David Churchill It is pleasant! London, UK TOKYO MARATHON START LINE 1st time 24 February 2013, early morning: we asked the runners rapidly assembling in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Won at a contest and flew to get here. The RUNNING atmosphere ahead of the start is great! Yoshiaki Ogata Japan 3rd time Looking forward to that How do you feel right now? beer after I finish. Akio Kamosawa Ryuji Sekiya Satoko Fukamachi Tokyo Osaka Toyama 2nd time 2nd time 1st time Yasumitsu Ogihara This is my first Tokyo The aim today is to Feeling nervous, plus it's Kanagawa Marathon for a while, so Koji Morishige beat my personal cold, so planning to run fast. 1st time I'll be looking to really Hiroshima best! In a panda mood, so came enjoy it. 1st time dressed as one. We'll be running I'm worried about whether for world peace. I can actually run it without walking at all. Kazuo Kyoya Michiko Osato Hokkaido Tokyo 1st time 2nd time This year the race has Running with so many been promoted to others is a great buzz. world major status, so I'd like to run a good time. Atsushi Kaneda Saitama Phiroon Phihakendr Thomas Parsha Samarth Suvajarachai 2nd time Bangkok, Thailand Philadelphia, USA Manabu Ishito Bangkok, Thailand Miki Itabashi Very pleased with the 1st time 1st time Shunsuke Kashiwabara Saitama 2nd time Ibaragi support from those Like being on holiday! Tense, this being my Tokyo 1st time after applying for Loving it, just on top of the world. 3rd time people lining the course. first time. 3rd time 5 years Delighted to have There's a stiff cold breeze Keen to taste the encouragement from my today. excitement of achieving Yosakoi team. Not starting yet, are we? my goal, so hoping to struggle through somehow. Masayo Kubo Okayama 1st time It's huge isn't it? Stoked to be able to be part of it! Neil Cooper UK 1st time Let's just get on with it then! Christoper Bullock Michigan, USA 1st time This is my 94th full Yuki Okamoto marathon. The Tokyo Yokohama, Kanagawa Marathon must be the 2nd time Tomohiro Kawasaki Yasuo Hayashi ultimate way to see I've dreamt of running the Hideto Ueki Akita Tokyo. Tokyo Marathon ever since I Shinsuke Kinoshita Yakumi Hongo Kunihiro Shimada 2nd time Tokyo was little. It's wonderful taking Gifu Fukushima Saitama Full marathons are great fun. in the scenery as you run. 2nd time 1st time 3rd time MK I take part in running meets every Running's my thing. Our teacher chose us. We'll be Excited to be running between Corporation 2013 Apr month. 2013 Apr 12 Cute outfit, don't you think? doing our best! 2.3 million spectators along 13 the route. 9:10AM. 2.24.2013 Start of the Tokyo Marathon! Ⓒ TOKYO MARATHON FOUNDATION 2013 Apr 2013 Apr 14 15 JQR SPECIAL It is pleasant! RUNNING Let’s go running ! Running for Pleasure Many people seem to have realized recently that running is a really enjoyable sport. In fact there were 303,450 applications for the 2013 Tokyo Marathon! The chances of winning a place in the event were 1 in 10.3, the lowest ever. Running appears to be an easy sport, because all you have to do is run. But there is a lot to learn, and it’s harder than you might think. You need knowledge and gear that suits you in order to run comfortably and enjoyably. We’ve put together some basic information to help you get to that point. For anyone who wants to try for the first time, or give their running a boost: Now is the time to get out in the warm spring weather and have a go! Photography/Tomoya Takai Text/JQR Editorial Staff 2013 Apr 2013 Apr 16 17 It is pleasant! RUNNING Why Running is Years of research reveal the connection between Good for the Body running and health Good aerobic exercise 1 improves cardiopulmonary Is it Really True that functions Running is Good for Health？ 2 Probable weight loss Running looks healthy, but is it really good for the body? If it is, what is so good about it? To answer this basic question we talked to sports medicine specialist Hiroyuki Ishida, an Prevention and Associate Professor at the Keio University Institute for Integrated Sports Medicine. amelioration of obesity Photos: Satoru Naito Text: JQR Editorial Staff 3 and lifestyle diseases “Researchers around the world started stairs or making short sprints to get to long-distance runners are more prone Words of advice from looking into the connection between the train on time. to damage, with many hurting their Assistant Professor Ishida health and exercise in the 1960s, and knees and ligaments. Leg shape can Keep up a steady effort, but Long Distance also make a difference, and people eventually agreed that generally tailor your exercise to your speaking, the habit of exercise Runners are Generally who are bow-legged or knock-kneed fitness condition and don’t strain contributes to a longer life.” says Slim are more prone to injury if they run too yourself. It’ll seem like too much Professor Ishida. There are many “The long-distance runners you see much because the direction of bother at first, you might think it benefits to be gained from increasing competing in the Hakone Ekiden, gravitational force concentrates weight too hard or unpleasant, but if you the amount of energy expended marathons and so on are all thin. They placement on one section of the keep going your efforts will start through exercise. maintain the minimum amount of joints.” “Weight loss is a typical example. muscle needed to carry the body, but If you’re running and it starts to hurt to be rewarded with good things. Weight depends on the balance any unnecessary weight is lost,” says somewhere, it’s essential to stop and For example, you’ll find it easier between energy input and output, so Assistant Professor Ishida. not force yourself to keep going. Ice to run, or your weight will start obviously if energy output increases Certainly if you look at the line-up of packs and stretching after running are dropping, or the figures on your because of exercise the balance will competitors for the 100m sprint finals also important. medical check-up will improve. be in the negative and weight loss can in the Olympics, you might mistake it “If you have pain somewhere, make When that starts happening it be expected. Furthermore, people who for a muscle building competition. Top sure to apply an ice pack. Anyone motivates you to keep going. exercise regularly have a lower marathon runners, on the other hand, whose knees hurt after running should When you’re starting out, though, probability of getting diabetes, high have slim, graceful figures. treat the affected area properly with an you just have to keep at it. Try to blood pressure, hyperlipidemia and “If you set your mind to it you can do it ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes. If the enjoy running. Setting yourself a metabolic syndrome, and even if they anywhere or anytime. I believe that pain is a recurring one then it’s goal like entering a competition this is the great merit of running. necessary to investigate the cause do get these illnesses, the symptoms can also be a good thing. will progress more slowly.” However, people who are not used to thoroughly. Seeing a specialist trainer What are the effects of running as regular exercise can’t just suddenly to get an assessment of leg muscle exercise? start running. They might be able to do balance, flexibility and running form “Almost all exercise verified by medical 100 or 200 meters, but not be able to might be one step towards finding a research as being good for the body, go any further. In this case you’re solution.” which I mentioned earlier, is in fact better off starting out with fast walking aerobic exercise. Running is a typical —walk for three minutes and then run example. Because it’s an aerobic for one. Repeat this over and over and exercise that uses the whole body, the gradually you’ll become able to run load is spread throughout the body and longer.” can improve cardiopulmonary Running is not entirely good though, functions.” with one disadvantage being potential If you strengthen your cardiopulmonary injury. functions by applying a greater load “The price of running for exercise is than you normally would, daily life will the great load that it puts on the Hiroyuki Ishida naturally get easier. It stands to reason musculoskeletal system. Since load Assistant Professor at Keio University’s Institute that with better bodily fitness you won’ depends on the distance covered and for Integrated Sports Medicine. Sports medicine t get out of breath from running up the the length of time taken to run, veteran specialist. Japan Ice Hockey Federation, Medical Committee Chair, International Ice Hockey Federation Chief Medical Officer, Japan Olympic Committee Medical Support Sub- Committee Member. 2013 Apr 2013 Apr 18 19 It is pleasant! Takeshi Soga Trainer for the Japanese Athletics RUNNING Team since the 1998 Asian Games. Went freelance in 2007 Caring for your body is the path to enjoyable running and became personal trainer to Dai Tamesue. JOC Staff Trainer, Japan Association of Athletics Federations, Medical Committee Running Troubles Trainer Sub-Committee. Runs the TKC acupuncture and massage clinic to treat non-professional Causes and Solutions and professional athletes.