I didn't have time to look at my watch or think about it, but I felt that I might be able to just barely break 2 hours. As I came to the last kilometer, I saw 1 hour and 55 minutes on my watch, so I figured I could make it if I could hit a pace of 4 minutes per kilometer at the end! I ran as fast as I could, and when I finally reached the finish gate, I looked at my watch to see that I had done it... 2:00:30... oh no, I was only 30 seconds short. I was almost sure I had made it under 2 hours, but I guess I didn't watch the seconds properly, so I had to wait until the next race to reach my goal. Still, I am happy that I was able to literally finish the race this time without walking!
It was good that I was able to increase my pace well in the second half of the race. I think my pace was too slow in the beginning of the race.
✈︎Banquet after the race
After the race, you and your fellow runners will go to a bar to recover from the half-marathon!
The Akabane area is also known as a “Senbero Mecca,” where many bars and taverns are lined up and where many drinkers gather during the daytime, regardless of the race this time! The restaurant we visited this time is “海鮮炉端焼き ろば炭魚”.
They serve delicious fresh fish that they connoisseur every morning in Toyosu. Since they buy whole tuna, you can eat rare parts of tuna that are rarely found in the market. I celebrated the last Aqualine Marathon alone, but drinking sake with friends while reflecting on the race is exceptionally delicious! I was able to spend a pleasant time while talking about various things at the New Year's party as well. It looks like I will be able to enjoy a good running life for another year.
・Grilled Japanese Tuna Kama with Salt
・Seared Japanese Tuna with Hojo Meat
On the way back home, I buy a lot of Gugelhupf, which are only available at Morozoff Grand Tokyo in Akabane Station. I buy a lot of Gugelhupfs, which are only available at Morozoff Grand Tokyo in Akabane Station. These traditional baked goods are inexpensive, bite-sized, and easy to eat!
✈︎ Finally
I was able to run early in the new year and feel good about it. It makes all the difference in how I feel when I can finish a race properly.
I will continue running so that I can run at least a half marathon, and next time I want to break through the 2-hour barrier!
【日本語】
毎年恒例で参加しているTOKYO NEW YEAR HALF MARATHON 2025に参加してきました。年明けに東京で開催される大会とあって、この大会を新年走り始めのレースにする人が大勢います。寝正月でダラダラ過ごすとこの大会でまともに走れないため、年末年始にしっかり運動して健康的に過ごすために私にとっても大切な大会です！ブログではレースの概要や結果を紹介して行きたいと思います！
✈︎TOKYO NEW YEAR HALF MARATHON 2025の概要
大会の概要は以下の通りで、ハーフマラソン以外にも10kmや2kmのペアランもあるので、初心者や子供との参加もおすすめです！
河川敷の折り返しでフラットなコース設定のため、記録が出やすい大会と言われています。
- 開催日: 2025年1月12日（日）
- 開催場所: 荒川河川敷（新荒川大橋野球場）
- 種目と定員:
- ハーフマラソン: 高校生以上対象、各スタート時間ごとに1,500名、合計6,000名
- 10km: 高校生以上対象、1,500名
- 2kmペアラン: 完走できるペア2人1組（小学生以下の子供が参加する場合、必ず18歳以上の保護者と参加）、200組（400名）
Image Source：TOKYO NEW YEAR HALF MARATHON
✈︎レース前の準備
前回11月のアクアラインマラソンの後に体調を崩し、12月中旬くらいからやっと走れるようになってきました。年末年始もできる限り走れるよう、妻の実家に帰省した時もランニング道具を持って行き、箱根駅伝を見てもらったパワーと勢いそのままに走り出したりして練習をしました。年明けからハーフマラソン当日までの練習量は10日間で41kmくらいです。今の私の状態でこれ以上走ると大会当日に疲れが溜まってしまいハーフマラソンどころでなくなるため、ちょうど良かったと思います！大会１週間前からはお酒は飲まずにご飯をたくさん食べ、よく寝て体力を蓄えます！大会当日の天気は曇りで最低気温は3℃、最高気温は9℃で結構寒そう。前回のアクアラインマラソンでは薄着で体が冷えてしまったため、今回はランニングウェアを1枚多く着てレースに臨みます！
✈︎レーススタート
さていよいよレースの号砲がなります。スタート時間は自己申告の目標タイムに応じて4つに分かれており、私は最後のウェーブとなる10時スタートでした。河川敷で道幅が狭いとこともあるため、最初はどうしてももたつきます。ただオーバーペースにならなくて済むので私にはちょうどいいかも。
今回の目標は2時間なのですが、後半に力を残しておきたいので、5:50/kmくらいの少し遅めのペースで走り出します。このペースで走り始めて調子が良さそうなら徐々にペースを上げていき、2時間の記録を狙っていこうと考えていました。ふくらはぎに痛みを感じることはあったものの、調子は悪くなく、無理なく中間点である折り返しポイントを通過しました。11kmを過ぎた時点でタイムは1時間5分。2時間を切るためには残り10kmを5:30/kmのペースで走る必要があります。うーん、ちょっと厳しいかなと感じましたが、少しづつペースを上げていきます。15kmを過ぎるあたり、前回のハーフマラソンではこの辺りで急に足が動かなくなり、歩いてしまいましたが、今回は何とか大丈夫そう。足は重たく辛いけど。ここからは2時間！2時間！と頭で唱えながらほとんど無心で足を前に運びます。最後の方はもう時計を見る余裕も頭で考える余裕もなかったのですが、どうやら2時間ギリギリ切れるんではないかと感じていました。そして最後の１ｋｍになった時、時計に1時間55分の数字が見えたので、最後キロ4分台のペースを叩き出せばいけるとみて、ラストスパート！全力で走りついにゴールゲートを迎えてこれは達成しただろうと時計を見ると、2:00:30・・・あれ、なんと30秒も足りてないじゃないか。ほぼ2時間以内を確信してたのですが、秒数まではちゃんと見てなかったためか、目標達成はまた次のレースに持ち越しとなりました。それでも今回は途中で歩くことなく文字通り完走できたので満足です！
レース後半にしっかりペースを上げられたのは良かった。序盤のペースが遅過ぎたかな。
✈︎レース後のお楽しみ
レース後は一緒に走ったランニング仲間と共に酒場へ行って、ハーフマラソンの疲れを癒します！
大衆居酒屋や立ち飲み屋など多くの飲食店が並び、今回の大会に関係なく昼間からお酒好きが多く集まるせんべろの聖地とも呼ばれる赤羽エリア、飲み屋探しには困りません！今回訪ねたお店はこちら「海鮮炉端焼き ろば炭魚」
毎朝豊洲で目利きした鮮魚を美味しく提供してくれます。本マグロを１本買いしているため、市場にはあまり出てこないマグロの希少部位なども食べることができます。前回のアクアラインマラソンは一人で祝杯をあげたけど、やはり仲間と一緒にレースを振り返りながら飲むお酒は格別に美味いです！新年会も兼ねて色々喋りながら楽しく過ごすことができました。今年も一年よいランニングライフが送れそうです。
・国産本マグロ カマの塩焼き
・ホホ肉の炙り刺し
帰り際にこれも恒例となているお土産です。赤羽駅の中にるモロゾフグラントウキョウでしか買えない焼きクグロフをたくさん買って帰ります。ヨーロッパなどでよく食べられている伝統的な焼き菓子で、安価で食べやすい一口サイズとなっており、お土産に最適なので是非赤羽に行った時は試してみてください！
✈︎最後に
年始早々、気持ちよく走ることができました。ちゃんと完走できると気持ちが全然違います。
これからもハーフマラソンくらいはしっかり走れるようランニングを続け、次こそ2時間の壁を突破したいと思います！
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Well done! 💪
Nice time and very close to the goal. Next time you'll probably run under 2 hours.
Thank you! Next time I will achieve my goal!