Running with pride in the emblem

RRC member interview

Text: Shun Sato

8th Course A+ Team (Goal: Sub-2 hours 50 minutes) MVP: Kenta Watanabe

A race with 300 points until halfway through

I was happy to achieve my personal best time (2 hours 49 minutes 51 seconds) at the Tokyo Marathon.

Up until the 37km mark, I was running at around 300 points. At that point, I was pretty sure I'd set a personal best, but the next 5km were incredibly tough if I wanted to achieve a sub-2:50 time. My pace had dropped to about 4 minutes per kilometer by the 38km mark, and while I could have been satisfied with just breaking my personal best, I didn't want to give up the glory of a sub-50 minute time.

I ran the Tokyo Marathon with determination

You can't run in the Tokyo Marathon unless you win the lottery, so I wasn't sure if I'd be able to run again in the future. I was determined to run for the first and last time in my life, so I knew I would regret it if I didn't give it my all here, so I desperately tried to make a comeback in the last three kilometers from the 39th kilometer mark.

I think it was when there were 2km to go, and the support from the RETO guys there really touched me. At that point I really felt like I had to push myself to finish in under 50 minutes, and they really gave me the push I needed.

Ultra experience came in handy

I think my ultramarathon experience helped me achieve my sub-EGA. Running 100 kilometers alone really strengthened my mental strength. I also learned how to deal with stress. When things get tough and I start thinking, "Why am I running?", I immediately feel depressed. Thinking like that makes me feel less positive, so I try to distract myself from running by looking at the scenery in the distance or humming the music I'm listening to. Even during the Tokyo Marathon, you can't normally run in the middle of Tokyo. I ran while looking around a lot, wanting to fully enjoy the scenery and the scenery. That got me a little tired (wry smile). But ultimately, I think being able to distract myself like that led to a good result.

Spreading its presence on X (formerly Twitter)

I felt the same thing when I ran in Tokyo: the cheers are very powerful, and it's fun to do the opposite. I think a big part of that is because I'm a passionate supporter of the Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo soccer team. Their red and black uniforms are eye-catching, and when I run in them, people along the roadside cheer me on. In Tokyo, around Tamachi, with 5 kilometers left to go, people in all kinds of uniforms were cheering me on and singing the team's song. A Sapporo supporter who was cheering at that point posted a picture of me on X, adding a hashtag: "The top runner wearing a J.League uniform is Nakamura, the number 6 in last year's limited edition uniform!" I later replied, "That's me," and we all got excited (laughs). Running with the emblem on my back is like running in a RETO tank—it makes me feel like I'm representing the team. So I ran with the determination not to run in an embarrassing way, and not to lose to anyone wearing another team's uniform.

He has been with Consadole Sapporo since he was four years old.

I've been a Consadole fan since I was four years old. Their home stadium at the time was about a 20-minute walk from my house, so I often went to watch their games. When I was in kindergarten, I joined Consadole's soccer school, and the parents of a kid I became friends with there were members of the cheering squad. That's why I still try to go to as many games as possible, and cheer them on by jumping around behind the goal and waving flags. If I lose my voice during practice sessions, you can imagine. Consadole is my life.

Aiming for a personal best in his hometown of Sapporo

My next biggest goal is to get a sub-second best at the Hokkaido Marathon. It's my hometown, and I'm sure I'll have a lot of support from friends and family, including RETO, so I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure the conditions will be tougher than the Tokyo Marathon, but if I can get a personal best there, nothing would be better (laughs).