Recalling my first marathon.

Coming Tokyo Marathon is my 10th marathon. Perhaps that's why I can't help recalling my very first marathon experience.

In December 2002, seven months before joining Namban, I ran my first marathon (Aoshima Pacific Marathon in Miyazaki pref.) with 4:05:36. It was very agonizing experience and I thought I would never ever do it again. I did it all by myself, training alone, travelling alone, racing alone and coming back alone, and I thought, what's the point of doing this? A little bit of self-satisfaction in exchange for enormous agony during the race and unbearable leg sore afterwards.

Of course I felt pretty good about myself having run 42.195km, which I have never thought of being able to do for previous thirty something years, but still, it was like one of those good memories you have in your life.

But as time goes by, the thought "I could have done better if..." is growing. The fantasy every runner would have several days after a race, when your leg sore is gone (I still have the same kind of thoughts after every race). Especially I didn't like this "05:36" part of my time. That's the only reason I decided to do my second marathon.

Then I joined Namban, ran my second marathon in NYC 2003 with 3:40:40 (with even worse agony), *snip* and here I am, going to run 10th marathon!

My target time for Tokyo Marathon is breaking 3:05:36. One hour improvement from my first one would be sweet if I could.

Well, let's see.