"Hard work pays off" - A 3-Year, 4-Month Voyage

RRC member interview
text:Shun Sato

15th Cool A0 Team (Goal: Sub-3 Marathon) MVP Takahiro Ichikawa 

The Start of the Sub-3 Challenge

It was a long journey. 
I really felt how much time it would take to achieve a sub-3 marathon (laughs). 
My marathon life began with the 2019 Yokohama Marathon (3 hours 44 minutes), and I first attempted a sub-3 at the 2024 Tokyo Marathon. However, at that time, I wasn't in perfect condition due to an iliotibial band injury from the previous year's Shonan International Marathon, and I finished in 3 hours 2 minutes 41 seconds. I was just a little short.

In November of the same year, I was able to approach the Tsukuba Marathon in perfect condition. However, I ran out of energy at 35km, and my pace dropped to 4 minutes 45 seconds by the end. The result was 3 hours 1 minute 29 seconds. I missed it by just over 300 meters.

At that time, Tsuchii (Yusaku Tsuchimoto) and Koreeda-kun, who always advise me, pointed out, "Did you do a 30km long run?" Actually, I had only done long-distance training up to 25km. Reflecting on that, I incorporated 30km runs into my training to build up my endurance for longer distances, and then I faced the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon the following year (2025).

The High Wall of Sub-3

At Beppu-Oita, having Katayama-kun and Watabee (Kenta Watabe) volunteer to be pacers was incredibly encouraging. Despite that, my breathing became labored at 21km... They had come all the way to Oita to pace for me, but I was done halfway through the race. In the end, I barely managed to finish by walking. At that time, I was quite depressed by my inadequacy and guilt.

Three weeks later, at the Osaka Marathon, the result was 3 hours 2 minutes 6 seconds. I just couldn't shave off those last one or two minutes. These "one or two minutes" unconsciously became a very high wall for me.

The Impatience of Being Left Behind

I was also impatient. My teammates who joined RETO around the same time, such as Dr. Arima and Furufuru (Yosuke Furuyama), were achieving sub-3 one after another, so I felt like I was being left behind.

However, to make sure I never forgot that frustration, I had Daichi Kamino write "Momentary patience, 1-second patience, 1-meter patience" on my Tsukuba Marathon bib, and also received messages of encouragement from Seiya Takagi and Tamuken (Kento Tamura). I displayed it where I could always see it, like a runner who lost in the Hakone Ekiden qualifiers. Seeing it every day fueled my fighting spirit, and I began to approach my daily training with renewed determination.

Learning from the Tsukuba Failure

Also, after the failure at Tsukuba, I developed a habit of reviewing my race performance and training process, noting down what went well and analyzing the causes of what didn't. On point training days, I would record how I felt and performed in a journal. I started to implement the "PDCA cycle," just like at work (laughs).

Entering this season (autumn 2025 - winter 2026), I also changed my mindset. I tried not to compare myself to others. When I couldn't achieve my goal, I tended to think, "That person can do it, but I can't," but I'm not competing with anyone like a top athlete. I accepted my own abilities accurately. I restarted from there.

Establishing a New Training Cycle

I particularly focused on sleep and recovery. In my mid-40s, it became harder to shake off fatigue. So, on weekends, I would take alternating hot and cold baths at the local public bath, refrained from alcohol the day before and after key training sessions and long runs, and prioritized recovery. If I felt any pain, I would go to a sports orthopedist for ultrasound or microwave therapy. By investing time and money in maintenance, I was able to build up my training without injury.

By thoroughly confronting myself and quantitatively understanding the time required for recovery and my daily condition, I was able to establish "my own training cycle" to bring my condition to its peak for race day. A significant benefit of solidifying this cycle was being able to plan individual key training sessions (known as "Ichi-Ren") on weekends and improve together with my RETO teammates.

The Tsukuba Nightmare

My plan for this season was clear. To achieve a sub-3 at Tsukuba, where I had experienced bitter disappointment the previous year, no matter what, then use the Katsuuta National Marathon as a stepping stone to challenge for 2 hours 55 minutes at the Tokyo Marathon.

Leading up to Tsukuba, I strictly abstained from alcohol and controlled my diet for three weeks. On race day, since I would be taking a train from Akihabara at 5:30 AM, I started waking up at 3:45 AM a week beforehand to adjust my body clock. With the resolve that this was my Olympics, I did everything I possibly could. 　

However, the actual race was brutal. Around 30km, I was hit by intense nausea and vomited (sparkles). The result was 3 hours 5 minutes 12 seconds. After crossing the finish line, I was taken to the aid station with hypothermia. At that point, my spirit was truly broken by my weakness in actual races. My point training session a week before (10km LT/tempo run) was a personal best at a pace of 3 minutes 56 seconds per kilometer. Everyone told me, "You can definitely do it," and I myself was confident. I had left no stone unturned in my preparation. ...Even after all that, I couldn't do it. The shock of being unable to perform in the actual race was enormous.

Saved by the Voices of My Teammates

Even then, my teammates at RETO reached out and encouraged me. In particular, the message I received from Sugichan (Yuna Sugita), "Regardless of the outcome, the process and time invested with genuine effort enrich your life," truly saved me.

Relaxed at Katsuuta

Two months later, in January 2026, I ran Katsuuta. Since I had initially positioned this as a step race for Tokyo, I was able to stand at the starting line feeling relaxed. Looking back, I think that might have been a good thing.

More than anything, it was the support from my RETO teammates that pushed me forward. At the 40km mark, Koreeda-kun, E-kun, and Eiichiro (Iiyama-san) cheered me on from the roadside with voices that seemed ready to burst. I checked my watch and saw 2 hours 50 minutes. From then on, I was desperate. Then, at the 41.2km mark, with only 1km remaining, Watabee spurred me on with a powerful shout like Coach Oyagi of Komazawa University, saying, "Go! If you don't get (sub-3) now, when will you?"

Tears of Achieving My Goal

The faces of my friends flashed through my mind one after another. "If I don't achieve sub-3 today, I can't stay in RETO anymore." With that thought, I squeezed out every last ounce of strength and ran to the finish. When I stopped my watch after crossing the finish line, it read 2 hours 59 minutes 28 seconds. I was overcome with a sense of relief, but immediately after, when I saw the faces of Okada (Takumi)-kun, Dr. Arima, and Watabee, my emotions overflowed, and I cried like a child despite my age.

After a Long Voyage

It took me 3 years and 4 months since joining RETO, and 6 attempts, to finally achieve sub-3. That's why it felt so long, and when I wasn't getting results, I worried deeply about what was wrong. However, trusting Coach Seiya's training menu and drawing strength from Kamino-san's support and advice paid off. And most of all, I was able to get this far because I had friends and teammates at RETO who stood by me and supported me through both good times and tough times.

My Philosophy

I'm inherently the type of person who, once I set a goal, sees it through to the end. I've encountered numerous obstacles in my high school club activities, university entrance exams, and work life after becoming an adult, but I've always persevered. "Continuing without giving up leads to growth and results." I believe that this fundamental philosophy of mine bore fruit in marathon running as well. It perfectly embodies Daichi Kamino's maxim, "Effort never betrays you."

Passion for Marathons

Now that I've achieved a sub-3, I realize anew how much I love marathons. On a TV show, Harry Sugiyama (who also comes to RETO's training sessions) told Arata Fujiwara, "I love and enjoy marathons as much as ordinary people say they enjoy drinking." I feel exactly the same way (laughs). 　

I love marathons so much that no matter how many more times I run, I don't think this fire will ever burn out.