An ongoing endeavor to reach even greater heights.

RRC member interview
text:Shun Sato

15th Course Team B (Goal: Full Marathon Sub 3.5) MVP Rika Takeuchi

Revenge for My First Marathon DNF

My first marathon was the Itabashi City Marathon last March. But I dropped out at 25 kilometers (DNF) due to the cold and strong winds mixed with rain (chuckles). The Shonan International Marathon last December was my revenge race. My goal was to finish, and if possible, to achieve a sub 3.5. I set a pretty wide time range, but at the halfway point, I was about 2 minutes slower than the sub 3.5 pace. However, from 30 kilometers, I was able to get back to the sub 3.5 pace, and from there, I pushed through with spirit and grit, achieving a sub 3.5 (3 hours 29 minutes 41 seconds). The "my cup" system might be controversial, but it worked very well for me. In regular races, you can only get water at designated points, but I could drink at my own timing, and by taking small sips frequently, I was able to run without cramping or hitting the wall, which I found to be a lifesaver.

Solitary Training is Not a Burden

I started running marathons around October 2024. After graduating from university, I hadn't exercised much for about five years, but I was invited by a colleague, and I also felt like I wanted an exercise hobby.

In junior and senior high school, I was in the soft tennis club and was tanned all year round (chuckles). We would run 4 or 5 kilometers for club activities, but I wasn't very good at long distances. Even after I started running, it was tough at first with just 2 kilometers, but as my body gradually adapted to running, I felt a great sense of growth when I was able to run 10 kilometers. I've continued because that feeling made me happy.

I always trained alone. While increasing my distance, I often just ran without much thought. But I realized that sometimes I need that time to run without thinking, and it wasn't a burden at all.

Factors for Growth at RETO

What prompted me to join RETO was the Legacy Half Marathon. I couldn't break 100 minutes there, and I didn't know how to train to improve my time, so I wanted to learn at a practice session. In fact, I've improved my running ability by doing speed training that I couldn't do alone, and I've come to understand a lot about how to structure my training. Not only at RETO's practice sessions, but also by running with everyone at Hamaren and in solo practice, my monthly mileage increased to 300-350 kilometers. Perhaps because of that, I used to get injured quite often, but thanks to all the advice I've received from everyone, I've been able to run without injuries recently.

Falling into the Running Swamp

I work as a physical therapist, and running is now successfully linking with my job. I constantly think about running, checking my schedule to see when I can run or if I can run at a certain time today. I'm definitely deep in the running swamp (chuckles).

Discovering the Unknown You

The interesting thing about marathons is the process and the self-discovery. It's really fun to think about how to plan my training for the race, what time I'm aiming for this time, and what pace I should maintain. To achieve that, I need to raise my level to a certain point. It's also very interesting to discover things about myself that I didn't know, like "I can actually do this" while running, or "This is how I become when I'm tired."

To always be in the best condition

Right now, I'm doing a lot of self-experiments. I don't want to tackle running, work, or my private life when I'm tired; I want to be at my best. For example, I'm experimenting with what's best for fatigue recovery and how much food I should eat. They say, "If you lose 1 kilogram, you'll run faster." I definitely see that when I look at Mikitty (Shunya Miki), but it didn't work for me. When I lose weight, I become sluggish and my running performance drops. If I don't eat, I can't recover from fatigue and I can't train, so I make sure to eat properly. However, I'm still experimenting with the content and quantity of my meals. For pre-workout fuel, bananas are probably the gentlest on the stomach, but jelly isn't satisfying enough, and rice balls are too solid. I experiment with these things every day.

Why do you run?

Simply put, running improves my physical condition. My drive increases, my work often progresses smoothly, and I've become capable of more things. Mentally, I can stay positive. Running has completely integrated into my life now.