I spend 18 hours a day thinking about running.

Why I Run: Stories from Runners
Vol. 4 Harry Sugiyama - Part 1

Text: Shun Sato

A Dislike for Running

Following in his father's footsteps – that was Harry Sugiyama's earliest running memory.

"When I was about four or five, my father, who was a journalist, was rushing to a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club. He was running late, so he suddenly started running near Sakuradamon. I desperately tried to keep up with him, but he left me behind. It wasn't fun at all; I just remember desperately trying to cling to his back as I ran."

Later, he started playing soccer and ran more, but for Harry, "just running" mostly meant penalty runs when he missed a mark during a game or broke rules at the dorm.

"So, as a child, I hated running. It felt like a chore, and I found no joy in it whatsoever."

The Marathon Awakening

Having spent his childhood like that, Harry has now grown into a runner aiming for a sub-2:50 marathon. He is active as a host on "Ransuma Club" and "Nonstop," on radio, and as a guest at marathons. He's completely immersed in the marathon world, saying, "It feels wrong not to run."

The catalyst for Harry to start running seriously was the Akasaka Mini-Marathon on "All-Star Thanksgiving." He first participated in 2013 and impressively won the spring race two years later, in 2015.

"Even when I won, I was just boasting about my athleticism, and I had quite a handicap, so it felt like I could win just by running a little."

When he was first cast, he didn't really think about running seriously as he does now. He approached it with his own style of training, thinking it was enough to run a certain distance. He managed to run decently then, but as time went on, stronger runners began to participate.

"That's when it started. When I started from the back, like the regular runners and past winners, no matter how hard I tried, I could only manage about 2nd place and couldn't win anymore. For several years, Kenji Moriwaki completely crushed me, and I couldn't compete at all."

Expansion from Ransuma Club

He felt that this couldn't continue, and he needed to practice running.

Harry began to acquire training methods, knowledge, and various techniques for running faster after he started hosting "Ransuma Club" in April 2021. His encounters with Tetsuhiko Kin and Arata Fujiwara provided more learning opportunities. He clicked with Fujiwara, who has a unique sensibility, and they went to Fujimi Kogen, where SUZUKI often holds training camps, to run cross-country courses and participate in running camps as "training grounds." Through running, new connections with people were formed, and as his social circle expanded, Harry's running ability gradually improved.

Daichi Kamino, who appeared as a guest, introduced him to Sports Motivation, a personal gym. Now, Kazuhiro Yoshizawa is his trainer, and Harry works on physical conditioning through regular training using the Encompass machine.

"Yoshizawa-san has been my trainer for a long time. For last year's Tokyo Marathon and the recent New Year's Half Marathon, I went to Sports Motivation on the morning of the race to get ready. We use a machine called Encompass, and the difference in how my body moves afterward is incredible."

Also, when he went to cover the Aoyama Gakuin University track and field team for Ransuma Club, he befriended Kotaro Kondo. At that time, he was impressed by the treatment at Y's Acupuncture and Moxibustion Clinic, which Kondo introduced him to, and now he goes there about six times a month.

"Many of my celebrity friends and running buddies also started going to Y's. It's really interesting how connections spread through people. TV might seem like a world of its own, but it actually spreads and connects to many different people. I feel like this expansion of human connections is what creates a running culture."

Reasons for Joining RETO

Harry has his own running team called TEAM NASTY. They not only run together but also provide essential information such as pre-practice stretching and the importance of alternating hot and cold baths. At the same time, he participates in various other teams to improve his own level. He sometimes participates in the RETO RUNNING CLUB, founded by Kamino, joining not only practices but also training camps.

"I asked Kamino-kun if I could join RETO, and he said yes. In the beginning, there were only three teams, and I could keep up with the top runners even after two or three laps around the Imperial Palace. But now there are eight classes, and I'm in the team aiming for a sub-2:55, and the level is incredibly high (laughs). What's great about RETO is the high level of motivation. Everyone has a strong desire to push themselves further than they were yesterday. When you practice there, you can't slack off; you have no choice but to do it, so your body just moves on its own. The environment at RETO is truly wonderful."

Harry says that when he attends races with his team, he often meets RETO members and they cheer each other on, stating, "I've built a really good relationship with RETO."

The Troublesome Man

He is particular about his training, but equally particular about his shoes.

Last year, when he took a one-week vacation to England, he participated in a 5K "Parkrun" race held in a park at 9:30 AM on a Saturday. Afterward, he developed inflammation in the sole of his foot, so he wanted shoes suitable for jogging at about a 5:30 or 6-minute pace per kilometer. He visited various running shops in London, looking for good shoes.

"At one shop, I found a Saucony Hurricane 25 in size 30.5 cm. In Japan, the retail price is about 26,500 yen, and they have up to 30 cm, but not 30.5 cm. That 0.5 cm difference is huge. I bought them, but they cost 36,000 yen. Due to the weak yen, it was ridiculously expensive in the UK (laughs). Now, I've also changed the sole and I'm doing exercises to maintain my arch. Of course, I change shoes depending on the purpose. It sounds good to say I'm particular, but I'm quite a troublesome guy. As a person, as a man, to be so concerned about this kind of thing, I think it's a bit much (laughs)."

During work in the TV studio, he used to casually notice people's watches or shoes. Now, he sees them through a physical filter, thinking, "That person has bad posture," or "Their gluteus medius isn't engaged."

"In the studio, I'll watch how people walk. I'll think, 'Because they walk like that, their core isn't engaged.' Of course, I can't actually tell them that. During the show, I need to pick up on what everyone is saying and keep the conversation going; if I suddenly blurt out, 'Your core isn't engaged,' I'd just be a jerk, right? (laughs). But that's how much everything is connected to running for me."

In a 24-hour day, how much does he actually think about running?

"Out of 24 hours, excluding sleep, I think about running for 18 hours."

On the day of the interview, he had "Nonstop!" from the morning, but he woke up early to run 3.5 km and then trained at the gym. He ended up overdoing it a bit and was slightly late arriving at the TV station. He reflected that "being late defeats the purpose," but that's how focused he is on running.

His evening social engagements have also significantly decreased.

"In my twenties, I often invited friends out for drinks. But now, instead of drinks, I invite them for runs. Honestly, I'm a bit weird, right? (laughs). Basically, when I run in the morning, my blood circulation improves, my brain works better, and then I go to work and can do everything perfectly. For me, jogging is nutrition."

Battling Age

Harry has just turned 41.

While there are runners like his respected Mari Yugeda who achieved a sub-3 marathon at 67, the 40s are a period of significant physical change. He looks young for his age and doesn't appear 41, but what are his thoughts on aging?

"My physical performance is higher now than it was in my twenties, when I had a six-pack as a model and bigger muscles. If we can measure quality of life and happiness, I'm winning by a landslide now. But it's true that alcohol lingers more now than it did in my twenties, so I run, or go to the sauna or oxygen capsule to get rid of it (laughs). I'm sure my strength will decline eventually, but I don't feel anxious because I think it's fine to just do what I can at that age. Mentally, I haven't wavered since I started doing full marathons. I think my mental and physical health are at their strongest right now (laughs)."

In the past, if someone he liked left his LINE message on read, he would become extremely sensitive, worrying that maybe the stamp he sent was too creepy, and that worry would consume his entire day. Now, even if he sends a weird stamp and doesn't get a reply, he no longer cares, thinking, "It just didn't land today."

"I think the confidence that I have marathoning gives me mental leeway. Wow, I've really changed. As a child, I absolutely hated running; it was a punishment in a way, but now it's more important than three meals a day, or even oxygen (laughs)."

More than just liking running, it has become the core of his lifestyle.

Even on this day, after the interview, he had a point workout scheduled at Oda. From about two days before the point workout, he was already planning backward: what to eat for lunch, where to get care after practice, and what to eat for dinner. He said he was constantly thinking about such things.

"I'm always thinking about running. Of course, my work is important... but it's getting a bit much, isn't it? (laughs)."

Harry is probably always thinking not "I have to try hard," but "How can I enjoy running?" Because he enjoys it, thinking about it is not a burden.