I joined RETO because I thought it would be a good idea to set an example for children by doing what I want to do.

RRC member interview

Text: Shun Sato

Naomi Mizogami, Team B (Goal: Full marathon sub 3 hours 30 minutes), was selected as the 6th round MVP.

Personal best at the Kanazawa Marathon

I was really happy to achieve my personal best (3 hours 23 minutes 57 seconds) at the Kanazawa Marathon.

It was still hot in August, so I was focusing on jogging and running first, but I ended up taking it a bit easy. In September, I got COVID-19 and had to take a break from training. I was focused on improving my speed with RETO, so I got anxious when I couldn't do that... From that point on, I switched on and started practicing really hard.

Confusion about joining RETO

I joined RETO in May, but I was unsure before joining. I thought that marathons are run alone and that training is something you do alone, so I didn't really see the point in training in a group. Also, my youngest of two children is still in elementary school, so I wondered whether it was acceptable in Japanese society for a mother to immerse herself in something she loves, and I felt guilty as if I was abandoning my child. But I thought it might be a good idea to set an example for my children by doing what I want to do, so I decided to join.

Legacy Half gave me momentum

Before Kanazawa was the Legacy Half Marathon, and this race was huge for me. I knew I absolutely had to achieve results, even with the limited time I had for training and racing. It was a grind from the start until the 5km mark, and when I saw the clock say 35 minutes, I forgot about the time lag and thought, "This isn't going to work." But I wondered if it was okay to stop there, and whether I was the right mom to give up after something like that. My kids are into track and field, so I felt I had to set an example for them, and somehow I managed to set a personal best (1 hour 40 minutes 57 seconds).

Gold medals made by the children

In Kanazawa, if I maintained my set pace of 4 minutes 40 seconds per kilometer, I was sure I could break sub-3.5, mathematically. After that, I realized it was all down to my own mindset. There was also a children's competition on the day of the race in Kanazawa, and since I was there during that time, I felt strongly that I couldn't end up with an embarrassing result. The children were so happy when I managed to break sub-3.5, and they made me handmade letters and medals. I didn't manage to break 3 hours 20 minutes, but the fact that I was able to try marked a major turning point for me.