The environment at RETO has changed me

RRC member interview

Text: Shun Sato

10th Course B+ Team (Goal: Full marathon sub 3 hours 15 minutes) MVP Kenta Oyamatsu

70-minute time improvement over 10 months and three marathons

I finished the Mito Komon Man'yu Marathon in 3 hours 15 minutes 40 seconds, shaving 43 minutes off my time from this year's Tokyo Marathon in March (3 hours 58 minutes 11 seconds). My first full marathon, the Shonan International Marathon in December, took 4 hours 25 minutes, so I was surprised to be able to improve my time so much in my third full marathon. This time in Mito, I set a minimum goal of sub-3.5 and a maximum goal of sub-3.15, and I ended up finishing close to my maximum goal. I was thrilled to receive so many shout-outs from the RETO members, congratulating me on my big personal best! I was truly inspired by my fellow racer Nanako (Iizuka), who called out to me during the race, and the RETO supporters who came all the way to the race to cheer me on and support me. I'm grateful for their support, as it allowed me to run beyond my ability.

The desire to change yourself

It's been nine months since I joined RETO, and I strongly feel that "environment changes people." Until recently, I would start and quit running and going to the gym repeatedly, and I struggled to maintain motivation and was unable to continue training. Wanting to change this weak-willed me, I happened to come across an ad for the "RETO RUNNING CLUB" on the Internet, and decided to apply.

Acquired running habits

At RETO, each member has their own goals, and the team supports them in achieving them, creating an atmosphere of mutual improvement that naturally motivates me to work hard. In addition to the official biweekly training sessions, there are also many regular morning and weekend training sessions planned by members, which has helped me naturally develop the habit of running, and I have gained a lot of knowledge about running thanks to the advice I receive from the coaches and members every time.

I also use a running app called Strava to manage and share my regular training records, and looking at my friends' training details helps motivate me. When I'm not running very well, I get strangely anxious, so I use it conveniently by deliberately avoiding looking at it at those times (lol).

Flow to Mito

Since joining RETO, my attitude toward running has definitely changed, as has my behavior. Previously, I was satisfied with running 100km a month, but before I knew it, I was consistently running 250-300km a month, and running has become a part of my life. As mileage increases, my risk of injury increases, so whenever I felt even the slightest discomfort in my legs, I slowed down my training or took a break to avoid injury. From June to August, the heat was too much for me to run fast, so I focused on distance. In September, I increased my jogging pace and added wind sprints after each jog, focusing on the quality of my training. Just one week before Mito, I ran the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon, where I was able to beat my half-time personal best (PB) set in June by 7 minutes, giving me a sense of accomplishment from my training. It was great that I was able to maintain my momentum at the Legacy and carry it into Mito.

Challenging goals and feeling a sense of accomplishment

-Why do you run?

While my motivation for running remains the same—maintaining my health and fitness—since joining RETO, I've added the feeling of accomplishment I get from challenging myself with my own goals. Honestly, I never expected to find something so engaging and so rewarding as an adult, and I feel like my life is definitely more fulfilling than before. Running often clears away even the smallest of worries, and the food and drinks taste better after a run. It's nothing but positive things in my daily life. My daughter, now in her first year of elementary school, suddenly said, "I want to run with you next time!" So, we're planning to run a parent-child marathon at the end of the year. I'm happy that she's become interested in my hobby, and I hope to use this opportunity to help her develop a love for running. While I'll continue to pursue my own marathon goals, I also want to broaden my scope of activities, such as supporting my friends' goals and taking on trails, so I can enjoy my running life even more.